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Press release

QAA strengthens its guidance on student employability

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The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) has strengthened its guidance which helps UK universities and colleges produce graduates equipped to meet the demands of the changing employment market.

The revised Code of practice, Section 8: Career education, information, advice and guidance covers the entire student life cycle – from pre-admissions through to graduation and beyond – making sure that career information, advice and guidance is available and tailored to the needs of students at every point at which they may need it.

Among the new principles is one that focuses on integrating career education into the curriculum so that it shapes students' learning and aspirations throughout their time in higher education.

Anthony McClaran, QAA's Chief Executive, said: 'It is more important than ever that higher education institutions present their students with opportunities to fulfil their potential and their career aspirations. There needs to be a strategic commitment to ensuring that career education, information, advice and guidance is forward-looking, responsive and innovative to adapt to the rapidly changing employment market.

'This revised guidance also stresses the importance of clear information for students about the value of higher education and its associated career prospects, and that students and graduates take personal responsibility for managing their own career development throughout their lives.'

Ends

Notes to editors

For further information and interview requests please contact:
Katie Sharrock, Public Relations Officer, on 01452 557074 or k.sharrock@qaa.ac.uk

  1. The full PDF of the Code of practice, Section 8: Career education, information, advice and guidance is available at: www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/codeOfPractice/section8/Section8careereducation2010.pdf

  2. A podcast discussing the key themes and changes to this section of the Code of practice will be published on Thursday 25 February at http://qaa.mypodcast.com

  3. QAA has also today published a revised edition of the Code of practice, Section 3: Disabled students, available at: www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/codeofpractice

  4. QAA checks how UK universities and colleges maintain their academic standards and quality. We review and report on how they meet their responsibilities, identify good practice and make recommendations for improvement. We publish guidelines to help UK universities and colleges develop effective systems to ensure students have the best learning experience.

  5. There are 10 sections of the Code of practice for the assurance of academic quality and standards in higher education:
  • Section 1: Postgraduate research programmes
  • Section 2: Collaborative provision and flexible and distributed learning (including e-learning)
  • Section 3: Disabled students
  • Section 4: External examining
  • Section 5: Academic appeals and student complaints on academic matters
  • Section 6: Assessment of students
  • Section 7: Programme design, approval, monitoring and review
  • Section 8: Career education, information, advice and guidance
  • Section 9: Work-based and placement learning
  • Section 10: Admissions to higher education

    To access all sections of the Code of practice, see: www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/codeofpractice

 

 

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