Differences in the expected contribution of higher education in the millennials generation and the generation Z

Abstract

In connection with the qualitative development of human resources and with the increase in the educational level of population, an emphasis is put on the possibilities of gaining the highest levels of education and the opportunities for enhancing one's qualification during the entire professional career. Higher education system is the base for this process. Students of higher education institutions represent an important social category, which forms an integral part of the social life of cities and towns. It is mainly higher education students who form a substantial part of the population of the city and influence its prosperity. The study reveals the results of an extensive research carried out among secondary school graduates, who enter the higher education process. The study reflects their expectations, preferences, the ways in which they select higher education institutions, knowledge of the professions and other criteria. The target group is young adults from the Millennials Generation and the Generation Z. The Millennials is a generation of people born between 1986 and 2000; the Generation Z is a term used to define the group of people born between the mid-1990s and present. Living online and in fast pace -immediate sharing of ideas and knowledge related to various topics via multimedia and by using modern communication technology - is a typical characteristic of both generations. The study gives an insight of the socio-psychological profile of the representatives of these two generations.