The Impact of COVID-19 on Curriculum and Employability in Lebanon

The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacting the whole service sector, including higher education, has forced universities to quickly innovate and recreate. The sanitary crisis resulted in the greatest disruption to educational systems in human history, as well as a shift in the nature, qualifications, and mix of the workforce. The reopening of higher education institutions is another concern, with numerous new operational procedures in place, new opportunities, and prospective curriculum adjustments based on labour market realities. Due to the development of technology, businesses' requirements for human resource credentials and job types underwent several modifications. This study's goal is to investigate how COVID-19 has influenced curriculum revisions and employability requirements. The research used a mixed methodology, with quantitative analysis of changes in enrolled students by major and a qualitative study including two different sets of surveys based on the innovation and employability theories addressed to five human resource (HR) directors from institutions and organizations in Lebanon, as well as three universities. The objective was to answer the following questions: How can universities adapt to the changing demands of the labour market specifically in times of crisis? Should university curricula place greater emphasis on students' personal growth than on technical and conventional learning? The results lead to re-thinking about what higher education systems and institutions can do to redesign their curricula in accordance with the job market and the expectations of the students in this challenging context, where employment security and job market stability issues are more urgent due to the economic crisis and advanced technologies. According to the findings, the research implications include boosting the implementation of the new curriculum through improved HR practices from the Ministry of Education. This will also encourage innovative performance, which will necessitate realistic, swift technical procedures to be unbeatable, creative, and competitive. This study adds significantly to the literature by suggesting curriculum adjustments for online courses and e-training. © 2023 by the author.

Entering a Career as an ECR in an Increasingly Shifting Academic Landscape: The Value of Different Forms of Capital

Previous research has indicated that many PhD students undertake a PhD degree with the goal of pursuing a career in academia. Due to the competitive nature of the post-PhD job market, many of these students feel the necessity to undertake extra work outside of their degrees to increase their chances of securing employment via increasing their overall academic profile. Examples of this work include publishing in academic journals, as well as gaining teaching experience in higher education settings. The PhD journey in and of itself can be an all-encompassing lived experience, placing the doctoral student under high levels of stress, as well as negatively impacting their work/life balance and overall wellbeing. As such, any additional work taken on by the student can further add to this burden. The COVID-19 pandemic has generated an environment of economic instability in the field of higher education, which has worsened the competitive academic employment landscape. Using Bourdieu's theory of practice, in this chapter I will detail my own experiences in the field of higher education. This will include (a) my experiences as a PhD student attempting to develop my academic profile to be a competitive candidate in the post-PhD job market, and (b) as an early career researcher navigating this job market throughout the pandemic. Of particular interest is the concept of capital and how the value of various types of capital have shifted throughout the pandemic, and subsequently how my experiences of this within the field of higher education have influenced my overall academic identity. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2022.

Job Insecurity, Employability and Financial Threat during COVID-19

COVID-19 has resulted not only in widespread illness and death, it has also upended most spheres of social life including the economic/financial one in that it has had large impacts on local economies, resulting in widespread job loss, job insecurity and loss of income. Employability, a psychological construct, refers to the belief that one can get a (another) job in the event of job loss, and financial threat refers to feelings of threat and anxiety associated with one's finances. During the pandemic, many people experienced job loss due mainly to business closures. The present study examined the relationship between employability, job insecurity due to COVID-19, and financial threat in a Canadian (n= 487) and U.S. (n=481) sample of adults recruited on MTurk early on in the pandemic (April 2020). Participants in the Canadian sample, compared to their American counterparts, were less likely to be employed full-time, 37% vs. 67%, respectively, were more likely to be unemployed, 40% vs. 13%, respectively, and had lower self-reported socio-economic status. A theoretical model was put forward in which employability was associated with less job insecurity and this was related to less financial threat. Results revealed that financial self-efficacy was associated with greater employability, less job insecurity and less financial threat in both samples. Further, feelings that one had enough income to "get by" since the advent of COVID-19, were positively related to employability in both samples, but in the Canadian sample only, these feelings were also related to less job insecurity and less financial threat. Implications of the study's results are discussed within the economic climate resulting from the pandemic.

