Developing Employable and Entrepreneurial Graduates

Different employers need graduates who have different capabilities. All value the analytical and reflective qualities that lie at the heart of a quality learning experience; but not all appreciate what it means to have studied a particular subject and why they should consider recruiting graduates from a range of disciplines. With the HE Academy, we have articulated the employability capabilities different disciplines develop in students. With NESTA, the National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship and overseas experts we are identifying how institutions can help students be more enterprising and entrepreneurial. Businesses value those who are creative and can think outside of the box.

There remains a perceived shortage of graduates with Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) skills. We continue to work with our members, the Government's STEM High Level Strategy Group and others to review current policies and actions and the effect they have in changing young people's perceptions and decisions on courses to study. STEM graduates underpin our knowledge intensive service businesses as well as most science based organisations. We need graduates with the skills and experience to power the businesses of the future in the UK, in the City of London and beyond.

Hence CIHE:

• have published summaries of the employability capabilities that students develop through studying different higher education subjects
• will publish with NESTA and the NCGE a proposed curriculum framework and student learning experience guide on how universities might develop more entrepreneurial graduates
• have published a book summarising the lessons drawn by Sir Douglas Hague in working with entrepreneurial companies in Oxford
• continue to encourage businesses and institutions to work together on developing the curriculum, on student placements and on staff exchanges
• continue to review the effects of current policies in increasing the numbers of STEM graduates via our special task force on STEM
• supports the Government High Level Skills Strategy group
• as part of the latter supports Transition to Teaching, which helps more business people transfer from business to becoming STEM teachers
  Employee brochure
  Corporate brochure