Workplace skills

Advice on how to help students develop employability skills for the 21st century workplace, covering real-world experience and authentic learning that aids graduates in the transition to professional careers.

Mature white male student doing online training

Does the Workforce Pell Grant Program offer a reprieve for US higher education?

Government funding for short-term courses could create more affordable, accessible pathways for students, and opportunities for universities to rethink how learning is structured and credentialed, writes Pardis Mahdavi

Pardis Mahdavi

Independent academic

Students work on a project round a table

Make employability meaningful: developing soft skills with social justice work

The growing demand for students to gain workplace skills could see employability crudely bolted on to existing courses. But partnering with charities and social justice organisations can make it more meaningful – here’s how

Jac St John, Naomi Oppenheim

University of Westminster

How should universities teach leadership now that teams include humans and autonomous AI agents?

Trust and leadership style are emerging as key aspects of teambuilding in the age of AI. Here are ways to integrate these considerations with technology in teaching

Alex Zarifis

University of Southampton

Campus talks: what today’s hyper-connected students need from their first weeks on campus

Students taking their first steps on to university campuses this month will arrive more informed – thanks to AI and social media – and more focused on career outcomes than previous intakes. So, how should universities tailor their welcome to set incoming cohorts up for success?

Rachel Gable

William & Mary

Workers in hard hats and hi-vis discuss their plans

The autonomy paradox: why graduate apprentices need both freedom and support to thrive

Graduate apprentices who report high levels of autonomy in their workplace learning don’t necessarily achieve better outcomes. Here’s what they need to succeed

Elaine Jackson, Alan MacDonald

University of the West of Scotland

Young male student looking thoughtfully at a laptop

Solving the soft skills crisis using artificial intelligence

Employers seek transferable skills such as communication and cultural awareness, but how can universities translate these aspirations into meaningful, scalable learning experiences for students? AI personas offer possibilities

Kieran Williamson

University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha

A student speaking to a teacher in a bright office decorated wiht plants

How interactive orals transform assessment – and how to implement them

Interactive orals shift testing from memorisation to meaningful dialogue, reducing anxiety and building confidence in diverse learners. Read how they increase inclusivity and how to implement them across disciplines

Popi Sotiriadou , Dani Logan-Fleming

Griffith University, Torrens University

How to work well with industry spotlight graphic

How academia can work well with industry

Advice on how universities and their staff can maximise the benefits of academic-industry partnerships for researchers, students and society

Campus contributors

Campus

Close up on young woman looking at computer screen

The case for human-centred skills in higher education

For tomorrow’s challenges – and not just today’s jobs – students will need communication, critical thinking and interpersonal skills. So, faculty should look to embed these transferable skills across disciplines. Lauren Thomas explains

Lauren Thomas

Virginia Tech

Young entrepreneurs chat happily in a breakout space

How to position entrepreneurship as a graduate skill

Entrepreneurial thinking is at the top of employers’ wish lists – but how to integrate these skills in education?

Robert Crammond

University of the West of Scotland

Female intern with laptop working on mecatronics project

Industry engagement matters for doctoral candidates, too

Doctoral candidates have not generally prioritised engagement with industry, but its opportunities to enhance research impact and career prospects now make it essential. Here, Adnan Syed Muhammad offers tips for PhD students

Adnan Syed Muhammad

Western Sydney University

Hand holding mortar board, digital credentials

How industry partnerships and digital credentials can close the skills gap

Industry-focused credentials allow candidates to highlight skill sets to potential employers and enable individuals who may not have access to traditional higher educational pathways to display skills acquired over time. Here are examples of how these can work

Veronica M. Godshalk, Janelle Simmonds

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities, Siemens Digital Industries Software

A student and an assessor roleplaying a client meeting

Interactive orals offer a solution to AI over-reliance in higher education

A scenario-based assessment method that promotes authentic learning can curb over-reliance on AI and build students’ professional communication skills. Here is a guide to interactive orals

Popi Sotiriadou , Dani Logan-Fleming

Griffith University, Torrens University

Build workforce capability through smarter university-industry partnerships

Universities are expected to produce job-ready graduates, but many partnerships with industry remain ad hoc. Building deeper, more deliberate relationships with employers is key to developing stronger regional talent pipelines

Grant Ritchie

University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha

Campus talks: are we facing a crisis in critical thinking in higher education?

