"There's no employer in the education market if they don't pay"

Since 2015, the Director of Online Learning at the Higher School of Economics has been responsible for the development and implementation of university courses on various educational platforms, including the university's own platform. Under her leadership, she also organizes the annual international conference on online learning eSTARS, which is held in collaboration with Coursera. This conference is becoming an important platform for discussing current trends and prospects in online education.

We present to you a post by Evgenia from Facebook, in which she shares her thoughts on the barriers hindering interaction between universities and EdTech companies. This is an important topic, as effective collaboration between educational institutions and technology companies can significantly improve the quality of education and the implementation of innovation. Evgenia raises key issues that require attention to overcome existing obstacles and create a more productive environment for collaboration.

In 2023, Russian EdTech companies are actively seeking to integrate into the higher education market by partnering with universities. Some of these initiatives are proving more successful than others, demonstrating the diversity of approaches and strategies in this sector.

The topic of analyzing the obstacles universities and companies face along the way is relevant and multifaceted. It is important to capture key thoughts and observations to avoid losing them in the future. The causes of these difficulties can be varied, including organizational factors, lack of resources, and a lack of a clear strategy. Universities and companies often face ineffective communication within their teams, leading to misunderstandings and project delays. It is also worth noting that the rapidly changing external environment requires organizations to be flexible and adaptable. These aspects must be taken into account when developing plans and strategies to minimize potential obstacles and ensure successful development.

The labor market and the education market are not the same

Universities and companies often do not understand the specifics of the product and the market for which educational programs are developed. I remember a story: three years ago, at a conference in Skolkovo, I attended a roundtable discussion where it was discussed that universities do not take into account the needs of the labor market and do not meet the requirements of employers. There were no representatives of universities at this discussion, so I decided to intervene and tried to get my point across.

The university responds not to the needs of the labor market, but to the requirements of the education market. This occurs due to the willingness of consumers to invest in education, who, in turn, receive information and signals from the labor market.

An employer does not exist in the education market if they do not provide funding. His presence is expressed indirectly, and it doesn't matter what statements he makes or what ideal words he uses. The key is the signals he conveys to future employees, not to the media or conference attendees. These signals shape the employer's real perception and its role in the educational environment.

If the signal is: "All things being equal, I'll hire someone with a higher education degree, even if the sales floor manager or product manager doesn't need one," the demand will be for a diploma, a degree from any university, no matter what. Students and parents will approach universities with this request, hoping to gain an advantage "all things being equal."
If the signal from the employer is: "We value programmer skills and a specific technology stack," the demand will be for competencies. People will approach the education market with this request, and it's not a given that they'll go to universities that hold diplomas.

Currently, there are several announced online programs on the market, the target audience of which remains unclear. These programs have attractive, modern names designed to inspire employers, but, unfortunately, student interest in them is not that great. This is because many higher education institutions lack sufficient marketing skills, and companies often adhere to outdated approaches to corporate training. As a result, despite the availability of innovative programs, they fail to resonate with potential students. To change this, it is important to consider the needs of both students and employers and actively develop effective strategies for promoting educational products. Employers are not ready to "signal" everything Employers often cannot confidently determine which skills will be in demand in three to five years. Developing educational programs takes about a year, and graduates emerge only after these programs are implemented. While emphasis is placed on the importance of soft skills and digital literacy, specific hard skill requirements remain uncertain in the long term. This poses a challenge for both educational institutions and job seekers seeking to meet the demands of the future labor market.

At one conference, a speaker captured the audience's attention with the phrase, "If an educational product has been developed for more than a year, it is outdated and has no market demand." In the context of higher education, this statement is not entirely accurate. The competencies for creating educational programs are specific and currently concentrated in universities, not businesses. Businesses do not always understand how to properly develop and package such "lengthy" educational products, which leads to interesting and sometimes amusing situations.

The future demand for online higher education degrees, as well as certificates, microdegrees, and other short educational formats, will largely depend on employers' attitudes. If companies continue to adhere to traditional educational requirements, this may limit the development of alternative formats. However, if employers begin to actively recognize microdegrees and other short-term qualifications, this will open up new opportunities for job seekers. Growing interest in online education and flexible learning formats will contribute to changes in the labor market and the formation of new educational standards.

I know an outstanding person who, despite not having a degree, became a successful project leader at Yandex. However, most employers, unlike Yandex, still consider a diploma to be an important hiring criterion.

"There's no employer in the education market if they don't pay"

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The labor market and the education market are not the same