Aligning curricula with industry need has long been recognized as an important factor in making academic courses relevant to the job market. One effective approach involves educators collaborating with industry stakeholders to help shape the academic programs offered. Such collaboration leads to knowledge exchange and potentially an improved social impact of the education system in areas relevant to industry. Such an approach can help equip students with practical skills and knowledge that will be valued by potential employers
Research in the International Journal of Business Performance Management looks at one method of aligning higher education curricula with industry requirements through an industry-driven curriculum framework. Tamilselvan Mahalingam of the Higher Colleges of Technology, Dubai Men’s Campus in Dubai International Academic City, UAE, has worked with subject-matter experts from various sectors to review syllabuses in order to identify gaps. The research shows the benefits of the approach in a specific institutional setting, which may well be more widely applicable. The results show the value of integrating an industry-driven curriculum framework into curriculum design and delivery to bridge the gap between academic offerings and industry needs.
Of course, the concept of co-creating curricula is not new, and many educational institutions worldwide have adopted it with varying success. The research literature shows the benefits of such collaborations, including better graduate employability and curricula that better reflect industry requirements. However, the approaches to engaging industry partners differ significantly among institutions, and clear governance structures for these collaborations have proven advantageous.
Mahalingam’s approach fits the mould in this regard. Instead of focusing on developing generic frameworks and best practices and overlooking specific recommendations for co-creating curricula, the new work offers a dedicated framework. This framework can be integrated with the institution’s existing governance system in order to improve collaboration and course content. Mahalingam demonstrates how valuable this framework approach could be and adds that continuous evaluation and adaptation would be important to maintaining its effectiveness in an ever-changing industry landscape.
Mahalingam, T. (2024) ‘Bridging the gap between academia and industry: a case study of collaborative curriculum development’, Int. J. Business Performance Management, Vol. 25, No. 4, pp.589–603.
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