{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,30]],"date-time":"2026-10-30T17:37:40Z","timestamp":1793381860835,"version":"4.5.0"},"update-to":[{"DOI":"10.12688\/openreseurope.21616.1","type":"new_version","label":"New version","source":"publisher","updated":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,11]],"date-time":"2026-05-11T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1778457600000}}],"reference-count":46,"publisher":"CERN","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,11]],"date-time":"2026-05-11T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1778457600000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"European Commission","id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00k4n6c32","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"name":"European Commission \u2013 Horizon Europe Programme","award":["101177428(EDU-LABProject)"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["101177428(EDU-LABProject)"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00k4n6c32","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"crossref"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Open Res Europe"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Objectives\n                    This study aims to assess the impact of higher education on graduates\u2019 perceived employability of young people through dimensions such as study programs in higher education (SPH), collaboration between the universities and businesses (CUB), teaching quality (TQ), flexibility of academic programs (FAP), and higher education infrastructure and resources (HEIR) by identifying factors that influence the interplay between the higher education provision and the demands of the labor market. In addition, differences in employability depending on the ownership of the higher education institution and the characteristics of the graduate profile and field of study are also analyzed.\n                \n                \n                    Methods\n                    To achieve the research objectives, a quantitative method was used through a structured questionnaire, where 300 persons who have graduated in academic years 2019\/20 \u2013 2023\/24 were surveyed.\n                \n                \n                    Findings\n                    The results show a significant positive relationship between higher education and employability (R\n                        2 = 0.367, p &lt; 0.001), with labor market demands and program flexibility as the strongest predictors. Private institutions performed better in all dimensions, with the biggest difference displayed in infrastructure. The field of study also had a significant impact, with graduates in engineering and information technology fields showing the highest levels of employability.\n                \n                \n                    Novelty\/improvement\n                    This research aims to inform social partners about the ways to fill the gap between the supply of higher education and the needs of the labor market both at home and abroad through sustainable mechanisms, which would guide the provision of study programs.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.12688\/openreseurope.21616.2","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,11]],"date-time":"2026-05-11T09:14:07Z","timestamp":1778490847000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.68336\/openreseurope.updatepolicy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["The impact of higher education on youth employability in Kosovo: Key determinants affecting the interface between higher education provision and labor market needs"],"prefix":"10.68336","author":[{"given":"Xhavit","family":"Rexhaj","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"AAB College, Pristina, Pristina, 10000, Kosovo (Serbia and Montenegro)"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9595-3087","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Arberesha","family":"Qerimi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"AAB College, Pristina, Pristina, 10000, Kosovo (Serbia and Montenegro)"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5297-6000","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Fidan","family":"Qerimi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"AAB College, Pristina, Pristina, 10000, Kosovo (Serbia and Montenegro)"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"13904","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,11]]},"reference":[{"key":"101746","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/su12166607"},{"key":"101747","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1787\/empl_outlook-2012-en"},{"key":"101748","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/hrm.21941"},{"key":"101749","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/su12041290"},{"key":"101750","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S2212-5671(15)00804-7"},{"key":"101751","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/su12155900"},{"key":"101752","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.28991\/ESJ-2022-06-02-014"},{"key":"101753","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4324\/9780203465271https:\/\/www.taylorfrancis.com\/books\/9781134412136"},{"key":"101754","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/13636820.2017.1394355"},{"key":"101755","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.15388\/infedu.2022.13"},{"key":"101756","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4018\/978-1-7998-4882-0"},{"key":"101757","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/03075079.2023.2265425"},{"key":"101758","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2991\/ictvt-17.2017.58"},{"key":"101759","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.21153\/jtlge2019vol10no1art782"},{"key":"101760","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4018\/979-8-3693-8623-1.ch011"},{"key":"101761","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10734-022-00933-6"},{"key":"101762","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/21582440231217890"},{"key":"101763","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ssaho.2023.100588"},{"key":"101764","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/berj.4195"},{"key":"101765","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.heliyon.2023.e21023"},{"key":"101766","unstructured":"21. Zhushi EF: The State of Higher Education in Kosovo: Challenges and Achievements for 2020, the Impact of the Pandemic and Providing Recommendations for Increasing Quality in the Sector [Internet]. Prishtina, Kosova: QAINT Project Consortium (KEC, ORCA, ZSI);2021 [cited 2025 Jul 25]. p. 32. https:\/\/akreditimi.rks-gov.