Arts, humanities and social science graduates have essential workforce skills, which are too often unrecognised, and discipline deans group DASH wants to do something about it.

“In contrast with the ‘technical and specialist skills’ associated with STEM, there is no readily available shorthand for HASS,” a new DASH report states.

“Just as science, technology, engineering and maths will play a key role in our technologically advanced future, it is evident that the transformation of society will be powered in large part by creativity, critical thinking, human interaction and design. The HASS disciplines are indispensable but undervalued in this context,”

The report covers the present and potential contributions of graduates in education, management and commerce, society and culture, plus creative arts, who combine to account for 59 per cent of university enrolments.

DASH proposes;

*  industry-funded research into the value of HASS degrees to the national and global economies

* Universities Australia table the report as an official document, “with a view to greater support and collaboration across the UA and our peak body”

* a comms strategy to include learned academies, universities, government and industry