'How can higher education meet the changing needs of employment?'

This was the question delegates sought to answer at the third Wilton Park Youth Dialogues event.

Held in South Africa, from 13 to 15 November 2017, this high-level seminar brought together Commonwealth university leaders – including 20 participants from ACU member universities, government officials, NGOs, and youth representatives. Delegates discussed various issues relating to higher education and employment, including: best practice in pedagogy, interpreting the needs of employers, teaching entrepreneurship skills, and higher education reform.

The outcomes of these discussions will feed into the higher education programme of the 20th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers (20CCEM) in Fiji next year, which the ACU is leading on in collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat and government of Fiji.

Dr Joanna Newman, ACU Chief Executive and Secretary General, commented: 'The role of higher education in ensuring students are developing the skills they need to meaningfully contribute to society has never been more important – especially when set against a backdrop of rising youth unemployment and growing youth populations.

'It was a privilege to be a part of the third Wilton Park Youth Dialogues event alongside DFID, the National Research Foundation South Africa, and the University of Pretoria, and even more so to be part of such an inspiring dialogue, hearing about the challenges and the success stories from around the Commonwealth. As a result, the ACU will be developing a number of new initiatives to help member institutions and inform government policymaking.'

Aldo Stroebel, Executive Director – Strategic Partnerships, National Research Foundation South Africa (NRF), said: 'The importance of innovation and the creation of knowledge is integral to development, both socially and economically. Conversations at this Youth Dialogues event illustrated the continued importance of our work at the NRF, particularly in light of the demographic changes and pressures on the higher education section – and how working in partnership can deliver lasting change.'

More information

This Wilton Park Youth Dialogues event saw the ACU partnering with the University of Pretoria (an ACU member institution), the National Research Foundation South Africa (NRF), and the UK Department for International Development (DFID), to create a programme designed to deliver tangible outcomes that will influence higher education policy across the Commonwealth.

To read more, visit the Wilton Park website or take a look at the Youth Dialogues hashtag.