Future of work - apprehensions and excitement of management graduates

PurposeThe study explores the perceptions of graduates on their employability and future of work, in light of the challenges thrown upon by new vicissitudes in the work environment. The study intends to assess the preparedness of management graduates in facing the challenges and uncertainties of the actual job market.Design/methodology/approachSemi-structured and informal interviews with 65 management graduates from UK, Canada, Italy and India. The thematic analysis uncovered the concerns and areas to develop for management graduates regarding their future employability perceptions.FindingsThe authors benefited from a unique opportunity to capture the views and experience of graduates who are undergoing management education during this ambiguous period. Three major themes were developed on how to develop oneself for an ambiguous future of work which includes Psychological strengths, Skill enhancement and Future mindset. The study also unearthed the major focus areas for better employability from a graduate perspective.Practical implicationsPractical contribution comes from strategies to prepare university graduates for sustainable careers. Study hints at the importance of work experience, adaptability and skill enhancement in meeting the challenges of the future.Originality/valueFrom a global approach this is one among the first studies to look into the graduate perspective of their preparedness for future work.

Defining Digital Wellbeing Literacy in Remote Work Integrated Learning

The pandemic has accelerated the adoption of remote Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) programs for Higher Education (HE) students, fostered by advances in digital technologies. Emerging as a new post-covid normal, the ‘remote workplace' and remote WIL brings further challenges with students expressing anxiety in dealing with this new form of working environment. Having the capacity to talk about wellbeing issues with others is an important wellbeing literacy (WL) skill. This paper addresses the need for a better understanding of wellbeing literacy (WL) skills in remote WIL workplaces. Interpreting WL in remote settings can further the definition of WL by extending it to a digital context. In contributing to Computer-Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) research and the emerging field of WL, this paper explores how WIL students develop WL skills in a remote setting, which we define as Digital Wellbeing Literacy (DWL). In-depth interviews were held with WIL academics, WIL professionals, WIL students and wellbeing experts on digital and pedagogical factors that support WL in remote work. We found that students proactively use digital communication tools and social media to communicate wellbeing concerns, which in turn helps them practice DWL. We propose four strategies toward improving DWL in HE WIL offerings. © 2023 authors. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Australia License, which permits non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and AJIS are credited.

Impact of using authentic online learning environments on students' perceived employability.

The digitalization and globalization of society and the corresponding impact on the rules of the labor market is shifting the education sector toward new pedagogical approaches that integrate wholly online methodologies. Sustainable Development Goal 4 advocates for inclusive and equitable quality education that promotes lifelong learning opportunities, and, as we have seen during the COVID-19 lockdown, online learning can play a key role. In a context where lifelong learning becomes crucial to maintaining graduates' employability, the innovative teaching methodologies that promote employable competencies in online environments are especially desirable. With the purpose of improving the employability of students, this article analyses the impact of introducing the Authentic Learning Scenarios (ALS) paradigm in an online environment. We develop a quasi-experimental design. Based on the nine ALS criteria and their application to e-learning, we redesign a course in a business degree program. Data from 135 students were collected, with special focus on achieving general competences. We compare the perception of the competency profile attained between a group of students who took the course before incorporating the ALS paradigm and another group that took it once it had been redesigned. Results show that redesigning the course enables students to perceive the learning process as more authentic, as well as acquiring a more advanced competence profile. Besides this, it has been shown that technology can contribute to building cognitive authenticity in virtual classrooms, without the need for face-to-face internships, which are often not a feasible option for students of online programs.

The Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic on Labor Market Perspectives for Management Undergraduates: New Models of Employability Capital Development

Introduction. COVID-19 is a worldwide epidemic that impacts all aspects of human life. Social distancing was an essential action to prevent from COVID-19 virus. For this reason, collective activities were prohibited in many countries including Sri Lanka. Education is one of the main collective activities in the world. As such, it is relevant to test the influence of COVID-19 on graduate employability skills. However, it is difficult to find COVID-19 impact on graduate employability skills in the Sri Lankan context. Aim and tasks. The main objective of this paper was to identify the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the graduate employability capital of state universities' management undergraduates in Sri Lanka and the significant level of that factor. Results. Based on the literature review, the COVID-19 pandemic affected five factors human capital, identity capital, cultural capital, social capital, and psychological capital identified as graduate employability capital factors or not. The methods of the study were to use the analysis of quantitative data. To achieve this goal, an online survey of 377 university students was conducted. The obtained selective results in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic showed significant positive shifts in the employment processes of university graduates. This positive impact, according to the results of the regression analysis, was provided by the following types of capital: social, human, psychological, cultural, and identity, the values of which ranged from 91.4 percent to 95.8 percent. Among all types of capital, human and psychological capital had the most significant impact on student mobility. Conclusions. The conducted studies show the importance of the online educational system in the universities of Sri Lanka. The use of available resources can significantly improve the existing infrastructure of online education and help increase the level of competence and professionalism of the teaching staff and university students. The introduction of the proposed online educational programs and courses will not only improve the quality of services provided but will also increase the revenue side of the university budget.

