Master Studies in Lithuania and Competencies of Graduates on the Labour Market A European Perspective

1. Master Studies in Lithuania and Competencies of Graduates on the Labour Market A European Perspective Egbert de Weert Center for Higher Education Policy Studies (CHEPS) University of Twente, Netherlands

2. Aims of Bologna Process Limited degree of harmonisation to facilitate two aims: (1) Competition of Europe as a whole on the world student market (2) Intra-European mobility for students and graduates (European labour market) Countries have different aims: • Enforce national reform (reducing time to degree) • Gaining international student competition • Gradually more convergence in labels

3. Legal basis for Master studies (in Bologna) • Master programmes are second cycle (following bachelor degree as the first degree) • By definition ‘deepening’ (specialization) But much variety: • Master programmes leading to M.A., M.Sc. • M.Phil as a route to Ph.D. • Research master programmes • Domain master programmes (professional qualification: law, business, education) • Multi-disciplinary programmes

4. Nature of Masters programmes: deepening or widening? • Masters are deepening by definition But widen the experience of learners: • Incorporate new curricular elements • No standard route from bachelor in field X and Master in same field X, but move to a different field • Master programmes as part of life-long learning: not consecutive in time, but emphasis on a ‘widening’ ►Current hurdles for entry into Master programmes too difficult for holders of ‘other’ bachelor degrees (long pre-master bridging courses)

5. Length of Master programmes • In Lithuania : 60-80 ECTS, as a rule • 3+ 2 Model (180 + 120 ECTS) • study length of 2, 3 or 4 semesters (60, 90 or 120 ECTS) would be more compatible with foreign partners than current regulation Requirements for Masters too high? • Teaching staff 10 years experience high hurdle • Thesis judged by a 5-6 person committee not corresponding the international practice (only two)

6. Ranking excercise Purpose of ranking • To inform students • Show university’s quality per se But: • Based on indicators of research activity in natural sciences • Belief that high ranking defines a ‘world class’ university For information for students (for study choice): • University-wide rankings are meaningless • Focus on individual study programmes • Multidimensional • Database of study information

7. Competencies of graduates and employment needs: Lithuanian study • Combination of qualitative and quantitative methods is very attractive • Employers – Students – Institutions – National statistics - Expert interviews (various strengths –weaknesses) • Distinction in four economic sectors (e.g. degree of knowledge intensive sectors) – this can be country-specific and internationally very different

8. What do we really know about graduate employment? • Are graduates more productive than other workers? • What makes some graduates more productive than other graduates? • Do graduates make use of what they have learned in HE when they enter employment? • Why do employers prefer to recruit graduates – or certain types of graduates? • What is it (e.g. ability, expertise, ambition) that appears to give graduates the edge in the labour market?

9. Meanings of ‘employability’ 1. Helping ‘youth at risk’ under unfavourable labour market conditions (EU policy) 2. Helping graduates in job search/ employers recruitment 3. Smooth transition (short job search period) 4. Exchange value (income, employment conditions) 5. Overall course of a career and individual’s control over it 6. Bundles of knowledge/competencies matching bundles of work tasks 7. Match between field and level of study and job tasks 8. Employability skills: generic & transferable skills, social competencies

10. Employability in Bologna process “First cycle degree shall also be relevant to the European labour market as an appropriate level of qualification” ►Bachelor degree entry qualification for employment or just a step to masters? In UK first degree is the main entrance to the labour market In France two types of bachelor: general and professional

11. Structuring of labour markets • Generality or specificity of match (broad education versus educational qualifications which provide the basis for specific occupations); • Degree levels subject to regulated labour markets and focus on distinctive occupational segments; • Extent to which employers recruit graduates directly employable (usable) or as ‘basic material’ shaped in employment and further training; • Value of non-educational attributes (e.g. social origin and status) in the recruitment process by employers.

12. European Project: Higher Education and graduate Employment in Europe (CHEERS project) • In context of EU programme ‘Targeted Socio-Economic Research’ • Graduate survey in 11 European countries: Austria, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, and Japan. • Graduates surveyed four years after graduation

13. Appropriateness of level of education for employment (%)

14. Usefulness of field of study

15. Typology of competencies 36 divided in categories (some are in Dublin descriptors) • Theoretical knowledge: field-specific, broad general knowledge, methods; • Practical knowledge: application of knowledge, problem-solving ability, languages, ICT, contribution to innovation, entrepreneurship; • General competencies: flexibility, social skills, team work, cope with uncertainties, taking responsibility and decisions, planning, organising; Last category shows the highest ‘competency gaps’

16. Changing demands in the knowledge economy: “The flexible professional” • Expertise: specialist knowledge related to creativity and innovation; • Functional flexibility: responsive to diverse challenges and acquire new knowledge; • Knowledge management: developing ideas, implementing, networking; • Mobilisation of human resources: take responsibility for change, skills to change the working environment • More Gates than Einstein?

17. Implications of employability for curriculum • Broadening knowledge base: - emphasis on integrative and synthesising capabilities; - classical subjects become more interwoven with other disciplines. - links technical and non-technical skills • Forms of alternating theory and practice (classical approach: learning precedes doing, practice is application of theory): - Internships; work-based learning • Competence-based learning: - generic competencies, but not without reference to specific contexts; problem-based learning

18. Cooperation between higher education and employment organisations • Involvement of practitioners in curriculum • Participation of employers in curriculum development • Exchange/ mobility between academic and professional staff • Internships (In Lithuania limited places like in many other countries) • Involvement of students (masters) in research projects in collaboration with industry • Provision of career counselling and placement of graduates

19. Finally The Lithuanian report on competencies of graduates and the needs of the economy provides a well balanced view on the graduate labour market: • Structural aspect • Functional aspect • Evaluative aspect