The study referenced in the linked post, which analyzes 11 million job advertisements from 2018 to 2024, highlights a growing corporate preference for skills over academic degrees. In this context, it is relevant to mention the recent book Who Needs College Anymore? Imagining a Future Where Degrees Won’t Matter, authored by a Harvard University researcher and founder of an Educational Design Laboratory, who advocates for skills-based education, career training, and market-driven credentials.
Regardless of corporate expectations and the timeframe for this becoming a reality, it is essential to recall the insightful and assertive statement made by the Australian Government’s Chief Scientific Advisor. He unequivocally emphasized that the role of universities extends beyond merely preparing graduates for the job market, asserting that “producing job-ready graduates isn’t universities’ job.” https://pacheco-torgal.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-university-of-future.html
Declaration of competing interests – If, as Fuller suggested, technology can one day sustain society with minimal labor, the real challenge shifts from production to the fair distribution of resources. The question then becomes whether society can transcend its identity—rooted in intensive work—and redefine human existence beyond mere employability https://pacheco-torgal.blogspot.com/2020/02/university-mission-in-jobless-future.html
PS – Regarding my personal perspective, I present below a brief excerpt from a document I originally prepared in 2017 as part of an international application. In 2019, after establishing my blog, I revisited and partially republished this excerpt, integrating it into a broader discussion within that platform: “…Initially established in medieval times with the noble mission to pursue a “triadic structure of human engagement with the world”, Truth (Academic Inquiry and Knowledge), Good (Ethics and Morality), and Beauty (Aesthetics and Culture), universities underwent a gradual evolution towards a more utilitarian purpose over time. While some managed to strike a delicate balance between their original ideals and practical utility, many universities lost their way. Continuing down this misguided path poses the risk of universities deviating from their true essence, resembling neither genuine educational institutions nor corporations. In my vision, universities play a distinctive role in inspiring, instilling hope, and nurturing the development of sustainable citizens essential for constructing the envisioned Type One Civilization—a society characterized by multiculturalism, tolerance, and a steadfast commitment to scientific progress…” https://pacheco-torgal.blogspot.com/2019/10/the-role-of-academia-towards-type-1.html
Pacheco-Torgal 