Future Skills: The digitized world of work requires new teaching and learning at universities

Current study by Stifterverband and McKinsey: Digitization and automation require universities to develop new educational strategies - educational offerings should be changed and expanded - great potential as a provider of further education

Universities face the challenge of preparing all their students for the digitalized world of work. This requires new educational strategies from universities and opens up a range of strategic potential for them. There is currently a lack of educational opportunities that convey future skills such as complex data analysis or collaborative work. It is also necessary that digital specialist knowledge is imparted in all courses. Universities are becoming more and more important for companies when it comes to imparting such future skills: Today, every fourth company works with universities to cover their skills needs. In five years it will be more than one in three (37 percent).

These are the central results of a current study by the Stifterverband and McKinsey & Company entitled Future Skills: Strategic Potentials for Universities. More than 600 large corporations, medium-sized and small companies and start-ups in Germany were surveyed for the study. In addition, it was examined whether and to what extent the universities in Germany offer courses for specific technological future skills.

The analysis is the third discussion paper that was created as part of the Stifterverband's Future Skills Initiative. The first analysis Future Skills: Which competencies are missing in Germany illuminates the massive need for technology specialists and further education up to the year 2023. The second paper How Future Skills change HR work analyzes corresponding developments in the companies.