Mary Adesola Onafowope

Graduate employability has become a critical priority for higher education institutions as labour markets evolve and persistent skills gaps continue to challenge graduate transitions into work. However, empirical evidence remains fragmented on how institutional governance, career counselling, and skills training jointly shape employability outcomes. This systematic review synthesised empirical studies published between 2015 and 2025 examining these institutional determinants of graduate employability in higher education. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, a systematic search was conducted in Scopus and Web of Science Core Collection. After screening and eligibility assessment, 19 empirical studies were included in the final synthesis. Study quality was appraised using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT), and findings were synthesised through narrative thematic synthesis due to heterogeneity in research designs and employability outcome measures. The synthesis shows that skills-training interventions provide the strongest and most consistent evidence of employability, particularly through work-integrated learning, internships, placements, and industry-aligned project-based learning. These approaches were consistently associated with improved work readiness, competence development, and self-efficacy. Institutional governance also emerged as a central driver of employability outcomes by shaping curriculum responsiveness, enabling sustainable university–industry collaboration, and strengthening accountability through policy and accreditation pressures. In contrast, career counselling interventions were poorly represented and rarely evaluated as standalone programmes, indicating a substantial evidence gap despite their relevance to career identity formation and the development of employability capital. Overall, the findings confirm that graduate employability is a multidimensional outcome shaped through the interaction of governance systems, skills development strategies, and career support structures.

This study investigated senior secondary school students’ understanding of and attitudes toward nanotechnology-enhanced green materials and sustainability, with a focus on their exposure to artificial intelligence (AI)-driven service-learning experiences. Anchored in a descriptive survey research design, the study targeted 232 students from three purposefully selected ICT-equipped schools in the Nsukka Education Zone of Enugu State, Nigeria. These schools were chosen for their access to AI-based learning platforms and the integration of environmental education topics across relevant subjects. Data were collected via the Students’ Knowledge and Attitudes toward Nanotechnology-Enhanced Green Materials and Sustainability Questionnaire (SKANSQ), which was developed through a literature review and expert validation. The instrument demonstrated high reliability, with a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.83. The questionnaire measured students’ knowledge, attitudes, exposure to AI tools and service-learning activities, and perceptions of how these experiences influenced their understanding of sustainability concepts. Descriptive statistics, means and standard deviations, were employed to address the research questions. The findings revealed that while students reported a moderate level of knowledge and demonstrated generally positive attitudes toward sustainability and green innovations, their actual exposure to AI-supported learning and community-based service-learning projects was relatively low. The results suggest a gap between curricular intentions and the practical implementation of experiential and technology-enhanced learning strategies. This study underscores the need for schools and policymakers to promote more deliberate integration of AI tools and service learning into science and environmental education to better prepare students for global sustainability challenges.