In my talk I want to focus on the role that universities can play in helping Gen-Z access and excel in higher education, meet the expectations of industry and develop the capabilities and skills needed to influence the world of tomorrow. It is clear that Gen-Z have a wealth of valuable skills, but they have also grown up in very turbulent times. Recent interactions with employers, discussions with our University Careers Service, and engagement with the academic and practitioner literature have all highlighted that Gen-Z graduates often do not have the skills needed to perform effectively in the workplace. I want to discuss how higher education institutions, individual teachers within those institutions and the Gen-Z students themselves can all contribute to bridging the gap between what we know Gen-Z are capable of and what many employers are currently experiencing. By supporting Gen-Z students to develop the skills and capabilities needed by industry, we can help prepare them for shaping the economies and societies of the future. Dr Suzanne Lampert is an Assistant Professor of Economics and the Global Head of Learning and Teaching for Accountancy, Economics and Finance, at Heriot-Watt University. She has worked at Heriot-Watt for the last five years and is based at the Edinburgh Campus. Suzanne is a Year Coordinator, Course Leader and Personal Tutor for the Graduate Apprenticeship programmes in Business Management; the Global Course Leader for one of the largest taught courses at Heriot-Watt, with over 850 students registered in 2024-25; the Global Course Leader for the MBA course ‘Economics for Business'; and a member of the University Senate. She has recently completed her role as a Programme Redesign Lead for the Edinburgh Business School Learning and Teaching Transformation Project. She has a passion for interactive, creative and practice-oriented education. Suzanne is also a partner in the family business and a qualified tennis coach. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx