Page 11 - A Handbook for Academia, Industry and Policymakers: Reinforcing the Innovation-Employability Nexus in the Mediterranean

10 REINFORCING THE INNOVATION-EMPLOYABILITY NEXUS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN REINFORCING THE INNOVATION-EMPLOYABILITY NEXUS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN 11

Executive Summary therefore key to reflect on how to support Themes of the Handbook
them best and through which tools. Industry
can contribute through collaborative There is no single solutiona. Any reflection
research, offering internship opportunities
Even though there are substantial industry, and government by co-creating on reinforcing career opportunities for
differences in political, social, and a connective tissue, or Triple Helix, that and participating in curriculum Mediterranean students and researchers
economic conditions across the intertwines common interests, values, development. However, policymakers also needs to be taken with a partnership
Mediterranean region, it is safe to say strategies, investments, and narratives. have an important role to play in improving approach and openness to dialogue and
that with 25% youth unemployment, the The three spheres become a new motor of the regulatory environment and creating innovation. This is how the themes of the
un- and underemployment of university innovation and thus, employability. incentives for both academia and industry Handbook emerged – through the data
graduates in the Mediterranean region has to facilitate collaborative processes, on the analysis of (a) qualitative and quantitative
been a major challenge. In the Southern supply side through producing employable input from 35 organisations around the
and Eastern Mediterranean, where 40% Renewed call for action graduates and on the demand side, Mediterranean including universities,
of the population is under the age of 25, through innovations and start-ups, which research institutions, innovation centres,
youth unemployment has been among The efforts to address the youth are a way to create new jobs. ministries of education as well as
the highest in the world for more than unemployment challenge in the representatives from the European
two decades. One reason for this is the Mediterranean have been considerable. UfM initiative Commission and the OECD; (b) the
skills mismatch, according to 32% of There is a wide variety of initiatives mapping of 146 programmes. Initiatives
enterprises. And, unlike in other regions, and best practices involving academia, The Union for the Mediterranean, as and best practices; and a literature
unemployment is highest amongst those policymakers, industry, and the third part of its activities on Higher Education review of 1,350 publications. The steering
with tertiary education (as opposed to sector at the macro, meso and micro level. and Research, has engaged in an committee chose to focus on a total
those without) reaching an average of However, the numerous initiatives and initiative ‘Reinforcing the innovation- of eleven themes ranging from Skills
30% across the region. Moreover, there is activities to date have not been able to employability nexus in the Mediterranean’ (Chapter 3), Teaching & Learning (Chapter
a strong gender dimension. While young produce the desired positive impact. That targeting universities, research centres, 4), Collaborative Doctorates (Chapter 5),
women have made remarkable progress is why it is important to renew the call to policymakers, industry, and intermediary International Mobility (Chapter 6) and
in educational attainment, their respective action: policymakers, industry, academia institutions, to collaborate in addressing Internships (Chapter 7) to Career Services
unemployment rates are almost double and civil society need to redouble their unemployment of highly qualified (Chapter 8), Knowledge Exchange (Chapter
those of young men. efforts to address the challenge by graduates. This Handbook is part of this 9), Partnerships for Innovation (Chapter
collaborating across the different sectors 10) and Digital Innovation (Chapter 11)
and going beyond the single course of initiative and the result of a consultatory to Capacity Development inside Higher
A wicked problem action. process bringing together actors from Education Institutions (Chapter 12) and
all spheres to discuss, assess and share Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (Chapter 13).
In fact, the youth un- and underemployment In the quest for increased connectivity experiences and best practices around
in the region has all the characteristics between academia, industry and strengthening innovation and improving
of a so-called ‘wicked problem’ – it is government to power innovation the employability of graduates. The
socially complex, suffers from many and employability, higher education publication analyses a selection of best
interdependencies and multiple causes, institutions and research centres are practices available to join or replicate, and
has no single solution, and is perceived seen as key drivers of change, ideally possible ways forward in strengthening
differently by different stakeholders. suited to ‘connect the dots’ because they interconnections between academy,
Wicked problems can be best tackled are impartial, and driven by curiosity industry, and policymakers. While not
by taking a collaborative approach, and long-term perspectives. In order to exhaustive, the mapping exercise aims to
engaging all stakeholders to create a deliver on these expectations, universities strengthen the dialogue for innovating the
common vision and narrative, and develop and research institutes have to be highly economy and employing youth, especially
innovative strategies. In this context, the responsive, adaptable, strategically young women, and identifies paths that
Triple Helix of Innovation offers an optimal directed, autonomously governed, and can contribute to reinforcing career
framework for strengthening collaborative densely interlinked with regional partners opportunities in the region.
relationships between academia,
as well as international networks. It is