Systematic Literature Review of Higher Education and Unemployment in Asian Countries

Abstract

A systematic literature review on higher education and unemployment in Asian countries is presented in this paper. It analyses the themes emerging from 31 articles identified through Scopus and the Web of Science database. The review was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA) approach which provides a comprehensive guideline for systematic review and data collection. The review included research studies published between 2018–2022. Students’ expectations, the job market and economics, and education, experience, and skill development were the three categories for the themes. These topics are discussed in depth in this paper and are presented in the literature review. Rather than reiterating the literature review and acknowledging the problem, an approach with a focus on innovative solutions to bridge a gap between graduates, employers, and academic expectations were also presented. This study found that higher education institutions focus on strategies to accelerate graduate competency development to ensure employability. Moreover, in Asian countries, graduate employability is grounded on a strong sense of innovation, collaboration efforts, and government intervention for sustainable economic growth.