Ulster Graduate Qualities
Resources to support the
implementation of an
Institutional ‘Statement of
Graduate Qualities’.
Project Contacts:
Shauna McCloy
Employability and Marketing
Marie Vaganay
Environmental Health
Ulster Graduate Qualities
Statement of Graduate Qualities
University of Ulster graduates will demonstrate:
• subject-specific knowledge and skills informed by current research
and professional/vocational practice
• flexibility, creativity and an entrepreneurial approach to the
resolution of problems
• self-confidence, global citizenship, appreciation of sustainability
matters, ethical leadership, and a commitment to life-wide learning,
professionalism and employability
• effective collaborative working, communication skills and the
capacity for reflective practice, including the ability to give and
receive feedback
Ulster Graduate Qualities
Project Aims:
Provide opportunities for students to understand,
develop and identify graduate qualities
Support curriculum development to embed graduate
qualities (employability) into the curriculum
Develop assessment and feedback strategies that
embrace institutional principles of assessment and
feedback for teaching and learning
Ulster Graduate Qualities
Graduate Qualities:
Ulster Graduate Qualities
Graduate Qualities Cards:
Ulster Graduate Qualities
Pilot
BSc Hons Environmental Health (Year 1)
Module: Introduction to Environmental Health
Topics - Climate Change, Shale Fracking, Safety of
Food Imports: Global Citizenship, Ethical Leadership
Group Work Tasks: Collaborative Working,
Communication Skills
Dublin Study Visit: Professionalism
Ulster Graduate Qualities
Pilot
BSc Hons Environmental Health (Year 1) – Links with
other modules
Ulster EDGE Award: Employability, Enterprising
Part-time jobs: Self-confidence, Employability,
Professionalism
Ulster Graduate Qualities
Pilot - Assessment
4 Graduate Qualities introduced in each semester
Assessment: Graded Blogs (action and reflection)
Graduate Qualities introduced as a new topic for
Studies Advice
Ulster Graduate Qualities
Evidence of Effectiveness
Pre-and post-student self-assessment exercises showed an
increased awareness / understanding of the Graduate
Qualities – 95% of students recorded an improvement.
Reading and reflecting on the graduate qualities through
assessment blogs encouraged 65% of students to take action
to develop graduate qualities i.e. gain relevant work
experience, joining a club / professional body.
90% of students agreed that developing graduate qualities
were as important as learning course specific skills
“This module highlighted that graduate qualities are as
important as course specific skills as you need to be
professional and employable in order to get a job at the end
of your course”.
“Completing the blogs on graduate qualities helped me to
think about myself through the eyes of employers, as well
as giving me the feeling of achievement”.
“It’s essential for me to develop these qualities, the cards
made it very easy for me to think about what I could do to
better myself”.
Ulster Graduate Qualities
Linkages
The outputs of the project provide positive
linkages to:
HEAR (evidence of graduate qualities)
NSS (improved satisfaction with assessment and
feedback)
Internal revalidation processes (provide evidence
of graduate qualities)
DRAFT LEARNING AND TEACHING STRATEGY
(2013/14 – 2017/18)
Strategic Aim 3
To enhance Ulster’s role as a sector leader for student employability as an
integral part of the wider student experience.
Key Enabling Objectives:
- To actively promote, support and enhance student employability as delivered
through a range of curricular, co-curricular and extra-curricular activities and
associated awards working in partnership with the Students’ Union, as
appropriate.
- To embed and make visible Ulster graduate attributes throughout all
programmes of study.
- To embed and make transparent within our programmes the skills and
learning opportunities that encourage entrepreneurship and enhance
employability and enterprise.