Graduate Employment in the Era of Globalisation : Challenges, Opportunities, and what Finnish Tertiary Education Could Learn from the UK

Abstract

This thesis reviews globalisation and the way it can affect higher education and student employability using secondary research complemented with findings from exploratory interviews. Emphasis is on Careers and Employment services provided to students in the UK, with the goal of identifying examples that could benefit the Finnish higher education sector especially now that government funding to universities may become more strongly linked to student employment levels and career survey findings (Ministry of Education and Culture, 2017a).

Key challenges and opportunities linked to globalisation such as increased competition, Americanisation of education, technological development and increased student mobility are introduced, followed by discussion on their significance to higher education and student employability. Moreover, the role of higher education in society and the concept of quality education are discussed. The objective is to explain why there should be emphasis on teaching not only technical but also transferable soft skills such as adaptability, negotiation skills and ability for lifelong learning, and why therefore universities should pay more attention to student careers and employment services and support.

While there are political and cultural differences between Finland and the UK, and higher education is financed and organised differently, this thesis seeks to show that Finnish universities can benefit from employing dedicated Career Advisors and Career Consultants who support student employability and skills development. This could contribute towards the institution’s performance on global university rankings and increase attractiveness to international students, as well as helping graduates achieve faster transition from academia into working life, which benefits the wider community.