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Different Forms of Civil Activity and Employment in Hungary and Abroad, and the Development of Student Drop-out
41-54Views:483Young people involved in higher education have created a specific culture, to which, in addition to their studies, social and cultural activities associated with university life are also related (Kozma, 2006). Among these activities, student employment and participation in civic organizations should be highlighted. Voluntary and paid work among higher education students is increasing. These activities have several advantages in terms of future benefits; however, the attracting role of the labour market is one possible reason for dropout. In our current research, we emphasize the role of employment and civil activity in the development of student dropout. Masevičiūtė et al. (2018) found that a quarter of students stopped studying for work-related reasons. In addition, a negative perception of the marketability of the course they are on may lead to the interruption of university studies. In our study, we analysed the extent to which students are willing to interrupt their higher education studies in exchange for voluntary work. In our current research, we examined how often and for what reasons students who dropped out did paid work and volunteering during their studies.
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The Relations between Students’ Intercultural Communication Competencies and Employability
72-79.Views:329In today’s globalised world, businesses operate on an international level. Most business and economics graduates will interact with colleagues, clients, and partners from diverse cultural backgrounds. Intercultural competencies are essential for their success and effective collaboration in the labour market. A special questionnaire was compiled to investigate students’ intercultural competencies. Based on the statements and responses of the questionnaire, the examination aimed to establish the principal components of the intercultural communication competencies of the students of a Hungarian university. In the next phase of the research, the principal components served to create student clusters which were analysed from a labour market point of view, focusing on advantages and disadvantages. The crucial question was: which cluster is in demand the most in the labour market? By utilizing a principal component analysis, the dataset was reduced to three key components. Subsequently, to classify the students into groups, a multivariate statistical procedure, i.e., cluster analysis, was used to reveal the structures by clearly considering the similarities of a relatively heterogeneous population and to create a relatively homogeneous subset. The study revealed five distinct student clusters, each with varying advantages and disadvantages for employers. In this context, the Interculturally Active and Open with Good Language Skills cluster proved to be the most competent, with the least ideal collection indisputably being the Interculturally Reluctant in Cooperating cluster. The research underscores the importance of intercultural communication competencies for employees and enriches our understanding of the dynamics between intercultural communication competencies and workforce readiness. Developing these competencies in foreign language classes will significantly facilitate our students’ employment.
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Policy Against Drop-out in Italy
1-9Views:631In this essay I set out the current situation of Early School Leaving (ESL) in Italy by considering both data provided by institutional sources (national and international) and a review of the most recent contributions from the educational work that have been done intensively to fight against ESL over the last 20 years. I will argue that the way followed so far will not lead to surprising results, due to deep and structural persisting factors of inequality. After a short overview on the position of Italy in the European rankings, the article recalls the main interventions that took place in the country by different investors (public and non-public), setting up a multiplicity of fragmented macro-politics. Then I will look at the mechanisms of differentiation and unequal distribution of educational opportunities and I will conclude with suggestions on how to make the fight against ESL more efficient and forward-looking.
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The Relations between Student Foreign Language Anxiety and Social Variables
87-100Views:231Due to the labour market expectations, universities are responsible for preparing their students for competitive employment in Hungary or abroad. However, language anxiety is an insurmountable problem for many people, making it difficult to learn foreign languages, even though a confident command of them is a key factor in any job interview and essential in the world of work. This complex is one of the main factors hindering language learning, affecting all people to either a greater or lesser extent. In 2023, the University of Debrecen's researchers studied the impact of language anxiety on foreign language learning, surveying approximately 400 students of the university's commerce, marketing, and business management courses. After having a questionnaire filled in, descriptive statistical and cross-tabulation analyses were conducted, and the focus was on analysing the impact of social variables on language anxiety. Our research shows that women are significantly more anxious than men. Students who work while studying and use their foreign language skills at work experience significantly more anxiety than students who do not use a foreign language. Parents' language skills significantly affect their children's language anxiety. The research topic is relevant, as it highlights the importance of teaching strategies to reduce language anxiety in university foreign language teaching. The present study facilitates the teaching of those students who would not be able to overcome the anxiety barrier.