Premium
Is B ologna Working? Employer and Graduate Reflections of the Quality, Value and Relevance of Business and Management Education in four European Union Countries
Author(s) -
Andrews Jane,
Higson Helen
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
higher education quarterly
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.976
H-Index - 42
eISSN - 1468-2273
pISSN - 0951-5224
DOI - 10.1111/hequ.12054
Subject(s) - relevance (law) , curriculum , value (mathematics) , european union , higher education , empirical research , qualitative research , work (physics) , quality (philosophy) , grounded theory , pedagogy , sociology , soft skills , perception , political science , psychology , management , business , engineering , economics , social science , philosophy , epistemology , machine learning , computer science , law , mechanical engineering , neuroscience , economic policy
This article focuses on the relevance of undergraduate business and management higher education from the perspectives of recent graduates and graduate employers in four E uropean countries. Drawing upon the findings of an empirical qualitative study in which data was collated and analysed using grounded theory research techniques, the paper draws attention to graduates' and employers' perceptions of the value of higher education in equipping students with discipline‐specific skills and knowledge as well as softer ‘generic’ skills. It also highlights the importance of formal ‘work‐based’ learning within undergraduate curricula in providing students with the skills and experiences required by employers operating within a global workplace.