QUALITATIVE INVESTIGATION OF QUALITY INDICATORS IN HIGHER EDUCATION AND THEIR IMPACT ON GRADUATE EMPLOYABILITY IN PUNJAB, PAKISTAN

Abstract

This paper discusses the correlation between quality indicators of higher-education and graduate employs in Punjab, Pakistan, which is based on the views of graduates, faculty, and employers. Using a qualitative research design, the study aims to clarify the themes that express the quality of education through the perspective of the stakeholders directly engaged in the system of the higher education. In order to cover a wide range of perspectives on the factors that affect the result of employability, some graduates,  faculty members, and employers, who represented different fields of professional activities, were interviewed through the semi-structured approach. The results have shown that institutional support, curriculum relevance, and quality of teaching are found to be major factors of employability. However, there has been a great mismatch between university education and the industrial needs that still creates a gap between skills. Employers also indicate that there are no viable training courses in the university system which handicaps the graduate to the job market. These findings indicate that in as much as institutions in Punjab strive to improve quality, more needs to be done to ensure that employability skills are incorporated into the study curriculum and pedagogy. The study adds to the academic discourse as it offers a comprehensive qualitative study of the problem of quality in higher education in Punjab and its further consequences on employability. Its implications are also especially relevant to policymakers, academic institutions, and employers who want to enhance the employability of graduates.