The publication of the EUROGRADUATE 2022 Comparative Report  on “Careers, Competences, and Values of European Higher Education Graduates in 2022” was announced by EVP Roxana Mînzatu on 17 September. The report is based on evidence from over 170 000 Bachelor and Master graduates across 18 European countries who completed their studies in 2017 and 2021.

The EUROGRADUATE 2022 project monitors the educational pathways of recent graduates, how they evaluate their study experiences, and how this translates (1 and 5 year after they graduated) into their professional careers and lives as European citizens. It is a key element of the European Graduate Tracking Initiative, launched in the aftermath of the 2017 Council Recommendation on tracking graduates.
 

The findings confirm the key relevance of higher education for European labour markets and its role in developing competitiveness through future-proof skills. The survey reveals that around 90 % of graduates are employed five years after graduation, demonstrating a strong connection between higher education and employability. Furthermore, 66 % of graduates report having jobs that match both their education level and field of study, indicating that higher education institutions are effectively preparing students for the workforce.

A notable trend is the shift towards more innovative teaching and learning methods, such as problem-based learning, which helps students develop a broader range of skills that are increasingly in demand by employers. This evolution in pedagogy reflects a growing responsiveness of higher education institutions to labour market needs and student-centred learning.

The report also highlights highly positive prospects for STEM graduates, particularly in informatics (ICT) and engineering, who enjoy the best salaries and highest job satisfaction. These fields, along with health and education, show the lowest risk of unemployment and the strongest alignment between education and employment outcomes.

In terms of values and awareness, the survey shows that environmental sustainability is becoming more embedded in curricula. Over 70 % of graduates agree that climate change is mainly human-driven, reflecting a high level of environmental consciousness among recent graduates.

For a broader audience, the EUROGRADUATE 2022 consortium prepared a leaflet with some of the main findings from the survey. For further analysis and research, the Scientific Use File has been released by the Research Data Centre of DZHW (the EUROGRADUATE 2022 coordinating institution).

Almost simultaneously, also the next round of EUROGRADUATE 2026 survey kicked off, which will be coordinated in the context of the European Higher Education Sector Observatory. Building on the experience gained through the EUROGRADUATE 2018 and 2022 surveys, this contributes to establishing a source of comprehensive, comparable, and regular data on higher education graduates in the European Economic Area (EEA).