Individual and market focused learning: challenges for universities and companies.

The paper explores the main challenges that the Romanian higher education will be facing during the years to come, in terms of its responsibilities for both the individual’s personal and professional development and community evolvement alike. These challenges are revealed as gaps against the European and international tertiary education system, but also as opportunities as well as threats. In addition, the article explores the implications that a market centred learning and an individual centred learning have on organizations. By using the expertise provided by a team of knowledgeable experts from academia, government, NGOs, students’ organizations and various business fields, through workshops, focus groups and interviews, we explore the future provocations that universities should address in order for them to become sustainable and increase their impact on community in which they operate, and to determine and even shape the market trends.