The Graduate Attributes Project: a perspective on early stakeholder engagement Dr Caroline Walker Queen Mary, University of London

A Brief Scenario Exercise You are responsible for the open day for prospective students in your department. During the final session a student asks you, ‘what is the key purpose of studying at this institution? In what ways will I develop my employability here?’ What would you say?

Curriculum Element Subject knowledge (for example the key concepts, theories and methods of a discipline) Skills specific to a discipline (for example specific analytical or technical skills) Transferable skills (for example communication, team working, information technology, problem solving, numeracy) Career management skills (for example understanding yourself, exploring career options, setting career objectives) Personal and professional attributes (for example, capacity to influence and lead, intellectual integrity and ethical action, respect and tolerance of others opinions) Second language skills (i.e. opportunities to develop or improve capability in a second language)

What if anything would we say is distinctive about the experience offered!

Based on those Australian Universities that appeared in Top 100 of THES-QS World Rankings Capturing Distinctiveness?

A QM Statement of Graduate Attributes Consultation Process Students Academic Alumni Employers Service Sector Student Affairs Committee Faculty Boards Academic Board Feedback Meeting GA V1 GA V2 GA V3 AE&MS M&D NS L&SS Learning Teaching Assessment Committee WG 1 Drafting Group WG 2 WG 3 Writing Development Group MS Leadership Foundation Fellowship Pedagogic review Research

Student Consultation BUILDING THE CURRICULUM CAPTURING THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE PURPOSE OF STUDYING

Building the Curriculum

Capturing the Student Experience

Purpose of Studying

Senior Academics, Alumni and Employers CONNECTING CURRICULUM AND WORKBASED TASKS TO THE GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES STATEMENT CHALLENGING CURRICULUM AND WORK-BASED TASKS

Communication Information Expertise Research & Scholarship Critical Engagement With Knowledge Rounded Intellectual Development Learning for a Changing World International Perspective separate links Attribute Descriptors Challenging Tasks Connections

Faculty Board and Committee Level Consultation

We aim to produce graduates with high levels of subject and professional expertise and a sophisticated understanding of their employability. What are we aiming for?

Generating & sustaining momentum – how do we best engage our key stakeholders in curriculum enhancement?

The Queen Mary approach Developing local model of implementation consistent with departmental priorities & resources Qualitative curriculum mapping activities Working with staff to identify suitable curriculum development opportunities Leadership Interventions programme Integrating Graduate Attributes into existing PDP practice Development of reference writing resource

Queen Mary Model of Engagement Establishing a range of individually small changes, all delivering a consistent message Identification of all modules that include well constructed learning outcomes aligned to the GA descriptors Develop new high impact modules Increasing the scaffolding for existing learning Identifying opportunities for a series of conversations to be held individually with students Integrated also for co- and extra-curricular provision

Example of a Graduate Attributes aligned module GEG5103 Geographical Research in Practice Learning outcomes understanding community organising and real experience of such activity in London knowledge of how to conduct questionnaire surveys, interviews and focus groups understanding the value of research and experience of working with local communities in conducting research. the research planning, methodological, analytical and writing skills necessary to complete an IGS the ability to work as part of a team the ability to deal with the challenges of research in practice excellent presentation skills ‘I really enjoyed taking part in the interview, being able to see how the participant’s life has changed just by making a few minor adjustments to the working terms and conditions has really inspired me to be more active in terms of community based organising’ telcocitizens Professor Jane Wills

Take Home Message Graduate Attributes provides a logical, internally consistent, framework for Employability & curriculum enhancement that is representative of QM Students supportive of initiative and strongly believe key purpose of studying = individual development Initiative needs to be strategically aligned to ensure staff buy-in at all levels Implementation is challenging but achievable Will take time

The Graduate Attributes Project A learning and teaching initiative of Queen Mary University of London THANK YOU