1. Employable graduates in Russia (case of the Volgograd region) Lisa Bydanova, Post-doctorate fellow, IREDU (Research Institute for Economy and Sociology of Education), University of Burgundy, France

2. New labour market demands Competencies : Required on the modern labour market Acquired through higher education

3. Russia: economy in transition 1990: Move from a planning economy to a free market one 1990 – 1998 : Economic crise GDP : - 38 %; Employment rate : - 12 % 1999 - 2007: Economic revival Average annual GDP increase: 6 % (1999 – 2004) Decrease in unemployment: from 7,059 thousands to 5,208 thousands (2000 – 2005)

4. Role of Human Capital for Economic Growth The productivity and growth of a country depend to a lower extent of its abundance of natural resources than of the capacity to improve the quality of human capital … (D.Forray & P.A.David, 2002)

5. Russia: the most educated country in the world 1990 – 2000: Democratisation of higher education

6. Russia: new challenges To adapt higher education : to employers demands to the whole socio-economic context Main changes on the graduate labour market : An abolition of the public system of job-assignment Changes in social values Mismatches between education and occupations

7. Survey among graduates: sampling design REFLEX (Flexible Professional in the Knowledgeable Society) survey : 16 European countries + Japan, 40,000 graduates Russia, Volgograd region, 1 public university, 300 graduates Level ISCED 5A (« Bac +5 », Masters Degree), 4 - 5 years after graduation

8. Competencies

9. Demand for Flexibility European research (« Careers of Higher Education Graduates (CHEERS) » project, 1998; 11 countries of EU and Japan, 35,000 graduates) Demand for a Flexible Professional with 4 areas of competence : Professional expertise; Functional flexibility; Innovation and knowledge management; Mobilisation of human resources.

10. Competencies required on the labour market Competencies required in current employment (graduates assessment) Scale: 1 (not important) - 7 (very important), N = 300

11. Competencies required in current employment (France), N= 1,429 Competencies required in current employment (Germany), N= 1,650 Competencies required in current employment (European sampling), N = 25,500

12. Role of non-cognitive competencies Non-cognitive competencies are of high importance for professional success (Bowles, Gintis et Osborne, 2001, Heckman, Stixrud & Urzua, 2006, Postleweite & Silverman, 2006, Suleman et Paul, 2006, Blanden, Gregg, Macmillan, 2006)

13. Monetary returns to job tasks flexibility

14. Role of higher education in developping the required competencies

15. Conclusions Knowledge in field is far from being the only and the most demanded competence on the labour market. Other important competencies are : analytical thinking, ability to perform well under pressure, ability to use time effectively, ability to communicate effectively, ability to assert your authority, computer and Internet literacy ability to rapidly acquire new knowledge (flexibility) University performs well its principal task (provide a deep knowledge in a particular field), but it does not contribute to developing of other essential competencies