This edited volume explores how youth and informal sector workers in the global south are pioneering learning and livelihoods that exist at the intersections of, and beyond, the boundaries of the state, market, and other formal institutions. Underpinned by research undertaken in the global south, this book discusses how we might better theorise,…

The UNESCO International Commission on the Futures of Education imagines a positive future in which skills development can be harnessed for the benefits of people and planet, in line with the loftiest vision of the Sustainable Development Goals. However, skills systems often remain marginalized within educational debates and plans, with vocational…

Organizations worldwide spend large amounts of money and resources on developing their employees, yet the money invested in professional learning (PL) yields low to moderate results at best. Because culture is a predominant force in people's life, multinational corporations and other institutions should take culture into account at every stage of…

Lack of development in different societies of the world has been attributed to university education in recent times. Degrees are envisaged to be synonymous to skill acquisitions which are expected to be reflected in the society. Meanwhile, it remains controversial whether university education is actually responsible for development of skills and…

This article critically reviews the World Bank's latest high-profile report on skills development in Sub-Saharan Africa. While the Report's prescriptions and recommendations are broadly in line with those of national skills development strategies elsewhere in both the developed and developing world, its overall analysis is quite limited and…

Technological innovations have led to an increase in demand for information technology (IT) skills in contemporary library and information agencies. This in turn has created an increased need for pedagogical skills on the part of library and information science (LIS) professionals for them to empower users with knowledge and skills to navigate a…

The UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre for TVET actively supports Member States in strengthening and upgrading their technical and vocational education and training systems. This booklet provides up-to-date information on UNESCO-UNEVOC's capacity-building programmes and projects, key thematic areas, online knowledge resources and databases, and…

This paper reports on a narrative review of the criticality of problem-solving and troubleshooting skills for undergraduate Electronics Engineering students and its significance for industry readiness. The review was undertaken to understand the problems and troubleshooting skills learned and possessed by the Electronics Engineering training…

Higher education institutions and lifelong learning opportunities offer important skills and knowledge for developing the complex, sustainable, and integrated solutions that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) require. Utilizing interview data from a retrospective study of 14 African alumni of a US public land-grant institution, this research…

Our research explores the experience of adults looking for flexible online learning opportunities that intersect with university study. We interviewed 58 people living in 14 African countries who have taken a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) developed by the University of Cape Town. The interview data reveals diverse uses of MOOCs in workplace…

The persistent skills gap in Africa poses a significant barrier to both economic growth and individual career advancement. While cognitive skills (CS) are well-recognized for their crucial role in enhancing employability, non-cognitive skills (NCS) have received less attention, especially in African labour markets. This systematic review examines…

Poor literacy skills can result in exclusion and reduce people's capacity to participate in political, social, cultural and economic life. This is important for migrants, refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) who seek to live and work in a dignified, safe and fair environment and to be engaged members of their new communities. The…

Education, skills, and the development of an African workforce are at a critical moment. While it is recognized that Chinese firms hire local people, the focus of the debate is more on the position and opportunities for training and advancement. As such, the paper tries to answer the following questions. Does China really contribute to skills…

Students wishing to pursue careers in international business, notably in the developing world, must be prepared for complex, unpredictable, uncomfortable, and messy realities, and to collaborate with others very different from themselves. Mainstream business school learning environments are generally highly structured, cognitively oriented,…

Background: Within the current labor market, continuously changing and accelerating since the COVID-19 crisis (World Economic Forum, 2021), the educational system must offer a pedagogical alternative to face and anticipate these 21st century changes and demands (OECD, 2018). Based on the four-dimensional education framework, from the Center for…