How can academics across different subjects work collaboratively with colleagues from the International Office, Careers Service and Library integrate with international universities, industry and external stakeholders to boost undergraduate employability skills?
The School of Natural and Environmental Sciences Employability and Enterprise Working Group was created at Newcastle University to foster collaborations between academic staff in the School and Library, International Office and Careers Service colleagues and industry partners to co-create initiatives which raise student employability and future-proof their skills via ‘real world’ problem solving. Working together, teaching smart and giving students access to industry and universities abroad are the group’s top tips for embedding employability and enterprise at university.
In order to meet their employability objectives, universities will need to ensure their engagement and impact in this area is of a standard equal to that provided by their typical teaching and research modes. However, because the employability and skills agenda is relatively new and fluid, it is essential that a coherent strategy is implemented in order to develop critical mass in this area.
The broad range of employability activities that students can engage in presents many opportunities but also unique challenges, meaning that the traditional organisational structures which universities use for subject-specific teaching and research are inappropriate.
