Employers expectations and requirements. Case study: Employers of Schools of Economics and Business Graduates in Romania

Nowadays, employers are reconsidering the definitions of professionalism and professionals. In addition to job related knowledge and skills, a professional need some general behavioral skills too, which are especially required when working with others. These inter-relational skills are not “hard skills”, but “soft skills” Being challenge to face an economic reality that is changing permanently, universities have to adapt themselves and to respond to the needs of the socio-economic environment by developing and adapting their educational services to the contemporary requirements. Among the multiple dimensions of the changes universities are facing nowadays important ones are the changes at the curriculum level: goals consisting in competences according to the labor market requirements, new educational plans and programs, new content and teaching and learning strategies, new learning settings and environments. The paper presents the experts’ perspective in respect with the ways in which universities are developing and innovating their curricula and analyses Romanian employers’ opinions regarding the curriculum development and innovation in schools of economics and business. The analysis is based on a survey conducted among the most important employers in Bucharest, the capital city of Romania and, in the same time, the largest local labor market in the country with national and multinational companies. Recommendations regarding the curriculum development and innovation are included too. These are meant to enhance the capacities of universities to provide high quality education and develop competences required on the labor market.