Employability and integration of international graduates

Transcription

1 Employability and integration of international graduates Kevätpäivät Helsinki, 7 th of May 2015 Lars Beer Nielsen, Director, Centre for Educational Policy ([email protected]) Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science

2 1. The situation in Denmark 2. Denmark s policy on employability 3. Our rationale, points and actors 4. International students career plans 5. Lessons learned

3 The situation in Denmark Challenges related to the Danish Labour Market Denmark is ranked no. 25 when it concerns retaining highly skilled foreigners (INSEAD 2014) Denmark s highly skilled workforce is insufficient when it concerns specialists (Confederation of Danish Industry 2013) Three years after graduation less than one-half of the international graduates remain (Denmark an attractive study destination 2014) One out of five highly skilled foreign workers consider leaving Denmark (The Think Tank DEA) International graduates who stay in Denmark are a financial asset to the welfare state (The Think Tank DEA 2015)

4 The situation in Denmark Incoming Mobility International students in Denmark Exchange students Full-degree students

5 The situation in Denmark Intake of Full Degree Students Other EU/EEA countries Non-EU/EEA conutries

6 Denmark s policy on employability and integration of international students/graduates A Two-Part Action Plan for internationalisation of the HEI-sector: Part one - Outgoing mobility: Enhanced insight through global outlook, June 2013 Part two - Incoming mobility: Denmark an attractive study destination. How to attract and retain talent from abroad, April 2014

7 Part Two - Incoming Mobility Denmark an attractive study destination (2014) Two targets concerning retaining 1. An increase in international students in Denmark 1 year after graduation Year 2011 Year per cent 65 per cent 2. Same employment ratio for Danish & international graduates Year 2010 Year per cent 92 per cent

8 Reform of International Recruitment Easier access to highly qualified labour reforming international recruitment, (2014) Four targets 1. Denmark must be better at retaining international students 2. Efforts to welcome and retain international workers must be intensified 3. Equal conditions for international workers 4. Companies must be able to recruit international workers more easily

9 Part Two - Incoming Mobility & the Reform of International Recruitment Holistic approaches to initiatives: Social/family Guidance of spouses of international, academic staff Improved reception, integration and guidance to international students Increase in the application of English on the government s and the HEI s websites Integration into the Danish labour market Improve international students ability to get relevant student jobs and work experience Equal conditions for student jobs (15 hours -> 20 hours) Flexible PhD-courses and research, to enhance the contact to the Danish labour market Improved career information and guidance Immigration & visa concerns Simplification and digitalisation of applications for student visas Establishment card for international graduate Fully-fledged PhDs granted a six-month job-seeker s residence permit.

10 International students career plans 2015 survey of nearly 2,000 international students (follow-up of survey from 2012 with nearly 5,000 international students). Results: 75 per cent of full-degree students applied for jobs in Denmark The most important factors: 1. A relationship to the labour market during study period 2. Career guidance during study period 3. Duration of stay 4. Country of origin

11 Lessons learned Be honest about the goal Connect/match international students to the labour market Ensure that policy interplays with other national policies Take a holistic approach, which covers all aspects of retention Ask the international students about their concerns and plans

12 Questions? Lars Beer Nielsen Danish Agency for Higher Education Ministry of Higher Education and Science Bredgade København K