Ulster Graduate Qualities Resources to support the implementation of an Institutional ‘Statement of Graduate Qualities’. Project Contacts: Shauna McCloy Employability and Marketing Marie Vaganay Environmental Health

University of Ulster graduates will demonstrate: subject-specific knowledge and skills informed by current research and professional/vocational practice flexibility, creativity and an entrepreneurial approach to the resolution of problems self-confidence, global citizenship, appreciation of sustainability matters, ethical leadership, and a commitment to life-wide learning, professionalism and employability effective collaborative working, communication skills and the capacity for reflective practice, including the ability to give and receive feedback Ulster Graduate Qualities Statement of Graduate Qualities

Ulster Graduate Qualities Provide opportunities for students to understand, develop and identify graduate qualities Support curriculum development to embed graduate qualities (employability) into the curriculum Develop assessment and feedback strategies that embrace institutional principles of assessment and feedback for teaching and learning Project Aims:

Ulster Graduate Qualities Graduate Qualities:

Ulster Graduate Qualities Graduate Qualities Cards:

BSc Hons Environmental Health (Year 1) Module: Introduction to Environmental Health Topics - Climate Change, Shale Fracking, Safety of Food Imports: Global Citizenship, Ethical Leadership Group Work Tasks: Collaborative Working, Communication Skills Dublin Study Visit: Professionalism Ulster Graduate Qualities Pilot

BSc Hons Environmental Health (Year 1) – Links with other modules Ulster EDGE Award: Employability, Enterprising Part-time jobs: Self-confidence, Employability, Professionalism Ulster Graduate Qualities Pilot

4 Graduate Qualities introduced in each semester Assessment: Graded Blogs (action and reflection) Graduate Qualities introduced as a new topic for Studies Advice Ulster Graduate Qualities Pilot - Assessment

Pre-and post-student self-assessment exercises showed an increased awareness / understanding of the Graduate Qualities – 95% of students recorded an improvement. Reading and reflecting on the graduate qualities through assessment blogs encouraged 65% of students to take action to develop graduate qualities i.e. gain relevant work experience, joining a club / professional body. 90% of students agreed that developing graduate qualities were as important as learning course specific skills Ulster Graduate Qualities Evidence of Effectiveness

“This module highlighted that graduate qualities are as important as course specific skills as you need to be professional and employable in order to get a job at the end of your course”. “Completing the blogs on graduate qualities helped me to think about myself through the eyes of employers, as well as giving me the feeling of achievement”. “It’s essential for me to develop these qualities, the cards made it very easy for me to think about what I could do to better myself”.

The outputs of the project provide positive linkages to: HEAR (evidence of graduate qualities) NSS (improved satisfaction with assessment and feedback) Internal revalidation processes (provide evidence of graduate qualities) Ulster Graduate Qualities Linkages

DRAFT LEARNING AND TEACHING STRATEGY (2013/14 – 2017/18) Strategic Aim 3 To enhance Ulster’s role as a sector leader for student employability as an integral part of the wider student experience. Key Enabling Objectives: - To actively promote, support and enhance student employability as delivered through a range of curricular, co-curricular and extra-curricular activities and associated awards working in partnership with the Students’ Union, as appropriate. - To embed and make visible Ulster graduate attributes throughout all programmes of study. - To embed and make transparent within our programmes the skills and learning opportunities that encourage entrepreneurship and enhance employability and enterprise.