Survey: University-Industry Gap as AI Reshapes Jobs

PETALING JAYA, Sept 27, 2026 – A new survey by the REHDA Institute Youth Initiative (RIYI) 2026 has revealed a significant gap between student expectations and employer assessments of workplace readiness, underscoring the need for closer university‑industry collaboration as artificial intelligence (AI) transforms job skills.

The survey found 41.6% of students believed fresh graduates could add commercial value within one to three months, compared with just 2.9% of employers. While 62% of students felt well prepared by universities, only 32.3% of employers agreed.

University-Industry Gap

The findings, drawn from 21 Malaysian universities and employers, align with workforce issues addressed in the Thirteenth Malaysia Plan (RMK13), which calls for higher education programmes to better match industry needs and targets average labour productivity growth of 3.6% annually from 2026–2030.

Presented to Economy Minister YB Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir at Monash University Malaysia, the RIYI closing event featured a town hall on advancing Malaysia’s ESG‑ready built environment under RMK13. The programme connected 50 students from 15 universities with industry leaders for practical exposure to workplace expectations and career development.

RIYI’s mentorship scheme complements RMK13’s proposals for mandatory paid internships and demand‑driven learning, offering students early industry insights.

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