Bridging the gap in employability: how universities and employers view interdisciplinary skills

Broadly defined as the integration of knowledge across multiple fields, interdisciplinarity has gained prominence in higher education. Universities adopt this approach to enhance graduates' employability by equipping them with broader skill sets. However, the implications of interdisciplinarity are not uniform across sectors, regions, and roles. While some view it as essential for navigating growing workforce complexity, others question its tangible value. 

What is interdisciplinarity, and how is it perceived by recruiters?

Interdisciplinarity is often presented as key to producing adaptable graduates. By combining diverse fields, students gain broader perspectives and innovative problem-solving skills. However, the reality is more complex. Data from the GEURS 2025 (Global Employability University Ranking and Survey) shows that employers face challenges in assessing the skills of interdisciplinary graduates.

Geography is one of the factors shaping these perceptions. For instance, in China, 86% of people surveyed find it easy or moderately challenging to assess the interdisciplinarity of graduates, reflecting great familiarity with such profiles. In Canada, over half of employers report important challenges in evaluating interdisciplinary graduates, highlighting a disconnect between academic focus and employer needs, suggesting that the value of these profiles may not be fully recognized in some markets. While in India, Japan or the MENA region, more than a third of employers find it very challenging to assess such criteria, underlining how difficult it remains to measure the value brought by interdisciplinarity from a professional standpoint.

Overall, there is a varied global landscape, with some industries like consulting embracing interdisciplinary talent, as only 10% of surveyed employers are not collaborating with this type of profile. On the other hand, sectors like privacy and security struggle, underscoring the need for better alignment between academic programs and employer expectations, as 30% of companies in this sector declare not hiring interdisciplinary graduates.

Bridging the gap between universities and employers

More than half of surveyed employers believe that direct interactions between students and companies, through internships or workshops, would showcase graduates' competencies effectively.

Collaboration between universities and employers is crucial. 45% of questioned employers advocate for standardized assessment grids for evaluating interdisciplinary skills, with stronger support from European countries. Additionally, 42% suggest offering certifications for key interdisciplinary skills, especially in Switzerland, where more than 53% of employers support this idea. 

Providing detailed transcripts that highlight interdisciplinary projects is also seen as beneficial, helping employers grasp the value of these graduates. The variation in approaches across countries highlights the importance of tailoring strategies in different contexts. For example, Qatari recruiters focus on direct engagement and Swedish recruiters will emphasize more on the need for standardized assessment frameworks and certifications to develop young-graduates' employability.

Understanding how the need varies by sector and role

The need for interdisciplinarity varies across sectors and roles. While some industries are more open to these profiles, others still favor specialization. Key data show:

• Interdisciplinarity is more valued in industries such as energy where 68% of the respondents declared it was easy or moderately challenging to evaluate such graduates, and less relevant for industries such as engineering and manufacturing where only 11% of employers find it easy to assess the interdisciplinarity of graduates and 31% of them simply do not hire those profiles.
• Interdisciplinarity is well recognized in sales and business development functions, where employers are more than 76% to not declare difficulties in assessing the graduates interdisciplinary, while it might not be the case for quality control departments, it remains very challenging for 10% of them, and more than 50% are not hiring interdisciplinary graduates.

This demonstrates how sector and role specific needs shape the demand for interdisciplinary graduates.

Understanding these nuances is essential for adapting educational approaches to meet industry needs. As the job market evolves, the emphasis on interdisciplinary training grows increasingly relevant. However, universities must avoid designing overly vague interdisciplinary programs that fail to align with employer expectations.

The role of interdisciplinarity in education and employment is multifaceted, varying by geography, industry, and job function. To ensure graduates are well-prepared for the workforce, universities must actively collaborate with businesses when designing interdisciplinary programs. This alignment is crucial to avoid creating curricula that are too broad or disconnected from industry needs.