BACKGROUND: With increasing access at European universities, supporting and promoting the high education, students' mental well-being and generic employability capacities have become priorities, but their respective influences, after an adaptation period of seven months, remain unclear. OBJECTIVE: Our aims were to analyse the relationships between students' well-being and self-perceived academic employability skills, and other social and environmental factors. METHODS: Three hundred and twenty-one freshmen students at the end of their first year completed an online questionnaire. Two instruments were used to assess well-being: the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), which explores psychological suffering, and the psychological quality of life subdomain of the Whoqol-bref. RESULTS: Psychological Whoqol-bref scores are linked to the academic employability skills (AES) items of drafting, critical spirit, problem-solving, teamwork, and supervision/direction of others, and has positive effects on AES score and on the following Whoqol-bref domains: physical, social relationships and environmental. Although three of six psychological Whoqol-bref items (ability to concentrate, satisfaction with self, negative feelings) are correlated with GHQ-12 items (sleeping, decisionmaking, feeling under strain, problem-solving, depression, self-confidence, thinking about self, feeling happy). GHQ-12 score is negatively linked with Whoqol-bref physical. CONCLUSIONS: For better quality of life, and improved employability skills, innovative activities should be developed to ascertain the sustainable academic's abilities of students.

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This article draws on a review of literature on inclusion taking into account the different origins of the concept and shedding light on standpoints from some non-English-speaking countries. The analysis shows a lack of coherence in defining inclusion. Ethical principles and scientific considerations about inclusion are often mixed. Finally it is often disregarded that, if the concept of inclusion is subsequently re-thought, this implies a crucial change in education policy. Contrary to the expectations of the experts in inclusion, there is only little reference to empirical research that confirms the expected positive effects of inclusion. This article is based on an oral presentation given at the FICE Congress, "Ways Toward Inclusion -A Challenge for All of Us!", held at Berne, Switzerland, October 8 to 12, 2013.

Summary: Following the so-called Bologna reform in Luxembourg, 70 supervisors assessed the knowledge and skills of employees having qualified with a Bachelor's degree under the recently introduced curriculum in social work and pedagogy. The supervisors were solicited as part of quality assurance regarding the study programme and their assessments were gathered by means of a questionnaire. The University of Luxembourg funded the study.Findings: The newly qualified practitioners were evaluated as adequately trained, while the need was highlighted for a better understanding of the process through which beginner practitioners are socialised into the profession. The results furthermore suggest that practice proficiency extensively draws on generic skills of particular relevance to the social professions.Applications: The findings prompt a more specific focus on generic skills and their role in developing proficiency during practice placements as well as during the first year of employment. Overall, the study serves as one example of how to evaluate the readiness to practise of newly qualified practitioners in the social professions. The output of such skills assessments could inform on any need for curriculum revision at a local level. With a cross-national and comparative approach, evaluations of this kind could potentially guide any adaptations needed in response to the increasing internationalisation of social problems.

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