Faculty of Life and Health Sciences Employability Framework. 'Developing globally competitive graduates: opportunities and challenges for employability'

Background The employability agenda is an important item that was a relatively new concept for Universities to adopt. Universities have been developing their employability agenda to ensure their graduates have developed the key skills to become employable. So in November 2102 the Faculty set up and Employability Working Group (members are detailed in table 1 below). The main aim was to develop a draft Faculty Employability Framework and prepare guidance on the promotion, implementation and integration of the University’s Employability Agenda.Table 1 - Membership of the Faculty Employability Framework Working GroupSchool RepresentativeSchool of Biomedical SciencesDr Helen McCarthyPharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science Dr William HaganSchool of Environmental SciencesProfessor Brian RippeySchool of Health SciencesDr Mary Hannon-Fletcher (Chair)School of NursingMrs Mary LindsaySchool of PsychologyMr William AndersonUlster Sports AcademyMr Paul Kitchin Careers/Employability Unit Ms Moira McCarthy Faculty Professor Aine McKillop Faculty Professor Geoff McMullanChair Faculty Employability Sub-Committee Mr Neal CookAims Of The Working GroupThe working group was tasked to develop a framework that included specific Learning and Teaching focused items, they were: 1. Review DLHE statistics against benchmarks and comparators and be proactive and responsive to the needs of both students and the open workforce market2. Widen and strengthen relationships between programmes and employers/ industry/PSRB/ public engagement to support, promote and enhance teaching & learning provision in the Faculty.3. Promote placement and work based learning opportunities in the UK and internationally and build on new flexible models of provision 4. Promote inter-professional and inter-disciplinary education and stimulate collaboration in learning and teaching.5. Promote the integration of research in curriculum and improve the Teaching/Research Nexus6. Facilitate reflection and implementation of the new Graduate Qualities in 2012/13.7. Promote awareness and support activities to ensure that a fully operational HEAR is developed for UG students.8. Facilitate further promotion of the Ulster Edge award across the Faculty and increase efforts to develop and broaden the portfolio of co-curricular and extra-curricular activities offered award.