Enhancing Employability through Curriculum Reform: A Mixed-Methods Study of Learning Gaps in the Schools of Letters and Humanities at Moroccan Universities

Abstract

The present study investigated the responsiveness of education programs in the schools of letters and humanities at Moroccan universities to students’ employability needs. We made use of a mixed-methods, two-phase case study design. In the initial quantitative phase, a Likert scale questionnaire was administered to 622 students to investigate the extent to which education programs develop in them the competencies required for employability. Further, in the follow-up qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 doctoral students to extend and explain the quantitative results. Findings indicate that the sampled institutions inadequately address three fundamental employability needs: proficiency in foreign languages, development of soft skills, and competency in information and communication technologies. Based on these findings, the study recommends substantial curricular adjustments, including integrating foreign language education, soft skills training, and ICT instruction in higher education in order to align educational outcomes with the evolving demands of the labour market.