The DESIRED project is rooted in key global frameworks, including the Global Gateway, Global Employment Agenda (2003), International Labour Convention (ILC) Conclusions on Sustainable Enterprises (2007), the Global Jobs Pact (2009, amended in 2022), SDG 8, and the EU Multi-Annual Indicative Programme for Sub-Saharan Africa (2021-27), Priority 5: Sustainable Growth & Jobs. These frameworks aim to stimulate sustainable economic growth by improving living standards, meeting employment needs, and addressing unemployment and underemployment. These frameworks imply that to ensure sustainable growth, development, and business success, employing and retaining a diverse & inclusive workforce must be prioritized.

In the context of accounting education and employment, the graduates, are referred to as “accountants.” Nearly 25% of accountants work in accounting, tax preparation, bookkeeping, and payroll services. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (US BLS, 2023) has indicated that the global employment of accountants & auditors is projected to grow by 4% from 2022 to 2032. Moreover, about 126,500 openings for accountants and auditors are projected each year, on average, over the decade. However, despite these openings globally, long-term unemployment of accounting graduates has risen by more than 40% and youths, disabled people, ethnic minorities and older workers are the worst hit. The top factor cited for this growing unemployment is lack of employability skills among jobseekers, thus expanding the education performance- expectation gap. That is, employers demand for a diverse skilled graduate / workforce, moreover which is knowledgeable & proficient at navigating complexities of modern professional business and management environments.

Project Relevancy

The DESIRED project responds to the priorities of the CBHE call, by tying its interventions with two of the priorities of Global Gateway. These priorities are: (i) Accelerating sustainable growth & decent job creation; and (ii) Improving education and training. Specifically, the project demonstrates its relevancy by integrating employability skills into accounting education in Uganda and Nigeria by using a Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) approach to enhance the employability of accounting graduates, especially the youths aged between 18 – 35 years. Moreover, in the context on Strand 1 emphasis on, “reducing the internationalization gap among HEIs,” our project workplan and Work Packages 5 & 6 are committed to supporting staff & student mobility & Knowledge exchanges amongst HEIs in sub-Saharan African (Uganda & Nigeria, with support of EU partner HEIs) to build their capacity to enhance teachers’ & students’ competencies & skills in accounting education, – in a way that corresponds with the labour market needs.

Major Interventions and Objectives

The DESIRED project addresses the general objectives of the call, by aligning the accounting academic world with labour market needs to enhance employability of accounting graduates. Specifically, the project will use Work Integrated Learning (WIL) approach & methodologies, to prepare accounting students & graduates for future work. Also, in line with Strand 1 specifics of reducing the internationalisation gap among HEIs, the project engages in activities for improving the way HEIs in sub–Saharan Africa (Uganda & Nigeria) manage accounting education by proposing to come up with:

• A Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Quality Control framework for accounting students
• An Accounting Education cooperation framework between African participating HEIs
• Guidelines on applying WIL Pedagogy in Accounting Curricula
• Manuals / templates for assessing accounting students based on WIL
• Improved and revised course content and materials in accounting and finance.
• New and revised institutional policy guidelines for engaging with industry partners in accounting education