Evaluation of strategic funding to develop graduate employability

1
Evaluation of strategic funding to develop
graduate employability

• Presentation to the SHEEN
• Patricia Ambrose Sheila Sim
• 30 November 2007

2
Presentation

• Our overall approach to the project
• Progress to date
• Key issues for the evaluation framework
• Next steps

3
Our approach (1)

• Building on earlier work by SFC/Employability
  Enhancement theme/HE sector more generally
• Not a quick fix
• Employability complex interrelationship of
  personal qualities, knowledge and skills,
  individual choice environmental factors
• Partnership between learners, educators and
  employers, but
• Seeing HEIs as primary agents of change and the
  locus at which learners, educators and employers
  interact (QAA)
• Extensive consultation with SFC, HEIs
  (individually and via SHEEN) and stakeholders

4
Our approach (2) workplan for year one

• Year 1

5
Progress to date (1) analysis of HEI plans

• Analysed all HEI plans individually and by theme
• Key points from the thematic analysis
• 15/19 HEIs to appoint/second staff
• 8 HEIs to do audit of provision
• 10 HEIs plan curriculum changes (new modules, the
  award of credit for work placements or more
  fundamental reviews)
• 9 HEIs encouraging greater use of PDP
• 8 HEIs to develop/refine their employability
  strategy
• Many planning to improve work placement
  opportunities
• Careers services are seen as an important central
  resource which could be better deployed and
  working more effectively with academic staff
• Some mention of staff development
• Some HEIs specify target groups (e.g. students on
  non-vocational programmes, undergraduates, those
  going into self-employment or private practice
  etc.)
• Less mention overall of enhancing engagement with
  employers
• Rhetoric about importance of student engagement
  but few specify how they will achieve this
• Little mention of statistical monitoring/instituti
  onally-set targets

6
Progress to date (2) scoping interview/HEI visits

• Completed most of the scoping interviews with key
  organisations, including
• SHEEN chair
• HE Academy
• SFC Skills Committee member
• CBI Scotland
• SSDA
• AGCAS Scotland
• QAA Scotland
• Helpful in understanding different perspectives
  expectations
• Visiting all HEIs late November-mid January

7
The evaluation framework

• Holistic approach with a mix of qualitative and
  quantitative criteria and impact measures
• Expert input from Mantz Yorke
• Framework should be user-friendly and aid
  self-evaluation within HEIs
• Important to maintain dialogue with HEIs
  throughout the programme (but not to overburden
  them)
• Looking for evidence of systemic and cultural
  change
• Sustainability identifying issues for the
  future
• Balanced scorecard approach, possibly using key
  themes identified via Employability Enhancement
• Engaging academic staff
• Engaging students
• Engaging employers
• Engaging institutions

8
Next steps

• Completing HEI visits
• Developing evaluation framework for consultation
  with the sector
• Sector-wide e-consultation to end January
• Consultation seminar in late January
• Finalise approach by end February
• Web page on the evaluation to be hosted by the HE
  Academy
• Welcome your views on the evaluation framework
• The overall approach
• How to ensure a good fit with HEIs own plans for
  self-evaluation
• Mix of qualitative and quantitative information
• Other key issues for us to bear in mind

9
Contact details
Patricia Ambrose Associate Director SQW
Consulting t. 020 7307 7147 e.
pambrose_at_sqw.co.uk w. www.sqw.co.uk
Sheila Sim Senior Consultant SQW Consulting t.
0131 243 0730 e. ssim_at_sqw.co.uk w.
www.sqw.co.uk