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In the
project, researchers from various
countries intended
to develop
concepts, questionnaires and survey approaches suitable for a Europe-wide
analysis andto survey representative samples of
graduates from institutions of higher education in their respective
countries.
A
representative sample of persons who graduated between autumn 1994 and
summer 1995 was intended to be drawn. The questionnaire addressed the
socio-biographic profile of the graduates, their study experiences and
(self-perceived) competencies acquired, their
employment, work and careers since graduation and the links they perceive
between education and work.
This
representative questionnaire survey ought to be supplemented by interview surveys with graduates and employers which allow for a more
comprehensive understanding of the relationship between education and work.
Graduates' perceptions and interpretations of their competencies, job roles
and life goals ought to be analysed in selected areas, notably those
undergoing the most rapid and most challenging changes. The other interview
study addressed the views held by employers.
The
project put emphasis on the acquisition and utilisation of competencies as
well as on the needs of the employment system in various European
countries. In this context, the question was raised as to how graduate
employment and work change as a response to technological developments.
Finally, the project paid special attention to graduates not finding
suitable employment, as traditionally conceived, or facing unemployment.
Though graduates tend to fare better on the labour market than
non-graduates the project had to deal also with aspects of a growing
frequency of social disadvantage and exclusion.
Chart 2 The
Surveys
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Graduate Survey
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Interview with Graduates
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Interview with Employers
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N =
about 40,000
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about
200
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|
about
150
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Graduate
Cohort 1994/95
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Selected
Areas
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Selected
Areas
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The
objectives of the survey required the use of a standardised mailed questionnaire as the core research instrument.
With such a method it was possible to include a high number of graduates in
each country in an efficient way as well as to elicit comparable and
representative information on graduate employment and work. The development
of questionnaires was based partly on the approaches and experiences of
former surveys conducted in the European countries and partly on newly
developed questions/items which had to overcome the pitfalls of prevailing
terminologies and research approaches in individual countries.
The
major themes of the questionnaire survey are named in the following chart.
The research teams in each country contributed to the conceptualisation of
the study and the development of the questionnaires and were responsible
for the translation of the "master questionnaire" into their
respective language.
Chart Themes Addressed in
the Graduate Questionnaire Survey
·
Socio-biographic
and early education background variables
·
Enrolment
as well as study conditions and provisions
·
Course
of study and study behaviour
·
Study
achievements
·
Job
search and transition period
·
Employment
during the first three years after graduation
·
Regional
and international mobility
·
Work
content and use of qualifications
·
Work
motivation and job satisfaction
·
Further
professional education/training
·
Career
prospects
Persons
were surveyed about four years after graduation. The proposed timing,
first, took into account that professional training
periods after graduation, as they are required or customary in some
countries in some professional areas, might last up to two years. This
timing, second, allowed us to analyse the transition to employment of those
graduates who - after an award of degree equivalent to a bachelor's -
continued academic study towards an advanced degree. Third, this timing
enabled us to identify the first regular employment of graduates after a
protracted transition period. Fourth, some early career stages could be
analysed on the part of those who transferred to employment shortly after
graduation.
The
study was initially aimed to comprise nine European countries: Austria, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Spain, the Netherlands, and United Kingdom.
A broad
range of fields of study was addressed in order to ensure that the range of
factors discussed above was well represented in the survey.
The
sampling ensured that contrasting regions in terms of centrality, economic
and social conditions, etc. were included.
A broad
range of higher education institutions was addressed in order to ensure
that the range of factors related to institutional type is well represented
in the survey. Students were surveyed who have been awarded the first
degree or leaving certificate in the respective countries based on between
3 and 6 years of study.
The
sample size had to be sufficient for a detailed and systematic analysis in
terms of the above-mentioned research questions. The central criteria of
the sampling should have sufficient variation within each country. It
should yield at least about 3,000 responses from graduates in each country.
According
to the local conditions the procedures to get the addresses of the
graduates varied by country. In some countries the actual addresses of the
graduates were available from a central database, while in others only
addresses at the time of graduation were available from the institutions of
higher education.
All
tasks regarding the conduct of the graduate survey (collection/updating of
addresses, mailing, check of questionnaires, coding, documentation of the
coding and data editing) were done by the local research teams. Two
reminder actions were undertaken in most of the countries. The procedures
were adapted to the specific conditions in the respective countries, based
on agreed principles.
The
data analysis was to a great extent centrally undertaken in Kassel, i.e. at the institutional base
of the project co-ordinator. However, all partners were equipped to
undertake the analysis themselves. They were provided with complete data
sets, thus being in a position to pursue more detailed studies regarding
their respective areas of specialisation and their country in comparative
perspective.
A data
base with the international data file (SPSS system file) was developed by
the research team at the University of Kassel. The strategies of data
analysis were discussed and developed in two workshops. Special emphasis in
the data analysis was put on procedures of multivariate analysis.
The
graduate survey was supplemented by in-depth case-studies through
interviews with graduates and employers. First, these interviews enabled
the research team to investigate rationales and motives more validly
because people could describe their views in more complex oral statements.
Second, the open structure of interviews was chosen because it was more
suitable for addressing certain issues of which prior knowledge is very
limited. The overall picture of the relationships between higher education
and employment/work was enriched through information gathered from
employers. Thus, whereas one of the interview studies addressed a selected
group of the graduates previously surveyed through written questionnaires
in greater depth, the other interview study addressed the views held by
employers. These interviews enabled the research teams to contextualise
analyses of the graduate surveys by paying attention to the national
contexts of higher education and national differences in occupational and companies characteristics.
The
co-ordination was rested with the Centre for Research on Higher Education
and Work of the University of Kassel (Wissenschaftliches
Zentrum für Berufs- und Hochschulforschung
der Universität Gesamthochschule
Kassel). Prof. Ulrich Teichler and Harald Schomburg
were the co-ordinators of the project both in terms of the administration
of the project as well as the research process, notably the graduate
survey.
The
Centre at the University of Kassel produced the International data
base (SPSS system file) and assisted the data analysis of the other
research groups whenever needed.
The
additional studies were co-ordinated by other members of the research team.
Dr. Egbert de Weert
(CHEPS, University of Twente) was responsible for the
employer interviews and Prof. Paul Kellermann (University of Klagenfurt) was responsible for the
graduate interviews. The interviews were conducted in each country by the
respective members of the research teams.
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