The conformity of university education to the expectations of employers by the example of Narva College of the University of Tartu.

Abstract.

The conformity of education, including that of university, or tertiary education, to employers' expectations represents one aspect of society's expectations towards the whole education system. There is given an overview of the changes of personal expectations to university education and of the requirements to highly educated professionals. Educational policies are shaped under the influence of both of these subjects and find their outcome in universities curricula. It is important to quantify employers' valuations of university curricula on the level of particular learning outcomes and skills, based on which it is possible to make conclusions for implementing them in curricula. A research of master degree pedagogical curricula that was conducted in Narva College of Tartu University brings to a conclusion that by the estimation of the employers the general skills provided specifically by universities curricula are in need, regardless to the curricula’s complete conformity to Bologna criteria and current professional standards.