HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE AGE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: “UNIVERSITIES MUST CHANGE THEIR PACE”

Artificial intelligence, automation, and digital transformation are rapidly changing the way the labour market functions, creating new demands for skills and professions. In this reality, experts argue that universities need to adapt their educational approaches so that students are prepared not only for the jobs that exist today, but also for those that will emerge in the coming years.

University assistant at the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology at the University of Tetovo, Besnik Xhezairi, explains through a video analysis that one of the greatest challenges for higher education in North Macedonia is preparing young people for a labour market that is changing much faster than university programmes.

“The university should not be an institution that prepares young people for yesterday’s labour market, but for tomorrow’s reality. This is precisely where one of the biggest challenges of higher education in North Macedonia lies,” says Xhezairi.

According to him, universities should not measure success only through the number of enrolled or graduated students, but through their employability, their ability to adapt to technological changes, and their contribution to the country’s economic development.

Reports from international organisations, including the World Economic Forum (WEF), also indicate that the development of artificial intelligence and new technologies will transform millions of jobs in the coming years, while digital, analytical, and technological skills will become among the most demanded competencies in the global labour market.

Xhezairi warns that if universities fail to keep pace with these changes, the gap between graduation and employment will continue to grow.

“If universities continue moving at the pace of the past, while the labour market moves at the pace of the technological revolution, the gap between diplomas and employment will expand even further. This is not only an educational challenge; it is a development challenge for the entire society,” he states.

Speaking about reforms, Xhezairi says that universities need to align study programmes with labour market needs, move away from predominantly theoretical teaching towards competency-based learning, and strengthen cooperation with the private sector.

He also proposes quality and mandatory professional practice during studies, the integration of digital skills and artificial intelligence across all fields of study, the development of career guidance services, and the evaluation of university quality based on the employability of graduates.

“University reform should not be limited to administrative changes or the formal revision of curricula,” concludes Xhezairi.

This material was developed within the project “Advocacy for Inclusive Development,” financially supported by the Government of Switzerland through the Civica Mobilitas programme.

The content of this text is the sole responsibility of the Forum for Reasonable Policies, IOHN and BIRC and in no way can be considered to reflect the views of the Government of Switzerland, Civica Mobilitas or the implementing organisations.