Reappraising the Relationship Between Interview Anxiety and Performance Outcome in a Computer-Mediated Setting

By adapting methods used to measure anxiety in physical employment interview, this study in the first stage identifies levels of anxiety induced in a computer-mediated interview setting. In the second stage, the study examines the mediating role of practice interview process in reducing interview anxiety and explores the moderating effects of gender and prior work experience on the relationship between remote interview anxiety and performance outcome. It utilizes partial least squares structural equation modeling to test the direct and mediation effect based on 245 responses received from job aspirants. As in a physical interview, anxiety in a remote situation is related to one's level of preparation and perception of interviewing self-efficacy. The results reveal a significant positive effect of preparation satisfaction on self-efficacy perception of interview performance and significant negative effect of self-efficacy perception and preparation satisfaction on remote interview anxiety. Practice-interview process significantly mediated the performance outcome;however, the moderating effect of gender and work experience was found to be insignificant. Practical implications: Findings from this study have far-reaching implications for educators and professionals working toward mitigating anxiety during the employment selection processes in computer-mediated setting.

Chapter 13 - Occupational well-being, resilience, burnout, and job satisfaction of surgical teams

Resilience and occupational health of healthcare workers have emerged as central to the sustainable functioning healthcare systems during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the range of interventions used to address this challenge remains fragmented, resting on variable empirical evidence and highly variable outcomes. Surgical team burnout is a syndrome characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, depression, and a decreased sense of personal accomplishment caused by work-related stressors. Clinicians are at a unique increased risk for burnout as a result of immense stress throughout their training and careers, long work hours, delayed gratification, challenges with sustaining work and home balance, and challenges associated with patient care and harm prevention. Future endeavors need to provide meaningful solutions, both in providing resources and pathways for perioperative team members who are already burned out and, more importantly, teaching clinicians to respond more effectively to their environment to help mitigate burnout and mortal injury. Specific protocols to reduce burnout among surgical teams from the beginning of their training and throughout their professional careers are needed. This chapter offers a systematic overview and evaluation of the structure, effectiveness, and resources required for implementing a wellness program, and a better understanding of what does and does not work. Feedback from those participating in these programs can provide a significant amount of information and help surgical team members from all disciplines. The development and implementation of effective programs may help clinicians before the problem dramatically affects their lives and directly impacts patient care and outcomes.

Research Policy in Morocco and the Impact on National Development

The research policies in Morocco's private and public sectors illustrate the uneven progress made during the past 65 years or so, ever since its independence in 1956. Initially placed on the backburner as the nation struggled to train cadres capable of managing the challenges of nationhood, research picked up as the new universities strove to become internationally competitive. In fact, in spite of the efforts of the state during the last two decades to restructure, coordinate and mobilize national research initiatives, this domain today remains fragmented, and in need of an appropriate governance policy. Essential human and material resources are still lacking, even as the new Moroccan constitution of 2011 specifically mentions research as a national priority. Like most other countries, Moroccan research today faces three immediate challenges: the health crisis resulting from the pandemic spread of COVID-19, the transition to a green economy, and the fourth digital revolution and its impact on industry. Morocco boasts a number of research facilities, mostly placed within the 12 public universities, in addition to several laboratories in private and public/private partnership institutions. Autonomous national research structures, such as the Moroccan Foundation for Advanced Science, Innovation and Research (MAScIR), also contribute to scientific production. Public universities thus continue to dominate research output, whether as measured in indexed publications or in number of registered patents. In spite of its favorable position when compared to African francophone countries, Moroccan research production remains modest and its socio-economic impact (eg. employment opportunities) remains limited. The strategic research plan for 2025 sets policy measures meant to improve research governance, to integrate research activity and innovation with the needs of the economy, to reinforce technology innovation, especially in the automotive and aeronautical industries, and to further research in energy efficiency and alternative energy sources. In addition, the recent research initiatives launched in response to the COVID-19 pandemic by the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRST) and the Ministry of Higher Education have already started producing tangible results in pharmaceutical, biomedical and related industries. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022.

