Higher Education in Romania in the Age of AI: Reskilling for Resilience and Sustainable Human Capital Development

The matter of aligning universities’ curricula with the actual demands of a constantly changing labor market has become an important issue nowadays, due to the prevailing mismatches between acquired skills and competences during education years and the necessities of current jobs. Disequilibria and inequalities in the labor market often generate general disappointment with education degrees. With the pressure of technological advancements and AI integration in many areas of work, future employees’ career paths are challenged even more, and the adaptability of higher education institutions to the real needs of the labor market is questioned. Artificial intelligence (AI) is the technology that allows computer systems and machines to simulate human learning, problem-solving, and decision-making. This paper aims to explore if universities in Romania foster sustainable human capital development through enhancing their educational programs to fit the changes produced by artificial intelligence and how the reskilling of graduates will play a hugely significant role in staying resilient during such disruptions. A quantitative survey was conducted among recent Romanian university graduates to outline their perceptions of curriculum relevance and their level of preparedness for the AI-driven job market. The results highlight gaps between formal education and labor market demands in terms of limited exposure to AI-related skills and a growing need for reskilling to secure suitable jobs for graduates in the long term, while also emphasizing the importance of aligning educational policies with sustainable labor market integration.