University-industry knowledge collaborations’ intangible outcomes for students and their perceived employability: the mediating role of student engagement
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: While university-industry knowledge collaborations’ (UICs’) tangible outcomes have been extensively studied, UICs’ intangible outcomes and consequential perceived employability for students have largely been missed in the literature. This study aims to examine the relationships between UICs’ intangible outcomes for students, student engagement and students’ perceived employability with the incorporation of student engagement as a mediator. A survey was conducted with 535 students studying across different universities in Vietnam. The study found that UICs’ intangible outcomes, which were personal management skills, interpersonal skills and career planning, positively influenced student engagement, while student engagement positively influenced perceived employability. The study also demonstrated that student engagement mediated the relationships between personal management skills, interpersonal skills and career planning with perceived employability. Therefore, student engagement is a critical factor to convey the impact of UICs on perceived employability. The research findings can help universities, industries and governments realize an area of focus and priority if they want to improve the quality of education, future workforce and innovations.
Institutions: RMIT University, Hanoi University
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7160068635