Perceived employability in a situation of crisis: the influence of the external context and perceived financial threat

Purpose: This study aims to analyse how people's perceived employability was affected during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study explores individuals' perceived financial threat, age and work situation as factors that shape perceived employability. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected via a survey at three different times between October 2020 and May 2021, which were chosen to reflect the evolution of the pandemic. The participants (n = 124) reported participants' perceived employability and financial threat during the pandemic in Portugal. Perceived employability is a multidimensional concept, as this includes the following scales: employment protective behaviour, employment risk, job-seeking behaviour, self-control and self-learning. Findings: Participants' overall perceived employability failed to record significant variance over the period under analysis. Nevertheless, perceived employment protective behaviour decreased the most, especially in the case of young adults (aged 18 to 24). Individuals' perceived financial threat varied according to the external context, being lower during the last moment of data collection, which corresponded to the less-socially and economically restrictive period. Employees with the most stable work condition, i.e. with a permanent employment contract, were those who felt less financially threatened when compared to other respondents. A negative relationship between perceived employability and perceived financial threat was identified during the third moment of data collection. Originality/value: The research informs about how individuals perceive themselves in a highly unpredictable and unstable context. The longitudinal approach shows how the external context affected people's perceived employability and financial threat throughout the pandemic. © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Trust at work – described by young professionals in the early stages of their careers

Purpose: This case study explores trust at work, described by young professionals in the early stages of their careers. In this article, trust is approached as the study participants' experiences of interpersonal trust. More specifically, it refers to relationships between colleagues, among individuals or at group level (Ma et al., 2019). Supervisors or managers did not take part in this study. The research question was "What do young professionals tell about trust and its importance at work?” Design/methodology/approach: The empirical study consists of qualitative data, focus group (5) interviews (n = 20) of young professionals who are in the early stages of their careers (1–3 years after graduation). The study is contextualized in Finland, in Helsinki metropolitan area, in three social and healthcare workplaces and two information technology (IT) organizations. Both public and private sectors are represented. The data were analysed by theory-based content analysis. Findings: According to the study results, descriptions of trust and its importance at work can be placed in three main categories. First, trust is an important element in improving young professionals' adaptation into the working community. Second, trust strengthens young professionals' professionalism and professional development at work. Third, trust at work highlights ethical issues and their significance in workplace relationships. Practical implications and limitations are also discussed. Research limitations/implications: Due to the nature of this study, the research results should be viewed critically. The results can be seen as one suggestion to structure and increase understanding of trust in working life, from the perspective of young professionals in the early stages of their careers. As all research, the studies included in this review had several limitations that need to be taken into account. First, one of them is the size of the data, also in this study. Second, although literature has been searched carefully, there is always a chance of better literature existing for discussion on trust at work from young professionals' points of view, even though there is not a lot available on this specific topic. Nonetheless, literature of this study includes the most relevant classics of trust research. Third, the method has its own limits because it is based on focus group interviews, not interviews of individuals. On the other hand, it offered time for the team to reflect on trust in their own team. Still, this study offers one option for discussion of trust in work relationships. Additionally, it was noteworthy that the subjects were at the beginning of their careers, joining a new working community. They were in the early stages of building a professional identity, seeking confirmation of their skills and position in the working community. Thus, we recognize that this may have contributed to the collection of research data, which was a focus group interview. Few participants in the interview wanted to strongly point out the factors related to distrust, even if they had appeared at work. The authors recognize that exploring trust requires trust and acknowledge it. Data have been collected before the COVID-19 pandemic (see, e.g. van Zoonen et al., 2021). Practical implications: This study implies that trust at work should focus on discussing young professionals' thoughts, expectations, feelings and experiences of trust at work as part of transitioning from graduation into working life or in early stages of their careers. Trust should not only be discussed in dyadic discussions between young professionals and supervisors but also as part of team discussions. The authors' suggestion is that trust should be in the core of team discussions, not just as part of teams' social and emotional dimensions of their functionality and capacity. Courage and skills to take part in such discussions is needed from all parties. Especially leaders have to have the ability to create a trusting environment to talk about trust. In particular, the importance of peers in trust and their importance at work should be taken into account. By understanding young professionals' point of view, we can prevent job changes or dissatisfaction at work too. The purpose of this study was to contribute to this line of research on trust at work. The trust resource contributes to and promotes the realization of participation in working life. Social implications: The trust resource contributes to and promotes the realization of participation in working life. Leaders and coworkers can learn about trust as a phenomenon, while developing more emotionally sustainable working environments for young professionals. Trust should be seen as a skill or competence to improve various positive functional dimensions at work. Originality/value: The results demonstrate that it is crucial to ensure emotional sustainability at work, and a positive feeling of belonging at work supports young professionals by developing a trusting work environment. It strengthens their engagement in a new work. © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Students' employability confidence in COVID-19 pandemic: role of career anxiety and perceived distress

