Employability

The missing voice: How student and graduate views could be used to develop future higher education policy and inform curricula

Bibliographic Data

ID12928763
AuthorsRachel Higdon (0000-0001-7851-2004, corresponding author)
Year2016
Volume8
Issue2
Pages176-195
Publication date2016-06-06
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePower and Education (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1757-7438 • E-ISSN: 1757-7438
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/1757743816653151
OpenAlexW2431450036
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited13

The student voice is currently absent from the employability agenda for higher education in the UK. A government-led neo-liberal model of employability, claiming what employers want when employing graduates, has been uncritically adopted by many universities in the UK to inform higher education strategy and policy. Many undergraduates and graduates perceive this employability model as incongruent and disingenuous to their experiences in gaining and sustaining work. The dominant employability discourse masks inequalities in the contemporary labour market. In developing policies for the future of higher education, British government departments should recognise the student lens by researching students’ qualitative experiences and reflections of teaching, learning and work. Students should be a collaborative part of future planning, and their voices should be continuously informing higher education practice. Student and graduate views can be used to inform higher education curricula and develop meaningful future policy relating to higher education

Curriculum · Employability · Government (linguistics · Higher education · Pedagogy · Political science · Public relations · Sociology · Work (physics · Engineering · Higher Education and Employability · Higher Education Learning Practices · Higher Education Practises and Engagement

Tools

Open DOISci-Hub