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Examining the Interplay of Graduate Attributes and a National Skills Passport in Australia: A Tripartite Scoping Review

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Title: Examining the Interplay of Graduate Attributes and a National Skills Passport in Australia: A Tripartite Scoping Review
Language: English
Authors: Jeff Naqvi (ORCID 0000-0003-3857-6884), Juniper Marceau, Emma Shew, Qihan Xia (ORCID 0009-0000-6500-9290), Nerida Bewick, Adam Robert Hennessy (ORCID 0009-0007-1060-3269), Kim Paino (ORCID 0009-0000-3586-3955)
Source: Higher Education, Skills and Work-based Learning. 2025 15(7):199-224.
Availability: Emerald Publishing Limited. Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1WA, UK. Tel: +44-1274-777700; Fax: +44-1274-785201; e-mail: emerald@emeraldinsight.com; Web site: http://www.emerald.com/insight
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 26
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Information Analyses
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Education Work Relationship, Career Readiness, Soft Skills, Skill Development, College Graduates, Student Attitudes, Teacher Attitudes, Career Counseling, College Faculty, Universities, National Programs
Geographic Terms: Australia
DOI: 10.1108/HESWBL-02-2025-0053
ISSN: 2042-3896
Abstract: Purpose: The Australian Government has proposed a National Skills Passport (NSP) to provide a central digital source for an individual's qualifications, certifications and skills. There is constant debate around the responsibility of universities to prepare graduates for the workforce not just with disciplinary competencies but also with skills directly applicable in an employment scenario. This paper aims to explore the role played by universities in articulating the non-technical skills of their students and consider their utility in a new NSP. Design/methodology/approach: This scoping review encompasses academic literature, grey literature, expert interviews, and peer-to-peer dialogue in an interdisciplinary, innovative educative partnering of academic-industry-student. This methodology was adopted to broaden the remit of the research, and the recency of the Australian Government announcement necessitated outreach to understand stakeholder perspectives and shed light on areas not yet fully explored in academic literature. Findings: The review finds that despite their ubiquity in Australian higher education, institution-stated 'graduate attributes' struggle to resonate with both students and industry. An NSP provides an opportunity for higher education institutions to reframe the content, disciplinary connection and usage of these attributes, delivering tangible buy-in from industry and amplifying the likelihood of adoption by students as the first users of the Passport. Originality/value: This study brought together an industry organisation, the Universities Admissions Centre ("UAC"), the University of Sydney and its students in partnership to consider this complex problem in an experiential, interdisciplinary work-based learning environment. It is believed to be the first demonstrable output of academia-student-industry co-designed scholarly research on this topic, activating student agency in this manner, in Australia.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1490972
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Examining the Interplay of Graduate Attributes and a National Skills Passport in Australia: A Tripartite Scoping Review
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jeff+Naqvi%22">Jeff Naqvi</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3857-6884">0000-0003-3857-6884</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Juniper+Marceau%22">Juniper Marceau</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Emma+Shew%22">Emma Shew</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Qihan+Xia%22">Qihan Xia</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0000-6500-9290">0009-0000-6500-9290</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Nerida+Bewick%22">Nerida Bewick</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Adam+Robert+Hennessy%22">Adam Robert Hennessy</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0007-1060-3269">0009-0007-1060-3269</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kim+Paino%22">Kim Paino</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0000-3586-3955">0009-0000-3586-3955</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Higher+Education%2C+Skills+and+Work-based+Learning%22"><i>Higher Education, Skills and Work-based Learning</i></searchLink>. 2025 15(7):199-224.
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  Data: Emerald Publishing Limited. Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1WA, UK. Tel: +44-1274-777700; Fax: +44-1274-785201; e-mail: emerald@emeraldinsight.com; Web site: http://www.emerald.com/insight
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  Data: 26
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Information Analyses<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Education+Work+Relationship%22">Education Work Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Career+Readiness%22">Career Readiness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Soft+Skills%22">Soft Skills</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Skill+Development%22">Skill Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Graduates%22">College Graduates</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Attitudes%22">Student Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Attitudes%22">Teacher Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Career+Counseling%22">Career Counseling</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Faculty%22">College Faculty</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Universities%22">Universities</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22National+Programs%22">National Programs</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Australia%22">Australia</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
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  Data: 10.1108/HESWBL-02-2025-0053
– Name: ISSN
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  Data: 2042-3896
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Purpose: The Australian Government has proposed a National Skills Passport (NSP) to provide a central digital source for an individual's qualifications, certifications and skills. There is constant debate around the responsibility of universities to prepare graduates for the workforce not just with disciplinary competencies but also with skills directly applicable in an employment scenario. This paper aims to explore the role played by universities in articulating the non-technical skills of their students and consider their utility in a new NSP. Design/methodology/approach: This scoping review encompasses academic literature, grey literature, expert interviews, and peer-to-peer dialogue in an interdisciplinary, innovative educative partnering of academic-industry-student. This methodology was adopted to broaden the remit of the research, and the recency of the Australian Government announcement necessitated outreach to understand stakeholder perspectives and shed light on areas not yet fully explored in academic literature. Findings: The review finds that despite their ubiquity in Australian higher education, institution-stated 'graduate attributes' struggle to resonate with both students and industry. An NSP provides an opportunity for higher education institutions to reframe the content, disciplinary connection and usage of these attributes, delivering tangible buy-in from industry and amplifying the likelihood of adoption by students as the first users of the Passport. Originality/value: This study brought together an industry organisation, the Universities Admissions Centre ("UAC"), the University of Sydney and its students in partnership to consider this complex problem in an experiential, interdisciplinary work-based learning environment. It is believed to be the first demonstrable output of academia-student-industry co-designed scholarly research on this topic, activating student agency in this manner, in Australia.
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        Value: 10.1108/HESWBL-02-2025-0053
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      – Text: English
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      Pagination:
        PageCount: 26
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    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Education Work Relationship
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      – SubjectFull: Career Readiness
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      – SubjectFull: Soft Skills
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