Jannika Salminen has published a thesis for her master’s studies in the Managing Sustainability and Systems Change programme, examining how well sustainability-focused higher education, particularly UAS Master’s degrees, aligns with the competencies expected by employers across Europe.

The study highlights a significant gap between the competencies delivered through sustainability programmes and those sought by employers. While degrees in sustainability are seen as timely and forward-thinking, their practical relevance is often questioned. Employers tend to view sustainability as supplementary rather than integral to core professional roles, perceiving graduates as overly idealistic and insufficiently attuned to business realities.

Interviews with recruitment professionals across sectors reveal a need for curricula that blend theoretical knowledge with practical experience. Findings emphasise the importance of personal branding, applied skills and industry-specific competencies, which are prioritised over formal sustainability qualifications. Sustainability roles are frequently embedded in existing job functions and filled by professionals with conventional industry backgrounds rather than sustainability-specific degrees.

Tension between educational ambition and business reality

The findings point to a growing divide between how educational institutions and employers respond to global sustainability challenges. Higher education institutions increasingly design in-depth degree programmes to equip students to drive systemic change, while employers often seek superficial, operational-level sustainability, usually tied to compliance, ESG reporting and incremental improvements. Many recruitment professionals questioned the relevance of standalone sustainability degrees altogether, preferring that sustainability be integrated as an elective into established fields such as business, engineering or law.

The study also reveals a lingering bias towards UAS qualifications. UAS master’s degrees, despite meeting the same qualification level as university degrees, are often perceived as lacking prestige, considered too academic for practical roles, yet too vocational or “practical” in tone for roles that typically expect a more traditional academic background. This unclear positioning can hinder graduates’ visibility and perceived legitimacy in recruitment processes, despite their qualifications being legally equivalent to university master’s degrees.

Call for strategic reform for higher education in sustainability

The disconnect between the pace of change in higher education and that in the labour market puts graduates at a disadvantage. While education advances rapidly in response to the sustainability transition and encourages innovation and long-term transformation, real-world sustainability roles continue to focus on operational data, efficiency measures and compliance with current standards.

Salminen’s thesis proposes a more strategic approach to sustainability education. This includes clarifying career pathways, designing elective structures that build bridges with established sectors and empowering students to position themselves intentionally through personal branding and communication. It also calls for stronger institutional focus on the visibility and societal role of UAS master’s degrees, to ensure that their graduates are recognised not only as competent professionals but also as necessary agents of change.

Thesis available in Theseus: https://www.theseus.fi/handle/10024/883597

For further information

Jannika Salminen
jannika.salminen@gmail.com