Purpose: The present research aims to investigate the impact of "COVID-19 phobia” factors (psychological, social, economic and psychosomatic) on career anxiety and perceived distress. Further, this research assesses whether career anxiety and perceived distress foster or diminish students' employability confidence. Design/methodology/approach: "Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM)” has been used to analyze the data. Findings: The results depict that factors (psychological, economic and psychosomatic) are positively and significantly associated with career anxiety and perceived distress. However, social factors indicate an adverse impact on perceived distress. Further, career anxiety and perceived distress positively influence employability confidence, but the associations are not highly impactful. Originality/value: This research elucidates an unexplored phenomenon in the context of a developing country that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) phobia scale (i.e. psychological, social, economic and psychosomatic) result in career anxiety and distress. Moreover, no studies highlighted the direct impact of career anxiety and perceived distress on employability confidence. © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Relational approaches to employability

As policymakers consider how best to respond to increased labour market volatility in post-Covid-19 economies, there is concern that vulnerable groups such as lone parents may be left behind, and consensus that we need to develop more responsive and person-centred approaches to employability. Drawing on Cottam's (2011, 2018) work on ‘relational welfare', and the principles of the capabilities approach that underly it, this article discusses the experiences of unemployed lone parents and stakeholders involved in an innovative employability initiative operating across five localities in Scotland. We argue that relational approaches are valuable in supporting such vulnerable jobseekers to achieve outcomes that they have reason to value in terms of employability, learning, wellbeing and relationships (with balancing work and family relationships of particular importance for lone parents). We also discuss facilitators of, and challenges for, relational approaches to employability before identifying lessons for future policy. © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Effects of health-promoting leadership, employee health on employee engagement: Employability as moderating variable

Purpose: Employee health is a major challenge for enterprises. Fostering a healthy work environment and promoting employee engagement are key to addressing this challenge. Health-promoting leadership and employee health are the driving forces of corporate development;at the same time, employability is the core element of employee relations. Based on self-determination theory, this study aims to explore the effects of health-promoting leadership and employee health on employee engagement in light of employee employability. Design/methodology/approach: The data of this study encompass 723 valid questionnaires from employees of MSME in China. This study focuses on health-promoting leadership and employee health, engagement relationship and the above relationship moderating by employability. Findings: Health-promoting leadership plays a key role in the workplace, results show that health-promoting leadership has a positive impact on employee health and employee engagement, while employee health did not have a positive effect on employee engagement. Employability negatively moderated the relationship between employee health and employee engagement. Research limitations/implications: This study is based on cross-sectional survey data collected at the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic rapidly and continuously changed the organizational responses to employee health. Future studies could utilize longitudinal methods or focus on measurement instruments of the culture of health, to create additional insights about health promoting. Originality/value: This study adds important knowledge regarding health-promoting leadership and employee health in Chinese MSMEs, an area for which limited research exists. The findings provide insights and knowledge about health-promoting leadership how to affect employee health and to improve engagement outcomes. The findings also identify the moderating role of employability. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Systematic Review of Qualitative and Quantitative Studies on Perceived Employability of Graduates

