BISM Study: What does the young generation want from university programs and how do they choose their college?

Graduates who want to attend university are looking for a well-paid job and a balance between academic quality, practical experience and professional opportunities, data from a study conducted by Bucharest International School of Management (BISM) in partnership with IZI Data shows.

“In an increasingly dynamic and competitive labor market, students want not only a solid education, but also practical skills and good job prospects. At BISM, we cater to students and graduates with four undergraduate programs that directly address both their training needs and the evolving market requirements. For example, we offer the only Business Management and Digital Marketing undergraduate program in Romania, a specialization increasingly sought after by companies. Admission is without exams, based on the British model, and students follow the best UK educational model in Europe, with courses taught by some of the country’s leading experts. At the same time, students have access to internships and hands-on practical training programs facilitated by the school throughout the 3 years of study,” said Radu Atanasiu, Associate Dean of BISM.

Among the top fields that students participating in the study want to pursue at university are Business Administration/ Business (47%), Marketing/ Digital Marketing (39%), Economics/ Finance/ Accounting (25%) and Cybernetics, Statistics, Informatics (23%).

According to the BISM study, young people consider that the most important aspect they want from a university during their studies is related to everyday life, especially networking (57%), followed by desires related to professional life, such as applicability of concepts (43%), current and relevant knowledge (38%), better job opportunities (35%) and specialization (less information, focused on the area of interest, 32%).

The data also show that the possibility of gaining practical experience by participating in internships during college is the main criterion for three quarters of high school students when choosing a college. This is followed by offering real job opportunities (62%), subjects and curriculum of interest (55%), professors working in the fields taught (42%) and the student community (40%).

In terms of what young people expect from their future careers, the most important are a well-paid job (58%), work-life balance (51%), being able to contribute to their career (49%), stability in the field (49%), and personal fulfillment in the field (49%).

*IZI Data targeted study, conducted online among students in grades 10-12 and high school graduates who want to go to college, on a sample of N=260 students or graduates. Data collection period: March 4 – March 28, 2024.

“Theoretical information is everywhere on the internet and young people know this, so universities need to reinvent themselves. The current needs of young people are migrating from the need to learn theory to the area of practical experience and offline interaction. Young people want to meet people offline who can open up professional opportunities and authentic relationships as well as practical learning experiences”, explained Silvia Luican, IZI Data sociologist.

BISM, through its partnership with Abertay University from the UK, offers undergraduate programs that benefit from international curriculum, exams, methodology and academic experience. Students thus enjoy the same academic standards and opportunities as their UK peers, along with an educational experience enriched by BISM’s expertise and innovative approach.

“Due to the partnership between BISM and Abertay University, the new generation of students has the opportunity to gain an international degree in a dynamic learning environment that prepares them for rapid integration into the job market and opens doors for their professional pathway. In our program, students are exposed to the business environment through lecturers active in the field they are teaching. At the same time, BISM facilitates internships at companies to gain experience in different roles and to practically test a career before choosing it. Students also work both in teams and alone on projects that solve real needs. As a result, young people who attend the courses in Romania enjoy the same opportunities for academic and professional development as students who attend courses in the UK. Together with Abertay University, we collect feedback about the students’ academic experience so that it gets better year on year. In addition, students enjoy extra classes in personal leadership and on their areas of interest, such as personal branding or how to use AI. All this will contribute to better prepare young people for their future careers”, added Radu Atanasiu, BISM Associate Dean.

The undergraduate programs launched by BISM offer a mix of international experience and local know-how, bringing together lecturers with a wealth of experience. The curriculum is developed to best prepare students for a career in 4 important areas of business: Business Management, Digital Marketing & Business Management, Business Management & Events Management and Digital Marketing & Events Management.