Two academic experts in strategic decision-making and education discuss critical thinking, why it is under threat and what role it plays in preparing students for their digitally curated futures

Olivier Sibony, Tony Wagner

HEC Paris, Learning Policy Institute

Equipping university graduates to think beyond the classroom

Too many students – and some educators – misunderstand what critical thinking entails. Here, Marie Paretti explains why engineering students in particular struggle with open-ended problems, and how educators can design experiences that help them learn to think in context

Marie Paretti

Virginia Tech

An image representing the inner workings of the human brain

‘We must replace critical thinking with intuitive critical thinking’

Developing students’ basic critical thinking skills is not enough – intuitive critical thinking is needed in order to expand cognitive capabilities and understand real-world issues, explains Patrik K. Meyer

Patrik K. Meyer

University of Zurich

The keys to strong university–non-profit partnerships

Collaborative projects between universities and non-profits nurture empathy and allow students to make a real-world impact. Here, three educators share their tips for building meaningful partnerships that benefit students and communities alike

Mariana Leyva , Martha Sáenz , Itzel Eguiluz

Tecnológico de Monterrey

Teaching critical thinking is not enough – we must design for and assess it, too

Students are often told to think critically, but they need to be shown how – and evaluated on it. To truly embed critical thinking in higher education, educators must align teaching, assessment and expectations from the ground up

Nicole Pitterson

Virginia Tech

A university student standing outside a campus building

Four ways to help students develop critical thinking skills

Students’ success increasingly depends on their ability to demonstrate critical thinking and research skills. Here are four ways to help them develop these complex abilities through effective data analysis training and course design

Justin Fendos

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

A librarian helps a student, using a laptop

Information literacy is a core skill – and libraries are ideally placed to embed it

Librarians can be instrumental in developing students’ information literacy. Here’s how one university library developed a course to improve information literacy skills in healthcare disciplines

Marine Rigeade

Université Paris-Est Créteil

A video gamer with a headset on is seen from the back

A guide to embedding esports for employability

Competitive video gaming is growing – and its power could be harnessed in your classroom. Here’s how to integrate esports to foster transferable skills in students

Gavin Baxter

University of the West of Scotland

Teach business students to write like executives

Many business students struggle to communicate with impact. Teach them to pitch ideas on a single page to build clarity, confidence and work-ready communication skills

José Ignacio Sordo Galarza

Tecnológico de Monterrey

How to create a win-win university-industry partnership

To reap the benefits of industry-academia collaborations, researchers and higher education institutions need to be clear about goals from the outset, understand each party’s differences and communicate

Darren Fast

University of Alberta

Four stages to develop problem-solving skills

Use this four-step framework to help your students work through problems and develop their analytical and creativity skills

Houry Melkonian, Vicki Brown, Cris Burgess

The University of Exeter

Bringing GenAI into the university classroom

How to use generative AI to improve teaching, rethink assessment, reduce course admin and equip students with AI literacy and other career enhancing skills

Campus contributors

Campus

A tombstone in a graveyard with the words "rest in peace" carved into it

Is the dissertation dead? If so, what are the alternatives?

Dissertation alternatives, such as capstone projects and applied group-based projects, could better prepare graduates for their future careers. Discover what these might look like

Rushana Khusainova, Sarah Sholl, Patrick Harte

The University of Bristol, Edinburgh Napier University

Every student can benefit from an entrepreneurial mindset

To develop the next generation of entrepreneurs, universities need to nurture the right mindset in students of all disciplines. Follow these tips to embed entrepreneurial education

Nicolas Klotz

Al Akhawayn University

Build foundations for university-industry partnerships in 90 days

Graduate employability could be transformed through systematic integration of industry partnerships. This practical guide offers a framework for change in Indian universities

Raul Villamarin Rodriguez, Hemachandran K

Woxsen University

Questions to ask when designing collaborative online learning experiences

Practical steps for designing meaningful online learning experiences with external collaborators that help students develop essential competencies

Bárbara Regina Granados Guzmán , Luis Gerardo Rojas Solorio

Tecnológico de Monterrey

Is graduate employability a core university priority?

