Title: Developing an employability prediction model for university students in an online environment: Resolving skills mismatch by using LMS data (Z5-4569)
Head of the research group: doc. dr. Dejan Ravšelj
The significant changes witnessed in the global and learning economy imposed by several socioeconomic challenges, including the Covid-19 pandemic, require a rapid response, new knowledge, and the adjustment of skills and competences of employees in all areas of work. Namely, theneeds of the economy show an increase in technological and digital skills of employees and an increase in soft and transversal skills, which includesocial and emotional intelligence, critical and creative thinking and complex information processing. However, due to the high speed andunpredictability of changes in the economy, higher education systems need to equip the students with the knowledge and skills needed in the labourmarket that will enable us to face future challenges successfully. Moreover, the most considerable disruption of higher education in history causedby the Covid-19 has seriously questioned the quality of students’ knowledge, skills and competences gained in the online learning environment.Nevertheless, the future also largely depends on each individual – student, with tax policy impacting the financial initiatives of individuals to developskills and activate them in the labour market. Accordingly, there is an urgent need for higher education systems to consider the challenges andopportunities of online learning approaches for students’ skills development and the future needs of the labour market.
The mission of the project is to improve the higher education and tax system resilient to current online learning trends and labour market demands.Accordingly, an employability prediction model for university students in an online environment for resolving skills mismatch in the labour market willbe developed by using learning management system (LMS) data, serving as holistic guidance for higher education and tax authorities as well asother main stakeholders such as teachers, student advisors, program managers, students and business human resources specialists. Specifically,the innovative employability prediction model for university students in an online environment will be based on an original methodology, combiningLMS data and others, that builds and extends the existing student employability frameworks in a traditional educational setup. The proposed studentemployability prediction model will be tailored to the specifics of the online learning environment, the process of digital skills development withspecial attention to student characteristics. In addition, the student employability prediction model will consider unpredictable dynamics in thelabour market, emphasizing student performance, skills mismatch, and employability. Finally, the student employability prediction model will bedeveloped according to higher education and tax policy frameworks. Accordingly, a series of remarkable research results is therefore expected,contributing to the scientific and practical development of the fields of education, tax and data sciences.
The student employability prediction model is to be based on several quantitative and qualitative literature review techniques (e.g., bibliometric analysis, content analysis, factor synthesis), data collection approaches (e.g., LMS data, questionnaires, interviews) and data analysis methods (e.g., logistic regression, discriminant analysis, decision tree). Intensive use of the proposed student employability prediction model will enable higher education and tax systems as well as other stakeholders to make better informed and more reliable data-driven decisions. The unpredictable nature of student employability will be addressed by the holistic approach, facilitating the hitherto still not achieved systemic way of harnessing student employability prediction modelling for higher education transformation. This will lay important foundations for further modernisation of higher education and tax systems, including other stakeholders, to suitably adapt to future challenges.
Duration (from/to):
- 10. 2022 – 31. 5. 2025
Contracting Authority:
Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
Financing:
The project is being financed with 1700 yearly hours (B price category) for 2 years.
Members of the research group:
Project phases and their realization
The mission of the project will be operationalised according to the following specific objectives:
– Identify critical factors influencing student employability in the context of online including skills development and characteristics of students, higher education Education and taxation of labour.
– Identify the current status, potentials and challenges of skills mismatches in the marketplace labour market gaps in EU countries.
– Identify best practices to reduce skills mismatches and strengthen linkages. between education and the labour market, with a particular focus on fiscal policy.
– Based on LMS data, develop a student employability forecasting model tailored to
to the specificities of the online learning environment.
– Assess the needs of the higher education system, the labour market, the tax system and related stakeholders, which can be met by an appropriate student employability forecast.
– Propose policy and systemic changes in higher education and tax policy to improve the use of online learning approaches for skills development.
In line with the objectives, several project results are expected:
– Systematisation of critical factors determining student employability, with a particular focus on focusing on the post-Covid-19 period.
– Understanding the skills mismatch in the labour market and its impact on future economic development in and outside the EU.
– Quantifying critical factors for predicting student employability, including Skills development, students, higher education and labour taxation.
– A comprehensive model for predicting student employability, adapted to an online learning environment, with with a particular focus on addressing skills mismatches.
– Proposal for policy measures to improve the higher education system and strengthen its cohesion through fiscal authorities.
– A collection of high quality professional and scientific publications presented at different (inter)national conferences and events