The assessment of future students' employability by the Institute of Higher Learning in collaboration with career centres is one of the most crucial steps in the educational industry for establishing an active and ascendable plan. Predictive analysis for this project is done using machine learning. This study investigates the Employability Signals of Undergraduates in accordance with the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) criteria. The findings demonstrate that higher education was where the most accurate predictor of undergraduate students' employability was initially examined. The study's conclusions can be used to develop a roadmap that will make it simpler to use predictive analytics. The findings of this study may also facilitate the creation and application of predictive analytics, one of the possible approaches for analysing the education data gathered during the pre-covid period for this study. Systematic literature reviews should be trustworthy, repeatable, and valid when used in scientific investigations. As a result, the inquiry will reach a conclusion based on the evaluations found on pertinent and customized dates. © 2023 IEEE.

Optimising online transversal skills delivery in STEM doctoral education

Transversal skills development is an essential component of doctoral education. The COVID-19 pandemic required the adaptation of five transversal skills modules to online delivery. Instructional design was used to create synchronous and asynchronous teaching to a Virtual Learning Environment. Feedback surveys were used to analyse student perceptions as to whether learning outcomes (LOs) were met and student satisfaction with the online format with a view to optimising future delivery of these modules. Of the 168 students surveyed, 84 (50.0%) responded. Based on 84 responses across five modules, students perceived that 394 (97.0%) of the LOs were met (p < 0.001). Statistically significant advantages to online delivery were found to be convenience, easy visibility of materials, timing of delivery and learning at own pace (p < 0.001). Importantly, 40 (47.6%) students would have struggled to achieve the necessary credits without this online training. 77 (91.7%) students found the online modules very useful or useful for their current research and 78 (92.9%) students reported them as being very useful or useful for their future career. A majority found online delivery more effective for their needs than the face-to-face format. These findings support the effectiveness of online delivery of transversal skills modules in doctoral programmes. © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Fostering social mobility and employability: the case for peer learning

Higher education institutions continue to face challenges in fostering social mobility and preparing their students for the world of work. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these challenges via disruption to education and reduced opportunities for work-integrated learning. Framing this as our point of departure, we propose that peer learning can play an integral part in reducing the attainment gap by promoting learner autonomy. Our essay uses the example of Supplemental Instruction to highlight the benefits and challenges of peer learning. We end with a call for empirical research and knowledge sharing to advance peer learning in an impactful way.

Hybrid Model of Teaching-Learning is Total Chaos: An effect of Reverse Halo

Although the COVID-19 outbreak has had a disruptive impact on the education industry;the academicians have moulded themselves according to changing situations. They have evolved to an entirely different level during the last two years. This longitudinal study is conducted on faculty members from all over India and aimed to explore some individual and organizational factors affecting the "Hybrid” model of the teaching-learning process, which is the future of the education and training industry [1] [2] creating a Reverse Halo Effect [3]. More than 1000 faculty members from all over India have contacted over WhatsApp and a self-report questionnaire in the form of Google Form measuring various student-related factors, institute-related issues, faculty-related issues, technology-related issues, perceived learning, and perceived employability was circulated. A path analysis showed that the student-related issues, faculty-related issues, institute-related issues, and technology-related issues affect perceived learning which will eventually affect the perceived employability of students. The findings of this study provide a theoretical contribution toward the effectiveness of the hybrid model in the teaching-learning process and its effect on the perceived learning and employability of students. © 2022, Rajarambapu Institute Of Technology. All rights reserved.

Catholic Universities in an Increasingly Competitive Environment

Pope Francis' vision for a global compact on education, including the role that Catholic universities should play, is in sharp contrast to the vision that dominates the higher education sector: that of producing graduates for gainful employment. Can Catholic colleges and universities rise to the challenge? This article provides a partial answer to that question by first considering four trends affecting higher education globally: (i) the impact of Covid;(ii) the technologization of higher education;(iii) the promise of employability;and (iv) the great unbundling towards micro-credentials. Thereafter, using data for the United States, the article provides a brief assessment of whether Catholic universities may be losing ground, while nevertheless keeping some sources of comparative advantage. The analysis remains explorative and tentative. What seems clear is that there is a lot of heterogeneity between institutions, with some struggling and others finding ways to maintain their comparative advantages.