Universities, once judged primarily on the quality of their academic outcomes, are now also expected to prepare students for the workplace. Here’s how higher education is adapting to changing pressures

Katherine Emms, Andrea Laczik

The Edge Foundation

The tough lessons that build resilience in forensic science students

To avoid causing students unnecessary harm when teaching sensitive topics, consider a trauma-informed approach. Carrie Mullen outlines how

Carrie Mullen

University of the West of Scotland

How to get your students writing stellar social policy analysis reports

Policy analysis equips social work students with the skills to critically assess, influence, and advocate for equitable policies. Read how to demystify the process

Adrian Man-Ho Lam, Mathew Wong Yee Hang

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

An illustration of a mortarbord balanced on a globe

The future of liberal arts may belong to the Global South

With American universities under threat from a hostile government, where will liberal arts education thrive? Perhaps it’s time for a reimagining

Abderrahim Agnaou

Al Akhawayn University

A team discusses at Post-It notes on a wall

Communication skills needed for public policy and how to teach them

Effective public policy requires clear communication and public engagement. Here’s how to equip future policymakers with the necessary skills

Lisa Lim

Nazarbayev University

Test students’ understanding, not their memory

Exams have become more about students’ ability to recall answers to questions asked in past papers rather than testing their understanding of new knowledge. Here’s how to challenge their cognitive ability instead

Apurav Krishna Koyande

Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP)

Young Asian female students giving presentation

Machine v human skills: what do we teach now?

Human-centred abilities such as curiosity, adaptability and self-reflection are rising in importance as AI threatens to automate routine tasks. Here are ways educators can prepare students for the workforce of the future

Lynda Wee

Nanyang Technological University

How to run a bursary scheme for your students with no admin support

How one lecturer launched and ran a career development bursary with no administrative support, using digital tools and smart workflows to keep the process efficient and effective

W. Victoria Lee

The University of Edinburgh

A guide to building lasting partnerships between students and industry

How can universities bridge the gap between students and their future employers? Bring real value to both sides with these tips

Amy Pyle, Dan Robinson

Loughborough University

Turning skills into stories: how longitudinal skills portfolios enhance student employability

Universities are adopting reflective digital tools to help students connect their learning to graduate skills. Here’s what they’re doing and why it matters now

Cat Bailey

Jisc

Two teachers at the front of a class full of students

‘Here’s what not to do’: a participatory method to develop interview skills

See what happened when educators used role plays to dramatically demonstrate poor interview practice, encouraging students to analyse and suggest improvements

Multiple authors

The University of East Anglia

How partnerships with business are evolving to support student employability

‘Intrapreneurship’, interdisciplinary degree pathways, student-led projects and early engagement are all ways universities can move industry collaboration from partnership to co-building

Saurabh Sinha

University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha

A logistics student working at her laptop

Active, applied and authentic learning: a model that builds skills and agency

Learn how the AAA model improved student engagement and learning outcomes in a logistics and supply chain programme, and how its principles apply across disciplines

Irfan Ul Haq , Hung Nguyen

RMIT University Vietnam

‘This is going to hurt’: taking the pain out of group assessment

Group assessment can be seen as unfair and unwieldy, but it also teaches essential skills such as teamwork and collaboration. We owe it to our students to frame it in a way that allows them to see its benefits

Sarah Sholl, Stephen Yorkstone

Edinburgh Napier University

Workforce-ready, not left behind: inclusive work-based learning for sciences students

Many science students miss out on quality placements because of systemic barriers. Read five ways universities can embed equitable, work-based learning into non-accredited programmes and level the field

Shalinee Dhayal, Dominic Wiredu Boakye, Musarrat Maisha Reza

The University of Exeter

Two employees consider a screen filled with data

Let’s give students the skills to succeed in multiple careers, not just one job

The future is unpredictable. So instead of trying to future-proof our students’ degrees, let’s future-proof their mindset

Deborah Bartlett

Al Akhawayn University

How we use GenAI and AR to improve students’ design skills

Guidance on using generative AI and augmented reality to enhance student creativity, spatial awareness and interdisciplinary collaboration

Multiple authors

Tecnológico de Monterrey, El Bosque University, San Sebastián University

The economics of belonging: a new way of thinking about student success

Rising costs of living and tuition mean that US university students may prioritise career and economic factors rather than self-actualisation as a reason to remain at a university

Richard Tomczak

Stony Brook University

Prometheus concept of technological innovation

Cultivating a responsible innovation mindset among future tech leaders

The classroom is a perfect place to discuss the messy, real-world consequences of technological discoveries, writes Andreas Alexiou. Beyond ‘How?’, students should be asking ‘Should we…?’ and ‘What if…?’ questions around ethics and responsibility

Andreas Alexiou

University of Southampton

Seven questions to ask when reforming academic skills services

With academic skills services facing a perfect storm of challenges, many are under review. Here’s how to make sure your students’ needs are being effectively met, through seven questions

Steve Briggs, Ralitsa Kantcheva

University of Bedfordshire

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