Innovative degree programmes

Universities rise to the challenge of flexibility to boost STEM skills

The spotlight is on cutting-edge technologies, interdisciplinary laboratories, experiential learning and continuing professional development

by Monica Maria Elena Fait

11 September 2026

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4' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

4' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

The labour market, both globally and nationally, is undergoing an unprecedented structural transformation. Over the past decade, the debate has focused in particular on digitalisation, the automation of routine tasks and the need to increase the number of graduates in STEM subjects.

The Almalaurea data confirm the employment prospects of some of these degree programmes. According to the 2025 Report on the Employment Situation of Graduates, one year after graduation, the employment rate for master’s degree graduates stands at 92.9 per cent in the industrial and information engineering group and 92.7 per cent in computer science and ICT. This figure is consistent with the analyses of the World Economic Forum. In the Future of Jobs Report 2025 – based on the expectations of over a thousand employers representing more than 14 million workers across 55 economies – the professions expected to see the greatest growth by 2030 include AI and machine learning specialists, big data specialists, fintech engineers and environmental engineers.

In the scenario outlined by Microsoft’s Work Trend Index 2025, these roles could find themselves operating within an evolving work organisation: from artificial intelligence viewed merely as an assistant – the ‘human with assistant’ model – there will be a gradual shift towards genuine hybrid human-agent teams in which generative systems will operate as ‘digital colleagues’ capable of planning, acting and optimising complex workflows.

A new organisational structure

This new organisational structure calls for reflection on the role of the university system. A degree remains the key to entering the world of work, but it is no longer sufficient to guarantee a lasting professional advantage. It is no longer simply a matter of filling a quantitative capacity gap, linked to the chronic shortage of technical profiles, but of managing a qualitative redefinition of skills. The pace of technological change is making the risk of skills becoming obsolete (skill instability) an ever more real concern: according to estimates compiled by the World Economic Forum, 39 per cent of the skills required in the labour market could change or become obsolete by 2030.

PwC’s Global AI Jobs Barometer 2025 – a report based on an analysis of nearly a billion job advertisements and thousands of corporate financial documents – highlights that professions exposed to AI are changing at a far faster rate than others. These changes do not only affect the field of computer engineering but also extend to finance, professional services, research, healthcare, advanced manufacturing and managerial roles. Companies will increasingly need not only specialists capable of developing new technologies, but also professionals able to use AI to redesign processes, products and organisational models.

Complementary skills

Technological and human-centred skills thus become complementary. Analysis by Indeed Hiring Lab suggests that GenAI has a profound impact on certain routine tasks but falls short in terms of potential when it comes to interpreting and applying data, managing exceptions, physical presence, or assuming ethical and legal responsibilities (AI at Work Report 2025). The worker of the future must not only know how a system works but also when to use it, how to verify its results, and the economic, organisational and social impact it generates.

A change of perspective

In this context, the design of innovative degree programmes requires a change of perspective. The formula? Not skills set in opposition to the degree, but a degree complemented by verifiable knowledge, applied experience and lifelong learning. It is not enough simply to increase the number of students enrolled on technical and scientific courses; we must raise the quality of education by investing in STEM programmes capable of combining technical excellence, critical thinking and creativity, whilst simultaneously integrating the humanities with STEM skills so that every professional is able to engage with digital tools and participate in the decisions that shape their use. The challenge for universities is to introduce flexible degree programmes capable of integrating modules dedicated to cutting-edge technologies and offering progressive specialisations through optional modules, interdisciplinary workshops, short courses and micro-credentials. It is also necessary to strengthen experiential learning through the co-design, with companies and institutions, of workshops, micro-credentials and work placements that bridge the gap between education and the world of work.

Finally, universities must promote lifelong learning by jointly designing professional development and reskilling programmes which, on the one hand, enable workers to acquire new skills without having to interrupt their professional activities and, on the other, allow businesses – particularly small and medium-sized enterprises – to access knowledge and tools that they would struggle to develop on their own. In this context, online universities can play a strategic role in continuing education; thanks to the flexibility of their courses and their ability to reach students and workers regardless of location or timetable, they can offer modular courses, up-to-date content, tutoring, digital workshops and the integration of teaching with practical experience.

In a labour market where technologies are evolving faster than professions, it will not only be what a person has studied that counts, but their ability to continue learning.

DFull Professor of Economics and Business Management at UniPegaso