Which are the expectations of the business world with respect to academic curricula?

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The workshops' participants have identified the following ideas (causes/effects) related to this theme:

Curricula should be revised to meet the business necessities in terms of practical knowledge, interpersonal and foreign language skills of graduates. Curricula revision can be achieved properly by considering the ideas of academicians at universities, candidates and business authorities. Stakeholders should experience new curricula and contribute to develop their deficiencies. Adaptive curricula should also be open to change some parts considering the new expectations and investments of business authorities.  One of the main causes of unemployment in Portugal affecting young graduated college is related with the imbalance that exists between the courses developed by universities and the real needs of the labor market (present and future).To reverse this process, it should be done a reflection by the education ministry, universities, unions and business associations in order to identify current and future needs for skilled occupations, in order to adjust the training offered by universities to promote these courses with higher levels of employability. Innovation and suitability to the business needs Align science with business needs (business needs, are consumer’s needs very important..but for this businesses have to participate more actively, and contribute to universities at different levels Entrepreneurship and values​​. Respect for others and for the human condition University programs being in line with business needs, always updated Non-commercial approach should be changed: A low level of merchantability of knowledge produced by universities Enterprises have to cooperate with Universities by the means of their associations speaking with one voice and supporting academic programs which meet their needs and Universities have to concentrate both on long term research and short term research in order to meet the current needs of enterprises and to provide students with more practical skills in addition to the ordinary theoretical education. It is particularly important for example for students of science to focus more on some specific courses of economics, finance and marketing related to their field in order to be more competitive on the labour market, also in foreign countries.

Common aspects: all partners have stressed the need of practical knowledge and an alignment with business needs. This would make students more competitive on the labour market, increasing the level of employability. Needs of enterprises and present and future needs of labour market have to be taken into account in academic curricula which can be properly revised considering the ideas of academicians, students and businesses.