MELBOURNE, FLA. — More than 13,200 operations managers from global employers were presented a list of 1,000 universities from around the world. Their task was to use up to 125 criteria to identify schools that were best at preparing highly employable graduates – those who were academically excellent, digitally savvy and undaunted by new cultures and international settings.
These managers, who have up to 10 votes each, cast nearly 130,000 votes as they culled the list to the top 250 universities that excelled at producing these types of graduates. They are presented in the 2025 Global Employability University Ranking and Survey (GEURS), the only ranking based exclusively on employers’ direct assessments.
These 250 universities span 42 countries, from the U.S. to Japan. A fifth of them, 51, are in the U.S., and two of those are in Florida. Just one is both a top 20 U.S. school and top 80 global institution.
Florida Tech.
In the 2025 edition, Florida Tech was No. 20 among the U.S. schools and No. 76 among all ranked institutions. The only other Florida school on the lists, University of Florida, was No. 40 in the U.S. and No. 183 overall.
Among the trends emerging from the survey, which is produced with data from French consultancy Emerging and published by Times Higher Education: nearly 46% of employers emphasize the ability to learn and adapt to new technologies and trends, while 45% value collaboration skills like communication and teamwork—skills critical in the modern workplace.
“There is no higher calling for a university than to prepare its students for success, to equip them to make their mark and empower them to make a difference,” said Florida Tech President John Nicklow. “We are pleased to see our approach is producing the skilled workers needed for 21st century workforces.”
Florida Tech excels in this ranking, Nicklow added, because a Florida Tech education is aligned with the evolving, real-world needs of employers now and into the future.
“From critical thinking and communication to unique internships that provide powerful work experience; from a digital-forward mindset with challenging academics and access to cutting-edge equipment to a campus where more than 100 countries are represented. It’s all here for our students,” Nicklow said.
Key focus areas for global employers, according to the survey, include work expertise; graduate skills such as problem-solving and communication; a digital mindset; the ability to work across cultures and adapt to global environments, which the survey calls “internationality;” specific field specializations; and academic excellence.
“The mounting global emphasis on employability is driving a transformative shift as universities and employers increasingly unite to equip graduates with essential skills for today’s dynamic workforce,” said Sandrine Bellow, managing partner at Emerging. “It’s inspiring to see this commitment to skill alignment expanding globally, giving a growing number of students access to the competencies and opportunities needed to thrive in an interconnected job market.”
