How do research-intensive universities portray employability strategies? A review of their websites

Bennett, Dawn; Knight, Elizabeth; Divan, Aysha; Kuchel, Louise; Horn, Jody D.; Reyk, David van; Silva, Karen Burke da

doi:10.1177/1038416217714475

Cited by 31 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…However, universities do not necessarily differentiate between the aims explicitly, or adopt a deliberate balance between them when deciding upon strategies or initiatives. While literature that documents institutional approaches to graduate employability does exist (e.g., Bennett et. al., 2017;Farenga & Quinlan, 2016), there appears to be remarkably little differentiation by desired outcomes, either in the literature or the documented institutional strategies.…”

Section: Three Employability Aims: Challenges and Complementaritiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Strategic institutional approaches to graduate employability: navigating meanings, measurements and what really matters

Bridgstock

Jackson

2019

Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management

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Despite ongoing efforts by universities, challenges and tensions continue to exist in academic discourse, policy and practice around graduate employability. These factors can militate against the sector's capacity to prepare learners for life and the world of work, because they promote unclear, and sometimes counterproductive and competing, courses of action. This article suggests that higher education institutions' approaches to graduate employability reflect at least three concurrent aims. The aims relate to: (i) short-term graduate outcomes; (ii) professional readiness; and (iii) living and working productively and meaningfully across the lifespan. The commitment to each of these aims is often tacit and ill-defined, and varies within as well as between institutions, and over time. This article attempts to navigate a productive path through the multiple aims and agendas in graduate employability, along with the definitional and measurement challenges, to identify pragmatic, workable approaches for universities. It suggests some actionable principles to enhance employability that address the tensions and challenges between the three employability aims.

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Section: Three Employability Aims: Challenges and Complementaritiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Strategic institutional approaches to graduate employability: navigating meanings, measurements and what really matters

Bridgstock

Jackson

2019

Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management

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“…Farenga and Quinlan (2015) summarise three dominant strategies used by UK universities as 'hands off', 'portfolio', and 'award' (see also Bennett et. al., 2017).…”

Section: How Do Universities Address Students' Career Development Leamentioning

confidence: 99%

Integrating career development learning into the curriculum: Collaboration with the careers service for employability

Bridgstock

Grant-Iramu

McAlpine

2019

JTLGE

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Career development learning has a demonstrable positive impact on the graduate employability of higher education learners. This is particularly the case if it is integrated into the curriculum rather than experienced as an add-on or included in finite curriculum elements. However, integration of career development learning into curriculum is a significant and challenging undertaking in course design, and also in facilitation of learning experiences. Academics manage crowded curricula in their disciplinary areas, and many also have external course accreditation requirements to deal with that may not include career development elements. In many institutions there is mixed understanding of what career development learning entails, no clear top-level strategic support, and unprecedented numbers of enrolled students across digital and on-campus provision. This article explores challenges and opportunities in integrating career development learning into curriculum in higher education, and identifies effective strategies for doing so at institutional, school, and program levels. It draws upon case studies comprising more than 30 interviews across nine universities in Australia and internationally, exploring how cross-disciplinary collaboration between career development practitioners, learning and curriculum designers, and academic units can be effective in enacting curricular career development learning at scale. The article suggests strategies for institutional leaders, academics, and careers practitioners in higher education insitutions at different stages in the curricular career development learning journey.

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“…One useful reference is Farenga and Quinlan's (2016) UK‐based research, which classifies university strategies for enhancing student employability into three categories: (1) a hands‐off approach, assuming that holistic competencies develop naturally through well‐designed academic programs; (2) a portfolio approach, requiring flexible and modular programs that enable students to select among a rich portfolio of offerings to develop competencies; and (3) an award approach, where academics are involved as co‐teachers in a formal, badged program for holistic competencies. These approaches are not mutually exclusive and can be blended (Bennett et al, 2017). We can also look to Carew et al's (2009) seminal work in Australia and following their recommendation, establish a city‐wide leadership team to lead efforts in embedding holistic competencies in our engineering programs as well as to develop and disseminate resources and workshops to aid the process.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Constructive alignment between holistic competency development and assessment in Hong Kong engineering education

Chan

Lee

2021

J of Engineering Edu

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Background: Holistic competencies comprise various holistic skills (e.g., communication) and positive values and attitudes (e.g., empathy). There have been increasing efforts worldwide to foster students' holistic competency development within engineering curricula. While recent studies indicate a positive shift, it remains unclear whether such efforts are driven by only a handful of individuals or more widely supported by systemic changes to constructively align competency development with the engineering curriculum. Purpose/Hypothesis: This study investigates the extent to which endeavors to promote holistic competency development in Hong Kong's tertiary engineering education are supported by a broader, constructively aligned curricular system. The three key components of constructive alignment developed by Biggs in 2003-intended outcomes, teaching activities, and assessment-form the conceptual framework guiding this study. Design/Method: This study conducted document analysis of 245 engineering courses and interviews with five engineering instructors from three Hong Kong universities. Results: Only 34 of 245 syllabi analyzed incorporated holistic competencies in their intended outcomes. These outcomes were associated with both traditional and experiential pedagogies but were not matched with direct or explicit assessments. Data show that program leaders' conceptions of holistic competencies, instructor's limited capabilities, and issues assessing competencies pose challenges to constructive alignment.Conclusions: Challenges for achieving constructive alignment and recommendations for addressing them are discussed. Our findings highlight the need to train all levels of engineering instructors in student holistic competency development, to acquaint instructors with industrial experiences and expectations, to develop top-down and bottom-up reforms to refine engineering curricula, and to provide increased recognition for teaching quality and efforts.

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How do research-intensive universities portray employability strategies? A review of their websites

Cited by 31 publications

References 21 publications

Strategic institutional approaches to graduate employability: navigating meanings, measurements and what really matters

Strategic institutional approaches to graduate employability: navigating meanings, measurements and what really matters

Integrating career development learning into the curriculum: Collaboration with the careers service for employability

Constructive alignment between holistic competency development and assessment in Hong Kong engineering education

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