Conclusion: global trends for the economic and social factors affecting the returns of higher education

This chapter discusses the research presented in this book that broadly shows the different impacts of higher education expansion in a range of countries and socioeconomic contexts. While there is wide agreement on the human capital political, social, and economic strategy which is behind higher education massification, the connection between the supply of and demand for a skilled workforce is becoming increasingly complex and unequal. In many geographic contexts skill mismatches and wastage are leading to both poorer graduate employment outcomes and negative impacts at the macroeconomic and societal levels. The research suggests that graduates’ employability should not be taken for granted and that the responsibility for better employment outcomes must not rest solely with higher education institutions but with a broader coalition of actors from both the public and private spheres. Higher education faces significant challenges and effective policies are needed to ease graduates’ transition into the labour market.