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Report-on-the-state-of-higher-education-in-Kosovo_ENG.pdf"},{"key":"101767","unstructured":"22. KAS. Education Statistics in Kosovo 2022\/2023 [Internet]. Pristina, Kosovo: Kosovo Agency of Statistics;2023 Jul. p. 162. https:\/\/masht.rks-gov.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Statistikat-e-arsimit-ne-Kosove-2022-2023.pdf"},{"key":"101768","unstructured":"23. KAS : Results of the Labour Force Survey (LFS) for 2024 [Internet]. Pristina, Kosovo: Kosovo Agency of Statistics;2025 May [cited 2025 Aug 3]. p. 4. https:\/\/ask.rks-gov.net\/Themes\/LaborMarket"},{"key":"101769","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/13596748.2023.2253649"},{"key":"101770","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/su12104004"},{"key":"101771","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/13639080.2010.486397"},{"key":"101772","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1057\/978-1-137-57168-7_3"},{"key":"101773","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1108\/00400910710754435"},{"key":"101774","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/ejed.70107"},{"key":"101775","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/ir.160"},{"key":"101776","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/01425690701737457"},{"key":"101777","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10734-017-0207-0"},{"key":"101778","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.lrp.2015.09.005"},{"key":"101779","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/07294360.2024.2325154"},{"key":"101780","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/13639080.2025.2534794"},{"key":"101781","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.22610\/imbr.v15i3(I).3519"},{"key":"101782","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1057\/s41599-025-05872-y"},{"key":"101783","unstructured":"38. European Commission : Supporting growth and jobs \u2013 an agenda for the modernisation of Europe\u2019s higher education systems [Internet] Brussels, Belgium: European Commission;2011 Sep [cited 2025 Jul 28]. p. 16. Report No.: 52011DC0567. https:\/\/eur-lex.europa.eu\/legal-content\/EN\/TXT\/?uri=CELEX%3A52011DC0567"},{"key":"101784","unstructured":"39. European Commission : Commission Staff Working Document \u2013 Kosovo 2023 Report [Internet]. Brussels, Belgium: European Commission;2023 Nov [cited 2025 Jul 28]. p. 131. https:\/\/enlargement.ec.europa.eu\/kosovo-report-2023_en"},{"key":"101785","unstructured":"40. KAS : Education Statistics in Kosovo 2016\/2017 [Internet]. Pristina, Kosovo: Kosovo Agency of Statistics;2017 [cited 2025 Aug 3]. p. 160. https:\/\/masht.rks-gov.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/statistikat-e-arsimit-ne-kosove-2016-17-shqip.pdf"},{"key":"101786","unstructured":"41. KAS : Education Statistics in Kosovo 2023\/2024 [Internet]. Pristina, Kosovo: Kosovo Agency of Statistics;2024 [cited 2025 Aug 3]. p. 172. https:\/\/masht.rks-gov.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Statistikat-e-arsimit-ne-Kosove-2023-2024.pdf"},{"key":"101787","unstructured":"42. KAS : Population Estimate [Internet]. Pristina, Kosovo: Kosovo Agency of Statistics;2025 Jun [cited 2025 Aug 3]. p. 2. https:\/\/askapi.rks-gov.net\/Custom\/574ed023-5a72-415e-aec8-7671b56a8344.pdf"},{"key":"101788","unstructured":"43. World Bank Group : Kosovo Human Capital Index 2020 \u2013 Human Capital Project Brief [Internet]. Washington, D.C.: World Bank Group;2020 Oct. p. 2. https:\/\/databankfiles.worldbank.org\/public\/ddpext_download\/hci\/HCI_2pager_XKX.pdf"},{"key":"101789","unstructured":"44. UNDP : Youth and Jobs in Kosovo \u2013 An Assessment of the Youth Labour Market and the Youth Guarantee Implementation [Internet]. Budapest, Hungary: ILO Office for Central and Eastern Europe;2022 [cited 2025 Jul 29]. p. 55. https:\/\/www.undp.org\/sites\/g\/files\/zskgke326\/files\/migration\/ks\/YouthChallengesandPerspectivesinKosovoENG.pdf"},{"key":"101790","unstructured":"45. European Training Foundation : ETF Country Fiche \u2013 Kosovo 2023 [Country Report\/Briefing Document] [Internet]. Torino, Italy: European Training Foundation;2023 Nov [cited 2025 Jul 29]. p. 12. https:\/\/www.etf.europa.eu\/sites\/default\/files\/2024-03\/Country%20Fiche_Kosovo_2023_EN_web.pdf"},{"key":"101791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.6084\/M9.FIGSHARE.30334438"}],"container-title":["Open Research Europe"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/open-research-europe.ec.europa.eu\/articles\/6-15\/v2\/xml","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/ore.eu\/ore\/article\/download\/1210\/version\/2071\/4139","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/ore.eu\/ore\/article\/download\/1210\/version\/2071\/4140","content-type":"text\/html","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/ore.eu\/ore\/article\/download\/1210\/version\/2071\/4139","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,30]],"date-time":"2026-10-30T17:13:28Z","timestamp":1793380408000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/ore.eu\/ore\/article\/view\/1210\/version\/2071"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,11]]},"references-count":46,"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.12688\/openreseurope.21616.2","relation":{"is-version-of":[{"id-type":"doi","id":"10.12688\/openreseurope.21616.1","asserted-by":"subject"}],"has-review":[{"id-type":"doi","id":"10.21956\/openreseurope.25323.r74015","asserted-by":"object"},{"id-type":"doi","id":"10.21956\/openreseurope.25323.r74014","asserted-by":"object"},{"id-type":"doi","id":"10.21956\/openreseurope.25323.r74013","asserted-by":"object"}]},"ISSN":["2732-5121"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2732-5121","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,11]]},"assertion":[{"value":"2026-05-11","name":"published","label":"Published","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"This project has received funding from the European Union\u2019s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No [101177428] (EDU-LAB \u2013 European youth in education and in transition to the labour market).&#13;\nThe project aims to strengthen evidence-based higher education reform and foster cooperation between academia, labor market actors, and policymakers across Europe.&#13;\nMore information is available at: https:\/\/www.edu-lab-project.eu.\n\n                    The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.","name":"funding_statement","label":"Funding Statement","group":{"name":"funding_information","label":"Funding Information"}}],"article-number":"15"}}