1. Enhancing employability: The approach of the Quality Assurance Agency in Scotland Romania, December 2007 Norman Sharp OBE n.sharp@qaa.ac.uk

2. Overview What is employability? What is effective university learning? What is a high quality sector? The Scottish Quality Enhancement Framework Enhancing Employability

3. Employability is not just about student employment A set of achievements that make graduates more likely to gain employment To be successful in their chosen occupations

5. Scottish definition of a high quality sector A sector which is flexible, accessible, and responsive to the needs of learners, the economy and society A sector which encourages and stimulates learners to participate in higher education and to achieve their full potential A sector where learning and teaching promotes the employability of students A sector where learning and teaching is highly regarded and appropriately resourced A sector where there is a culture of continuous enhancement of quality, which is informed by and contributes to international developments

6. The Scottish Quality Enhancement Framework All built on using evidence-based reflection on the quality of current student learning experience to improve the future Key elements: Enhancement-Led Institutional Review Enhancement Themes

7. Enhancement – Led Review Reflective analysis Team of peers including student Published report Follow-up

8. Enhancement Themes Assessment Supporting student needs Flexible delivery Employability The first year experience Research – teaching links: developing graduate attributes

9. www.enhancementthemes.ac.uk Enhancement Themes Publications: Benchmarking Employability: A Scottish Perspective Employability: Engaging Employers Enhancing Practice: Employability Enhancing student employability: innovative projects across the curriculum Working together: enhancing students' employability, Partnerships between Institutions and students The Skills for Business Network- A briefing paper for Scottish higher education institutions Employability: Effective learning and employability