Association of American Colleges and Universities

“In an economy fueled by innovation, the capabilities developed through a liberal education have become America’s most

valuable economic asset.”

Narrow Learning is Not Enough—The Essential Learning Outcomes

Knowledge of Human Cultures and the

Physical and Natural World

Intellectual and Practical Skills

Personal and Social Responsibility

Integrative Learning

A New Framework for Excellence

Principle One

Aim High—and Make Excellence Inclusive

Principle Two

Give Students a Compass

Principle Three

Teach the Arts of Inquiry and Innovation

Principle Four

Engage the Big Questions

Principle Five

Connect Knowledge with

Choices and Action

Principle Six

Foster Civic, Intercultural, and

Ethical Learning

Principle Seven

Assess Students’ Ability to Apply

Learning to Complex Problems

How Should Colleges How Should Colleges Prepare Students To Succeed In Prepare Students To Succeed In

Today’s Global Economy?Today’s Global Economy?

Key findings from survey among 305 business leaders and 510 recent college graduates conducted

November 2 – December 5, 2006for

The Association of American Colleges and Universities

HARTHARTRESEARCHRESEARCH

P e t e r DP e t e r D

AA SS SS OO TT EE SSCC II AA

Balance of Broad Knowledge And Specific Skills Preferred

Which of the following should be the main objective for our nation’s colleges and universities?

Focusing primarily on providing well-rounded

education

Focusing primarily on providing knowledge and

skills in a specific field

Focusing on providing a balance of both

Depends/not sure5%

11%

72%

56%

13%

22%

10%

11% Employers

Recent Graduates

Employers On Importance Of College Education

To Business And The Country % who say colleges play a very important role

Ensuring U.S. ability to compete in the

global economy

Ensuring my company’s ability to compete

successfully

Ensuring U.S. companies’ ability to develop innovative

new products and services

70%

70%

73%

* 76% believe innovation is a very important factor in the growth and strength of the U.S. economy.

63% of employers agree that “too many recent college graduates do not have the skills to be successful

in today’s global economy.”

Employers Express Concern About Skill Level of College Graduates

Most Important Skills Employers Look For In New Hires

Teamwork skills

Critical thinking/ reasoning

Oral/written communication

Ability to assemble/organize information

Innovative/thinking creatively

Able to work with numbers/statisticsForeign language

proficiency 3%

9%

20%

21%

30%

33%

44%

RecentGrads*

38%

37%

37%

10%

21%

4%

6%

* Skills/abilities recent graduates think are the two most important to employers

Employers Endorse Key Elements Of Liberal Education

% saying colleges should put more emphasis on each learning outcome

Concepts and new developments in science & technology

Teamwork skills and the ability to collaborate with others in diverse group settings

The ability to apply knowledge and skills to real-world settings through internships or other hands-on experiences

The ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing

Critical thinking and analytical reasoning skills

Global issues and developments and their implications for the future

The ability to locate, organize, and evaluate information from multiple sources

The ability to be innovative and think creatively

82%

76%

73%

72%

73%

73%

70%

70%

How important is it for colleges and universities to provide

the type of education described below?

This particular approach to a four-year college education provides both broad knowledge in a variety of areas of study and more in-depth knowledge in a specific major or field of interest. It also helps students develop a sense of social responsibility, as well as intellectual and practical skills that span all areas of study, such as communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills, and a demonstrated ability to apply knowledge and skills in real-world settings.

26%

1%4%

69%

Not sure

Less/not important

Fairly important

Very important

* 76% of employers would recommend this type of education to a young person they know.

How important is it for colleges and universities to provide this type of

education (see previous slide)?

Business Leaders

Not sure

Less/not important

Fairly important

Very important

How important is it for colleges and universities to provide this type of

education (see previous slide)?

Recent Graduates

63%

5%1%

31%

How Should Colleges How Should Colleges Prepare Students To Succeed In Prepare Students To Succeed In

Today’s Global Economy?Today’s Global Economy?

Key findings from survey among 305 business leaders and 510 recent college graduates conducted

November 2 – December 5, 2006for

The Association of American Colleges and Universities

HARTHARTRESEARCHRESEARCH

P e t e r DP e t e r D

AA SS SS OO TT EE SSCC II AA

Effective Educational Practices

First-Year Seminars and Experiences 

Common Intellectual Experiences

Learning Communities

Writing-Intensive Courses

Collaborative Assignments and Projects

“Science as Science Is Done”/Undergraduate Research

Diversity/Global Learning

Service Learning, Community-Based Learning

Internships

Capstone Courses and Projects

2.00

2.25

2.50

2.75

3.00

3.25

3.50

3.75

4.00

-2 -1 0 1 2Educationally Purposeful Activities

(standardized)

Fir

st-y

ear

GP

A

ACT 28 ACT 24 ACT 20

Impact of Educationally Purposeful Activities on First Academic Year GPA by Pre-College Achievement Level

2.00

2.25

2.50

2.75

3.00

3.25

3.50

3.75

4.00

-2 -1 0 1 2

Educationally Purposeful Activities (standardized)

Fir

st-y

ear

GP

A

HispanicWhite

Impact of Educationally Purposeful Activities on First Academic Year GPA by Race/Ethnicity

0.50

0.55

0.60

0.65

0.70

0.75

0.80

0.85

0.90

0.95

1.00

-2 -1 0 1 2

Educationally Purposeful Activities (standardized)

Pro

ba

bily

t o

f R

etu

rnin

g

African American

White/Caucasian

Impact of Educationally Purposeful Activities on the Probability of Returning for the Second Year of College by Race

We value what we measureWe value what we measure

Wise decisions are needed about Wise decisions are needed about whatwhat to measure in the context of campus to measure in the context of campus mission, values, and desired outcomes. mission, values, and desired outcomes.

“ “If you don’t measure it, you can’t If you don’t measure it, you can’t manage it…”manage it…”

Association of American Colleges and Universities