The adoption of Bologna Process ideas through the ‘licence–master–doctorat’ system

has set in motion reforms in the Cameroon higher education (HE), including the issue of

graduate employability. Based on text documents and interviews, this article examines

the employability agenda with a focus on its conceptualization, its operational strategies,

and its consequences for universities in Cameroon. The findings show that graduate

employability is enhanced in Cameroonian universities through a combination of

strategies under the catchword ‘professionalization’ — that is, preparing students with

skills and competences for specific professions. Conceptualizing professionalization,

this article shows that the adoption of BP ideas did not bring in completely new

elements in the employability agenda; it merely inspired local reforms and solutions

which led to the reinforcement and diversification of the existing professionalization

agenda that has been one of the missions of HE in Cameroon. This article focuses on the

creation of professional degree programmes as an operational strategy for enhancing

graduate employability. As a consequence of the conceptualization and operationalization

strategies adopted, we identified mismatches between policy objectives and

policy outcomes.