Higher education provision and labour market opportunities in the Western Balkan countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina
This country report analyses higher education (HE) provision and labour market opportunities in Bosnia and Herzegovina by looking into four inter-related issues: the provision of HE, current labour market conditions for graduates, the challenges graduates face during the transition from HE to employment, and the type of skill gaps and skill mismatches that employers face when recruiting young graduates. The report concludes with recommendations on measures needed to ensure the right mix of skilled graduates to support robust economic growth in the future, support graduate job search, and encourage employers to create more graduate jobs and take on more skilled graduates. The data used in the study was collected from March to August 2015. It includes two large-scale surveys: one among recent HE graduates (graduate survey - 774 respondents) and one among organisations that employ HE graduates (employer survey - 153 respondents). Interviews were carried out with management staff of higher education institutions (HEIs), ministries, employers’ associations, and trade unions. A focus group was also carried with Erasmus Mundus alumni. The project has also assembled a unique database that includes details of most study programmes offered by HEIs in recent years.