Ulster Graduate Qualities

Resources to support the implementation of an Institutional ‘Statement of Graduate Qualities’.

Project Contacts: Shauna McCloy Employability and Marketing

Marie VaganayEnvironmental 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 QualitiesStatement 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”.

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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.