Language and Employability in Higher Education Research: A Scoping Review

• Published in: Annual Review of Comparative and International Education 2022 Vol. 46A; pp. 107 - 126
• Main Authors: Yallew, Addisalem Tebikew, Dipitso, Paul Othusitse
• Format: Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: Emerald Publishing Limited 14.12.2023
• Subjects: Education; Education & society; Global & comparative education; English; Language; graduate employability; labor markets; higher education; employability skills; English for specific purposes; scoping review
• DOI: 10.1108/S1479-36792023000046A008
• ISBN: 9781837537396; 1837537399
• ISSN: 1479-3679

Abstract In an ever-interconnected world dominated by discourses on the internationalization and marketization of higher education, concerns related to language and employability have been the focus of recent debates. There is, however, a dearth of research investigating how these dimensions relate to one another in recent comparative and international higher education research. By focusing on how issues related to language and employability have been presented in recent higher education research worldwide, this chapter aims to contribute to our understanding of this concern. To achieve this goal, we conducted a scoping literature review using the Web of Science, Scopus, and the Education Resources Information Center (ERIC) databases, considering the years 2011–2020. The findings, perhaps not surprisingly, suggested that language skills are perceived to be valued by both graduates and employers though the discussions predominantly focused on one language, English. The research focus on English for employability in Anglophone contexts is understandable. However, the fact that the trend is observed in contexts where the language is not the primary or official language seems to indicate the influence of internationalization of higher education and global labor markets primarily dominated by English. The literature also suggested that (English) language training in higher education programs needs to move from solely linguistic and qualification-related content areas to a broader sphere of English for communication purposes that cover both specialized disciplinary content and broader generic employability skills. Considering this finding, we suggest that higher education systems and institutions incorporate recent developments in English for occupational purposes in their curriculum. We also recommend that there needs to be a shift from the overwhelmingly English language-dominated discussions to more inclusive research that assesses the impact of other dominant languages on employability-related concerns.