The dominant human capital theory-based perspective that education is crucial for economic success and employment has affected national and regional policies in education and employment worldwide. The present thesis critically assesses the target for increased number of tertiary education graduates in the current EU agenda for growth and employment (Europe 2020 Strategy). This target presumes that employment is positively related with tertiary education qualifications, and that there is an increasing demand for highly educated workers in the EU labour markets. Based on Eurostat data, our findings indicate that (i) more public spending on tertiary education does not seem to be associated with higher employment rates of graduates in the EU countries; (ii) in more than half of the EU28 member states, unemployment rates are not related with increased number of graduates; (iii) in most of the remaining EU countries, the increase in graduates is associated with higher graduates’ unemployment rates; (iv) increased number of tertiary education graduates relates with higher overqualification rates in the majority of the EU countries. These results accord with previous studies which find that investment in education alone is inadequate to explain complex socio-economic phenomena, such as graduates’ employment/unemployment. Moreover, they further support previous research works, which question the proclaimed increased need for highly educated workers in the EU labour markets. This, in turn, suggests that common European policies which target at increasing horizontally the number of graduates may further deteriorate the existing problem of overqualification in the EU. Without downplaying the importance of education and skills in employment, the current thesis contemplates that the disproportionate emphasis on the role of tertiary education in employment may falsely cultivate the perception that education per se can be the main solution for unemployment. Thus, it is likely to conceal the wider socio-economic reasons that influence a person’s ability to find, secure and advance in his/her job. Last, but not least, this perspective narrows down the role of tertiary education confining it to economic and employment purposes.

This diploma thesis deals with the topic of human resources in South Moravian Region (SMR). The thesis presents recommendations for changes in regional politics in the area of human resource development, based on the research of selected literature, analysis of current trends and strategic documents in the EU, the Czech Republic and the SMR, analysis and comparison of development potentials of LAU 1 regions in the SMR as well as my own survey. Final recommendations proceed from all of the theoretical and practical information presented in this thesis and suggest following changes: reducing disparities at lower regional level; refinement and optimisation of the overall evaluation process and final monitoring reports of implemented programmes; better support of regions in which lower development potential was detected; stronger promotion of information about the current situation in the labour market, wages and demand for employees in selected fields; simplification of information about the currently implemented operational programmes and promotion of simpler and more understandable forms of communication in order to enhance the activity of micro-enterprises leading to an increase in the total number of applicants for grants under the operational programmes. The advantage of this study compared to studies of a similar nature is the focus on the local market. Despite an above-average concept of human resource development in the SMR in comparison with other NUTS III regions these results allow to further optimise the local policy in this region.

This master's thesis describes an issue of preparation and evaluation of investment projects which are co-financed by EU funds. A practical example of the specific investment project is used to demonstrate a usefulness of co-financing by these funds. This investment project is processed as a case study which includes both financial and economic evaluation of the project. This evaluation also includes assessment of effectiveness and efficiency of this investment project.