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–The purpose of this paper is to revisit the debate on the contribution of higher education (HE) to the economy which has been dominated by human capital theory and signalling theory. Human capital theory contends that HE contributes by adding to the potential productivity of graduate employees. Signalling theory, asserts that HE contributes by enabling employers to differentiate potentially productive graduate employees.

The paper uses recent advances in our understanding of the graduate employability to reassess the two theories. Most graduate job vacancies are open to graduates of any subject and the key to employment in such jobs appears to be the graduate propensity to learn in employment.

HE both increases students’ propensity to learn in employment and signals to employers that graduates are people with a high propensity to learn in employment.

The conclusion is that for the four key stakeholder groups, the economic value of a university education can best be explained with the concept of “graduate propensity to learn”.

Employers, government, existing students and potential students and universities benefit from the propensity to learn, which is the most important economic outcome of a university education.

The paper resolves the choice between human capital and signalling theories as a false dichotomy as HE both develops students’ powers.

As the millennium looms, education for librarianship and information work faces uncertain times. Reviews the recent fragmentation of library education, raising such issues as the obsession with “emerging” markets; the influence of the “new” vocationalism and the rise of NVQ and CPD. These developments bring with them the danger of a return to apprenticeship and the end of library and information science. It is argued that such decline is not inevitable. Suggests that library and information science must re‐emphasize its distinctiveness as an academic discipline, reassess its targeted labour market and work together with other stakeholders to develop a restructured system of occupational education based on accessibility and co‐operation. The result might then be the rebirth of the librarian in a “new age”.

The rapid changes taking place in education must be bewildering to the layman and even to the average educationalist. Since 1980 a whole range of new courses with new initials and acronyms have been created, so that authors today find it necessary to include a glossary of terms to help the reader find his way through the maze. Here, for example, is a sample of acronyms that have appeared since 1980: ATS, CPVE, CTC, GCSE, RESTART, RVO, TRIST, TVEI, YTS. It is hard to keep up with them all. Before this review is published, we shall see the Government introduce an Education Bill that is going to have a profound effect on the way the education system of this country is run. It will be the most important piece of legislation since 1944. I have therefore tried to select books that deal with the changing scene, and in particular three that are opposed to the present Government's policy.

The purpose of this paper is to reconsider “technical” education on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the publication of the journal Education + Training.

The approach adopted is that of providing a historical perspective on technical education and higher education engagement with vocationalism, skills and employers. It draws from this the key developments and places these in the recent contemporary policy setting with the new skills agenda.

The findings are that the government has substituted technical education with “the skills agenda” and is applying it relentlessly across the whole education system, including schools, which in turn is leading to confusion, overlaps and needless competition. There is a need for a national debate on an integrated approach to practical learning wherever it takes place, while recognising that liberal education has its place in a developed society.

This paper is one of a series commissioned by the journal on its 50th anniversary. Its originality stems from the subject matter and the author's interpretation of past technical education and contemporary practice.

Employment mismatch is a significant problem in many countries. However, little conceptualization research has been conducted on employment mismatch from a social justice perspective. The purpose of this study is to shed light on social justice issues that have been obscured in the human resource development (HRD) literature through the lens of the distributive justice theory.

This study first reviews the literature to identify the gaps in employment mismatch research by reviewing three relevant bodies of literature: education mismatch, immigrant mismatch and disability mismatch. It then provides a new conceptualization of employment mismatch by examining employment mismatch through the lens of Rawls’ (1971) distributive justice theory.

The author proposed a framework of healthy employment relations using the constructs of social system design, moral guidance, education reform and individual development. Implications were proposed for research and practice.

The new framework of healthy employment approaches employment mismatch from four aspects embraced by the distributive justice theory. This model can assist HRD professionals and policymakers in responding to the employment mismatch of different populations.

The purpose of the visit was four‐fold: • to discuss at first hand, with those directly involved, the major movements and problems in American higher education, especially those matters arising from relationships between two year and four year colleges; • to examine certain aspects of management education and training and, in particular, to ascertain the scope and nature of activities of the Small Business Administration of the US Government and to determine the involvement of business schools in management education and development for smaller businesses; • to ascertain the major thrusts and practices in education and training for allied health services, in particular, in nursing and social work; • to see something of the social services in operation, as provided by city, State and voluntary (including Church) agencies and to discuss major problems in relation to existing and developing social need.

The lifelong learning agenda maintains a pivotal role in educational discourse. It reflects government policy that as a conceptual framework it is shaping a new model of learning. Moreover, it reinforces the view that the establishment of a learning society is vital to meet the growing diversity of economic and social imperatives. This paper explores some of the challenges facing further education in constructing an effective and vocational paradigm for lifelong learning that addresses the impact of widening participation and accessibility. It highlights the significance of recent post‐16 government initiatives and the relationship between a knowledge economy and the inclusive learning agenda in the context of policy and practice.

Comments that both the higher education and further education sectors have experienced massive change and turbulence within the last decade. Explains that the growth of a mass higher education system in the UK and the need for increased diversity of educational opportunity have meant that institutions have had to reshape radically their conventional provision. Stresses that the main drive for qualifications and for vocational relevance has taken place in the context of major changes in the labour market and shifts in the UK’s economy. Charts the growth of an agenda for change as personal and professional learning converge. Highlights innovations in teaching and learning methods as continuing education develops, and notes that the boundaries between providers are dissolving.

Examines the outcomes of an evaluation exercise undertaken by tutors responsible for the delivery of contextual material to first year students on the socio‐demographic environment of business and public services. Working within the precepts of the critical paradigm of curriculum evaluation establishes the extent to which students perceive the course content to be vocational as well as their views on other aspects of the design and delivery of the unit. Describes key elements of the evaluation, namely that it was summative, tutor led, positivist and determinist, structured and quantitative. Assesses the findings which suggest that while, in general, the course is well received more could be done to strengthen its vocational orientation. Outlines how tutors have adjusted the learning and teaching strategy to make the unit more explicitly vocational and steps being taken to ensure that evaluation is a learning experience for students as well as tutors.