Category: Skills

Why universities globally should consider how they fit into the micro-accreditation landscape

“Shorter in duration than traditional programs, micro-credential programs enable students to gain specialised certifications for specific skills or knowledge areas”

The economic landscape learners face today is rapidly shifting. A generation ago, a career spent in one role was commonplace. Today, the need to reskill to hold multiple careers over a lifetime in the workplace appears to be quickly becoming the rule rather than the exception.

The skills gap created by this dynamic is also an opportunity. Short programs, such as micro-credentials with specific goals, are an opportunity for higher education institutions to widen access for non-traditional learners to gain the skills needed to compete today and provide an avenue to deliver lifelong learning for more workers tomorrow.

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Trends for agility: HE is evolving at an unprecedented pace

“Higher education is evolving at an unprecedented pace and institutions must be proactive and agile if they’re to remain competitive”

The world is changing.  From the workplace to the study place, higher education is also being forced to evolve and adapt to the changing demands of students and tomorrow’s careers. Since the 16th century, education has involved spending a good deal of time sitting in a classroom absorbing information before heading out into the working world to put it to use.

But the speed of change around us means that how we are taught today and the content we are taught about may well be redundant the next, causing higher education to rethink its framework and teaching methods for the careers of the future.

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The prominence of non-STEM courses in the US

“The US offers a unique dual degree program that allows students to undertake two subjects of varied fields”

A recent study by the World Economic Forum revealed that creativity, originality and emotional intelligence are among the top 10 in-demand skills in 2023. And what’s interesting is that except for two, all are non-STEM skills, which means they do not fall under the purview of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.

While researching the gradual shift towards non-STEM fields, I came across the McKinsey Global Institute trends report, which stated how the need for job skills will change between now and 2030. It emphasises on the demand for a person’s interpersonal skills, such as communication, empathy, and creativity. The report also states that the employees’ core performance areas are changing due to technological breakthroughs like automation and artificial intelligence.

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How higher education is driving sustainable development

“None of the SDGs can be achieved in isolation: to truly deliver lasting change, collaboration between universities and partners around the world will be critical”

In an opening address to the Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers late last month, Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta sounded a clarion call to government education ministers around the world.

They should, he said ‘be alarmed to note that, by 2050, Korea and Japan will be enrolling 80% or more of their high school graduates to higher education, while countries such as the Central African Republic and Niger will be struggling to reach 5%.’ This gap, he said, was a critical issue for the Commonwealth, whose 54 member states are home to one in three of the world’s young people.

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Why we must champion innovation and invention-based learning

“Providing students with the opportunity to step outside the comfort zone of a classroom and work on inventions with a trial-and-error approach encourages them to take risks”

Providing students with engaging opportunities to explore, discover and grow is something all educators aspire to achieve. Yet, this is often difficult when the majority of teaching is done in traditional classroom environments, says Aysha Al-Mudahka from Qatar Foundation.

For STEM learning in particular, it cannot be neglected. It is essential that schools equip the next generations with engaging experiences that teach practical STEM skills if we are to encourage and prepare students to pursue careers in science and engineering-led industries.

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2022 Trends: Are skills the new ‘currency’?

“Developing skills that take change head-on will determine who thrives in a new landscape”

The pandemic has flipped the script on what skills are ‘valuable’ in the workforce – and forced individuals to rethink how to invest in their ‘skills equity’. In this article, CEO of Learning Pool, Ben Betts, reveals why skills are now the ‘new currency’ and how data analytics, artificial intelligence and machine learning can unlock exciting new opportunities to scale upskilling in order to adapt to rapid change.

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More women in tech? Get behind apprenticeships

“Worryingly, STEM – and particularly technology – continue to lag behind many industries when it comes to female representation”

“While I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last.”  When Kamala Harris spoke these words as US vice-president elect, she continued a very welcome trend that has seen an explosion in phenomenal female role models in every walk of life, writes Katie Nykanen, chief technology officer at QA Limited.

Women like Kamala are breaking glass ceilings across industries and inspiring young girls to ignore the limitations that many of us above the age of 40 would have repeatedly had reinforced throughout our childhoods.

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Revolutionising employability with edtech in Africa

“Underemployed graduates can master more skills, update their knowledge and improve their chances of getting a better job”

By 2030, the number of young people in the African labour force will increase to 375 million. According to the International Monetary Fund, population growth on the continent means that by 2035, there will be more young Africans entering the workforce each year than in the rest of the world combined.

Yet the African Development Bank has observed that only 3 million of the 12 million graduates produced by African universities find employment each year.

In Nigeria, according to the National Bureau of Statistics, unemployment has increased to 33.3% in the 4th quarter 0f 2020. Despite producing huge number of graduates, African universities are churning out too many graduates who possess little or no mastery of skills necessary for today’s job market. Oladapo Soetan, founder of Ajuwaya Learn, explains how edtech could offer a solution.

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What could and should replace the IGCSE and GCSE?

“Students don’t currently have the soft skills needed to prepare them for the workplace”

It looks increasingly likely that a new system of post qualification offers from universities will replace the current system of offers being made before IB/BTEC and A Level results are announced.

This change inevitably raises the question about the value and current content of GCSEs and IGCSEs. If they are no longer needed to inform a university offer, are they still fit for purpose? Pat Moores of UK Education Guide looks at the options.

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Three takeaways from the Third International Strategy of Impact Conference

“With today’s mounting pressures on research funding… research practitioners in HE, government, and NGOs face a mounting challenge”

Research has a long tail. The vaccine for Polio — the devastating viral epidemic linked to thousands of cases of paralysation and death in the first half of the 20th century — was launched in 1955.

The impact is still being felt today (and forevermore): according to the World Health Organisation, more than 18 million people walk today who would have been paralysed without the vaccine. Yet, the initial exploratory research project that looked at the poliovirus started and finished decades ago.

It’s precisely this recognition of the long-tail effects of research that is driving an emerging conversation around the assessment of research activity both in the UK and globally.

With today’s mounting pressures on research funding, especially following the global credit crunch, research practitioners in higher education, government, and NGOs face a mounting challenge: how can they continue to expand the borders of intellectual discovery, while investing in research activities that lead to impact and achieve the desired mission?

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