Track 3 - Whither higher education - the 'vocational' or 'applied' skills perspective?

Every nation needs highly skilled university graduates to drive forward economic development and productivity. Yet there is increasing evidence from across developed and emerging nations that the skills that many graduates have are irrelevant for fast changing labour markets. Reforms of qualifications systems, vocationalization and hybridization are taking places in many countries. Do traditional university courses that focus on a theoretical approach need to be replaced by courses that emphasise applied specialist skills? What is the future role of academic learning? How do we marry the need for people who can, for example, run infrastructure, as well as those who research and design it? What type of skill mixes are required by labour markets? How is the university-business relationship evolving?
-Moderator: Sally Jeffrey, Partner, PwC, UAE
-H.E. Dr. Blade Nzimande, Minister of Higher Education & Training, South Africa
-H.E. Tristram Hunt MP, Shadow Minister for Education, UK
-H. E. Mohamed Sameh Amr, Chairperson of UNESCO's Executive Board
-Patrick Kisia, Group Chairman, Construction Credit Trust, Kenya
-Dejan Bojanic, UN GEFI Youth Advocacy Group, Serbia

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