As we gather in Mumbai for IC3 this year, the theme of moving from information to insight feels especially relevant.
Students today have access to more information than ever before. Rankings, league tables, salary data and course comparisons are all easy to find. Parents are more engaged, and counsellors are supporting students through an increasingly complex set of choices.
But having more information does not always lead to better decisions. A shift in what students are looking for
Over the past few years, we’ve seen a clear shift in how students and families approach making their choice.
There is a much stronger focus on outcomes, particularly employability. Students are rightly asking: What will this degree lead to? How will it shape my career? What is the return on this investment?
These are good questions. Necessary questions.
However, many decisions are still shaped by surface-level comparisons. Without deeper insight, it can be difficult to see which experiences will truly make a difference in the longer term.
Because employability is not a single outcome you achieve at graduation. It is something that is built, deliberately and consistently, throughout your time at university, and universities need to be far more transparent in demonstrating how this value is created. While students need to be proactive in seizing the opportunities universities provide to develop relevant skills and experience.
The risk of focusing only on the immediate outcome
One of the most common misconceptions I encounter is the idea that employability can be reduced to a first job title or starting salary.
These metrics matter, of course. But when students focus solely on immediate outcomes, they risk overlooking the bigger picture: how a university experience shapes long-term career progression, adaptability, and resilience.
The reality of today’s global workforce is that careers are no longer linear. Roles evolve. Industries transform. Skills become outdated and are replaced at pace.
In that context, the true value of a degree lies not just in where it gets you first but the experiences you gain along the way that shape who you become in the field you want to enter.
A modern university education helps to develop transferable human skills that stay relevant across different roles, sectors and stages of life such as teamwork, leadership, confidence, self-management and resilience.
These skills are shaped through much more than lectures alone. They are developed through placements, enterprise activity, volunteering, mentoring, and meaningful engagement with industry professionals. These capabilities travel with students from university into their first job, into their second or third role, and, for some, into launching a business of their own.
Embedding employability into the academic experience
At Southampton, we do not see employability as an “add-on” service offered at the end of a degree.
It is something we embed from the moment you accept your offer.
This means ensuring that students have meaningful exposure to industry, opportunities to apply their learning in real-world contexts or get support to develop a business idea, and the chance to develop the skills that employers consistently tell us matter most, including problem solving, collaboration, critical thinking, creativity, communication, and adaptability. We have also introduced AI training for all students alongside their degrees, giving them the confidence to use emerging technologies in ways that are practical, ethical and relevant to their future careers.
It also means helping students understand how their learning connects to future careers, so that they can make more informed choices throughout their studies. With careers teams in both the UK and India, graduates can continue to receive practical guidance and support beyond graduation.
For counsellors supporting students through these decisions, this is where the conversation becomes critical. The key question is how you can think deeply about which environment will best equip an individual student for long-term success.
From skills to global capability
Another defining feature of modern employability is the ability to operate in a global environment, where skills-based recruitment is growing in emphasis.
What sets graduates apart increasingly is their ability to operate across cultures, adapt to new environments, and apply their knowledge in unfamiliar settings.
In a complex and shifting global landscape, students need more than academic knowledge alone. Studying internationally, whether in the UK or at our campus in Delhi, gives them the chance to develop exactly these capabilities and prepare for a world that is becoming harder to navigate.
They gain not only subject knowledge, but also confidence, independence, and perspective. These are qualities that cannot be easily measured, but they are often the ones that define long-term success.
They also become part of a global network, connecting with peers, academics, and alumni around the world. Our e-mentoring platform is a prime example of this, allowing students to connect with thousands of professionals in India and across the world long before they graduate. This builds a sense of community and professional networking that begins early in the student journey, proving that the value of a degree is also found in the global networks one joins.
The evolving role of counsellors
This brings me to the role of school counsellors, who are central to this entire process.
In an era of information overload, counsellors are no longer simply helping students access options; they are helping them interpret and evaluate those options with greater clarity – and universities can help counsellors by being more transparent.
From my perspective, the most impactful conversations are those that challenge students to look beyond surface-level comparisons and ask deeper questions:
These are not always easy questions, but they are the ones that lead to better decisions. At Southampton, we see counsellors as key partners in this process. By working together, we can support students in making decisions that reflect their long-term goals and potential.
A shared responsibility
As universities, we also have a responsibility in this process. Students and families are also looking for greater clarity and connection throughout the decision-making journey.
This is where a stronger in-country presence can make a difference. The old model of recruiting from thousands of miles away is being replaced by a commitment to being on the ground.
Whether it is through a dedicated campus, such as our new facility in Delhi, in-country careers teams based in hubs like Mumbai, or through Career Advantage India, our tailored employability programme for Indian students, universities must show they understand the local context. What makes Career Advantage India distinctive is its end-to-end support: guidance from the moment an offer is accepted, careers consultancy in both the UK and India, access to mentoring, employer and alumni networks, enterprise support, and continued careers guidance for up to five years after graduation.
This proximity allows us to be more transparent and accessible, providing the personal touch that students need when making one of the most significant decisions of their lives.
Looking ahead
As we come together at IC3, there is a clear opportunity to move the conversation forward.
That means placing less emphasis on collecting more information, and more emphasis on understanding how to use it effectively.
The decisions students make today will shape not just their first job, but their entire career journey.
And our role as educators, counsellors, and partners is to ensure they are equipped with the understanding, skills, and confidence to navigate that journey successfully.