Aims and objectives
This study addresses a number of research questions relating to the engagement of employers with higher education institutions (HEI). These include:
• how do employers use and view graduate skills;
• what are employer views on high-level skills development and HEI;
• is there scope for greater employer-HEI collaboration in pursuit of knowledge transfer through high-level skills development; and
• what are the geographical patterns of employer-HEI engagement and is this engagement organised at national or local (city-region) levels?
Method
Evidence was gathered from a literature review, a compilation of statistics from the Labour Force Survey, National Employers Skills Survey 2005, and HESA Origins and Destinations data, as well as case studies with 74 employers, all of whom had recently recruited new
graduates. The case studies were distributed across 18 city-regions in England.