The Center for Higher Education and Youth Employability (HEYE) promotes research and knowledge creation on issues related to tertiary education and youth employment, with a particular focus on the transition from the education system to the labor market.

The center builds upon the decade-long experience of the Cisalpino Institute for Comparative Studies in Europe (CCSE), consolidating an international research tradition and network in the fields of higher education, youth employability, and the social and economic dynamics of school-to-work transitions.

HEYE’s research is marked by a strong multidisciplinary approach that combines international comparative analysis with the study of the effects of public policies on the decisions of individuals, families, firms, and local communities, promoting the development of evidence-based policies.

HEYE’s activities focus on two main research areas:

• The economics and management of tertiary education systems and institutions. This area includes the analysis of governance and decision-making models, funding strategies and financial sustainability, managerial practices adopted by higher education institutions—from universities to Higher Technological Institutes (ITS academies)—as well as mechanisms for quality assessment and performance evaluation.
• Youth skills and employment. This line of research explores the skills developed through tertiary education (Universities and ITS), how they shape the school-to-work transition, and their impact on job quality in the early career phase. Special attention is given to issues such as skill mismatch, NEETs (Not in Employment, Education or Training), and in-work poverty.

HEYE’s research places a strong emphasis on cross-cutting themes, such as gender differences, sustainability, and the social and local impact of education and employment dynamics.

The outcomes of HEYE’s activities aim to support the decision-making processes of policymakers, higher education managers, families, students, and all other stakeholders in the tertiary education system.

HEYE also serves as a resource for the University of Bergamo, by promoting the training of students and early-career researchers, providing managerial consulting, and supporting the university’s internationalization through collaborative research, innovative teaching practices, and third mission activities.