Executive summary

This synthesis report  analyses  higher  education  (HE)  provision  and  labour  market opportunities  in  the Western  Balkans  by  looking  into  four  inter-related  issues:  the provision  of  HE,  the current  situation  of  the  graduate  labour  market,  the  challenges facing  graduates  and employers  on  the  labour  market, and  the skill mismatches that hinder graduate labour market integration.

The report concludes with recommendations on  measures  needed  to  ensure  the  right  mix  of  skilled  graduates  to  support  robust economic growth in the future, support graduate job search, and to encourage employers to create more graduate jobs and take on more skilled graduates.

The data used in the study was collected from March to August 2015. It includes two large-scale surveys:  one among recent HE graduates (graduate survey - 4,602 respondents) and one among organisations that employ HE graduates (employer survey -1,074 respondents). Semi-structured interviews were carried out with management staff of higher education institutions (HEIs), ministries, employers’ associations, and trade unions.  A focus group was also carried out with Erasmus Mundus alumni.  The project has assembled a unique database that covers details of most study programmes offered by HEIs in the Western Balkan country in recent years.