Policy makers

By using this questionnaire, you can check your current state regarding:

• the conditions that enable several possible systemic collaborations between the HEI and business (legislation, incentives, frameworks, etc.);
• the knowledge of what young people want in relation to what is offered to them (in scope of studies and future employment possibilities); and
• the conditions that can be met through collaboration among several relevant ministries.

The situations in the tables below are combined into the following sections:

1. High support to changes,
2. Incentives, and,
3. Higher education laws and quality assurance.

The described situations can give you an idea of what type of activities are possible, so you can identify the statement in the empty column as:

• something that already exists (current state – CS),
• something that you would like to achieve (goal – G), or
• something that is not applicable (NA) to you.

When answering, think also about the system level of the situation:

• is this systematically arranged (SA), or
• is it just a matter of specific situations (best practice example – BPE).

A tick in a box means “YES” (i.e. a given statement describes your current situation or goal, or it is not applicable to you). At the end, you can print out the questionnaire by selected topic; for example, only by your goals, or by the current state (SA), or by the current state (BPE), etc.

1. High support to changes	SA	BPE	Goal	Not applicable
The country has performed a research on a current state of the labour market relevance of the higher education system.
Governmental structures follow the careers of young people after the secondary education (after 18-19 years of age).
Governmental structures follow the careers of young people after the HEI graduation.
Governmental structures have information on how many young people went to study abroad and which studies they chose.
The country has performed a research to find the amount of brain drain and reasons for it.
The country has a policy on how to motivate young people to return to the region after having finished their studies abroad.
The country has developed a long term vision of the labour market relevance of higher education.
The agents that can enforce legal changes are identified.
The agents that can change and motivate financing principles are identified.
The HEI laws are adapted to support the labour market relevance of higher education (the HEI laws enable professional/smart study programmes).
There is an on-going collaboration among all relevant ministries (the Ministry of Economy/Commerce, Ministry of Labour, Chamber of Commerce, Ministry of Higher Education, etc.).
The relevant ministries collaborate with regional policy makers.
There is a long term investment plan to build infrastructure.
A system for monitoring and stimulating the collaboration between HEIs and business is established and operative.
2. Incentives	SA	BPE	Goal	Not applicable
The framework for financing HEIs to support professional/smart study programmes is built.
The framework for tax reduction for companies collaborating in the professional/smart study programmes is built.
The framework for incentives to stimulate professional/smart study programmes is built at the level of local governments.
Stable funds are allocated for the training of the supervisors.
A system to compensate for any obligatory additional costs due to the collaboration with business (e.g. legal obligations for the payment of insurance, payments by HEIs to business or vice versa, or payments for students having internship, etc.) is built.
There are financial incentives for the development of new study programmes in line with the strategic development plans of the region.
3. Higher education laws and quality assurance	SA	BPE	Goal	Not applicable
Legislation allows HEIs to have flexible curriculums and to form them together with business partners.
Internship can be a part of any study programme.
Internship is an obligatory part of some study programmes.
Internship is enabled at the master study programme level.
HEIs can use/offer a more flexible study plan to business partners, e.g. more intensive courses to make time for internship.
A quality assurance body (a council for professional/smart study programmes) is established and operative on the national or regional level.
HE acts require the development of existing study programmes at HEIs.
HE acts enable HEIs to offer students greater exposure to practical acquisition of skills during the study.
HE acts enable HEIs to involve business experts into study programmes.