Title: Does the digitalised era adjust the mismatch as match? A comparison of graduates from different streams to align HE and industry in Bangladesh

Authors: Gazi Mahabubul Alam; Md. Mahfuzur Rahman; Vesna Skrbinjek; Nor Azni Abdul Aziz; Karima Bashir; Romana Kader

Addresses: Department of Foundations of Education, Faculty of Educational Studies, University Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia ' Department of Foundations of Education, Faculty of Educational Studies, University Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia; School of Business, Bangladesh Open University, Gazipur, Bangladesh ' International School for Social and Business Studies, Mariborska cesta 7, 3000 Celje, Slovenia ' Department of Foundations of Education, Faculty of Educational Studies, University Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia ' Department of Education, Faculty of Education, Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, Aliero, Kebbi State, Nigeria; Department of Foundations of Education, Faculty of Educational Studies, University Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia ' Department of Foundations of Education, Faculty of Educational Studies, University Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia; School of Business, Bangladesh Open University, Gazipur, Bangladesh

Abstract: Extensive research has been conducted on the causes of the developing mismatch between education and the labour market, its consequences, and potential solutions. Despite this, the mismatch issue persists, exacerbated by ongoing digitisation and the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace. Acknowledging this, the researchers delve deeper into whether the challenges of mismatch find resonance in the digital era. An individualist approach was taken to address each research question, employing descriptive statistics, multinomial logistic regression, and interviews. This encompassed both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. The results indicate that the performance of the fully mismatched group (science graduates) surpasses that of their fully matched counterparts (business graduates). Consequently, digitalisation has heightened the mismatch problem, rendering business graduates relatively irrelevant to the workplace. This paper enriches the discussion on education and the labour market mismatch by employing a unique measurement approach. This study contends that digital and computer-related skills have become a universal competency for various industries, irrespective of their nature (scientific or trade-related). Consequently, all education disciplines (business, science, social sciences) should equip graduates with digitalised/computing skills so that they are not excluded from the labour market.

Keywords: mismatch; digital skills; innovation; business education; banking sector; higher education; Bangladesh.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIL.2025.147981

International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 2025 Vol.38 No.1, pp.92 - 115

Received: 08 Jul 2024
Accepted: 30 Jul 2024
Published online: 12 Aug 2025 *

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