Transcript Document

Essential Graduate Attributes
for Economists : Evidence
from Students, Alumni and
Employers
Dr Linda Juleff Edinburgh Napier University
Dr. Inna Pomorina Economics Network
Overview
• Views of employers
– What employers want from new employees
• Views of students
– What skills students think they are getting in their
degree
• Views of graduates
– What graduates think they learn in their degree
Graduates attributes - discussion
www.economicsnetwork.ac.uk
What employers are looking for in a
Economics graduate
www.economicsnetwork.ac.uk
What skills students think they are
getting in Economics degree
www.economicsnetwork.ac.uk
How do you rate your study of Economics
in developing skills for your current job?
Abstraction while retaining
relevance
Analysis of economic, business
and social issues
Organising, interpreting and
presenting quantitative data
Greatly
Somewhat
Little or not
Not relevant
Formulating problems and
constructing solutions
Understanding/interpreting
financial matters
Strategic thinking
Communication of economic
ideas
0
10
Source: Economics Alumni Survey, Economics Network, 2008
20
30
40
50
60
70
Percentage
How well did your degree course help you to
develop generic skills suitable for your current job?
Oral communication
Written communication
Fluency in IT
Ability to apply specific to general
Adaptability
Very
Creative and imaginative powers
Fairly
Problem solving
Not very
Independence of viewpoint
Awareness of cross-cultural issues
Critical self-awareness
Ability to work with others
Self-reliance
Ability to interpret quantitative data
0
10
Source: Economics Alumni Survey, Economics Network, 2008
20
30
40
50
60
Percentage
Skills needed to get a job
www.economicsnetwork.ac.uk
Skills to develop further
www.economicsnetwork.ac.uk
How do you rate your own generic skills now?
Oral communication
Written communication
Fluency in IT
Ability to apply specific to general
Adaptability
Highly
Creative and imaginative powers
Fairly
Problem solving
Not very
Independence of viewpoint
Awareness of cross-cultural issues
Critical self-awareness
Ability to work with others
Self-reliance
Ability to interpret quantitative data
0
10
Source: Economics Alumni Survey, Economics Network, 2008
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Percentage
How well did your degree course help you to
develop generic skills suitable for your current job?
Oral communication
Written communication
Fluency in IT
Ability to apply specific to general
Adaptability
Very
Creative and imaginative powers
Fairly
Problem solving
Not very
Independence of viewpoint
Awareness of cross-cultural issues
Critical self-awareness
Ability to work with others
Self-reliance
Ability to interpret quantitative data
0
10
Source: Economics Alumni Survey, Economics Network, 2008
20
30
40
50
60
Percentage
www.economicsnetwork.ac.uk
How is it in your discipline/university?
• Please discuss in groups – to what extent the
key graduate attributes identified are
common to your own discipline
• Please discuss the relative importance of
these attributes across subject areas
• Is there a typical graduate with its attributes
or is it identified by its discipline?
Pick up the most important attributes
www.economicsnetwork.ac.uk
In the light of this presentation/discussion would
you change
• Curriculum
– Would you change what you teach?
• If so why and what?
• If not why not?
• Teaching methods
– Would you change your teaching methods ?
• If so, how?
• If not, why not?
• Assessment
– Would you change your assessment methods ?
• If so, how?
• If not, why not?