Vision To enhance the breadth and depth of Work Related Learning (WRL) in Higher Education in

1. Vision To enhance the breadth and depth of Work Related Learning (WRL) in Higher Education in Scotland to the benefit of all stakeholders. Mission To achieve this by engaging with our stakeholders in an open, positive and sensitive manner to ensure timely delivery of project outputs and attainment of milestones.

2. Project Scope: • 1 October 2006, for three years; • Three universities; • A Range of Employers; • Undergraduate Students (`non-vocational` courses); • Six Pilot Subjects – Biosciences (Level 4),Bus. & Mgt (Level 1),History (Levels 2/3), Maths (Level 4), GU; • Psychology (Levels 2 & 3), GCU and Physics (Levels 2 & 3),St Andrews.

3. Current Situation: • Funding in place; • Project Team in place at GU; • Project Personnel at GCU - Nuala Toman, Research Fellow - Lesley MacAleavey, Student Liaison/ Administrator; • Project Personnel at St Andrews - Bonnie McKenzie, Student Enterprise Officer (time bought out); • 3 Pilots initiated;development work on other 3 started.

4. Careers Service Input - GU: Director is P.I,Employability D.A. & Careers Adviser(s) (in-kind contribution); - GCU, little at the moment; - St Andrews, Director ,Paul Brown,P.I.there. • Others Input to Delivery at GU - Learning & Teaching Centre Staff, Vicky Gunn (in-kind contribution).

5. Aims and Objectives: • To create a cultural and institutional shift in relation to work related learning; • To influence the Higher Education sector in relation to work related learning; • To identify and explore strategies and practices to develop and embed work related learning in the university curriculum.

6. How will we achieve those? • Project `Framework` • Identified Roles & Responsibilities; • `Buy-out` of academic and support staff time; • In-kind staff time contributions; • Promoting the three strands of - Research, Development of WRL Opportunities and Embedding, during the three Phases.

7. Timelines to meet outputs and achieve outcomes - Phase I,Feasibility & Sector-wide Research, October (February) 2006 – June 2007, (nine months), - Phase II, Implementation & Best Practice, July 2007 – June 2008, (12 months), - Phase III, Establishing Models for Sustainability, July 2008 – September 2009, (15 Months);

9. Role and Responsibilities of Project Team • Project Manager’s priorities: • To drive the project forward, set the vision and ensure • objectives are met; • To influence strategic direction; • To co-ordinate the work of the project teams • across the three institutions; • To provide leadership to the Local Management Groups • To ensure project objectives are achieved in a timely • manner and in accordance with the Project Plan; • To report on Project progress to the CUSG and the • SFC.

10. Research (Phase 1) • Institutional + Sector-wide mapping of WRL practice, gaps, commonalities……. • Primary research - Academics & Students, 6 subject disciplines, 3 institutions - Employers * Feasibility Study write-up

11. Institutional + Sector-wide mapping - 6 Subject Disciplines – 3 partner HEI’s + remaining 10 Universities in Scotland 10 Remaining Universities * Postal questionnaire to all academic staff in each discipline (Pilot – 1 institution) * Follow-up interviews with sample of academics indicating WRL activity * On-line questionnaire to students in each discipline

13. Associated research strand… • Longitudinal study (GCU team) - student experiences/perceptions of transition to work - 4th year students, 3 institutions, 6 subject disciplines

14. Employer Research * Identify employers not already engaging with HEI’s (look at Public Sector + Chambers of Commerce, etc.) - Telephone interviews – circa 10 employers * Telephone interviews/focus groups with employers currently on Careers Service databases – circa 10 employers

15. Phase II • Initial evaluation of pilot projects • Production of guidelines (staff) ? End Phase II - Best practice in embedding WRL ) Challenges/ - Best practice in introducing opportunities ) opportunities • Consider accreditation models

16. Phase II cont… • Publication/dissemination of Phase 1 sector-wide findings (End Phase II) – challenges & opportunities • Research on impact of WRL - student learning experience - contributions (students to employers) + (students to evaluation of new courses/placement opportunities introduced) • Evaluation of pilot placement accreditation from Phase II (one subject area)

17. (Phase III) • Full evaluation of new approaches piloted/placement opportunities (Phases II & III) • Publication of outcomes • Dissemination/publication of research outputs (impact of WRL) • Dissemination/publication - potential accreditation models for WRL • Final Report

18. Work-Related Learning (WRL) Can “include both external and embedded aspects of the curriculum which can lead students to an increased awareness of the context of work”, Can “include activities over and above placements and doesn't limit the location of activities to the workplace”, Can “form part of the range of experiences which help prepare students for adult life and, in particular, secure for all students, progression to future learning, training and/or employment”.

19. Develop and maintain close working links with each of pilot project teams, and members of Careers Service • Work closely with academics to develop a better understanding of education/business needs • Undertake evaluation of Business in the Biosciences • Identify existing employer links • Identify where gaps exist • Ascertain how WRL opportunities are currently organised, co-ordinated and supported

20. Develop links with a wide range of businesses and organisations in order to ‘recruit’ employers to engage with the project • Develop action plan for establishing & nurturing links • Network pro-actively and regularly with employer organisations to generate employer support and build on existing links/initiatives • Develop and maintain a database of employer contacts, record the nature and frequency of WRL involvement

21. Employers wishing to engage with the project Selex-SAS Sea Life Dell Computing Devro Casings McGrattan Pilings Morgan Stanley UoG Library Mazars Grimsay Press

22. Employer organisations collaborating with the project Scottish Enterprise, Glasgow Nexxus, West of Scotland Bioscience Network GU Holdings Chamber of Commerce, Glasgow Setpoint, West of Scotland (Ambassador Scheme) Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Student Volunteering, Scotland & England Scottish Resource Centre for Women in Science, Engineering & Technology Volunteer Development Scotland (VDS)

23. Negotiate work-related learning opportunities for students that might be integrated into academic curricula • Develop innovative approaches to WRL • Expand the range of opportunities for students to engage in WRL

24. Identify and develop sustainable WRL models Explore successful models such as • Club 21 (UoG), • Ambassador Scheme (UoG), • Voluntary Work & Mentoring Scheme (GCU) • Transferable skills module & PDP (StA)

25. Project Alignment Strategic: University Plan, Learning & Teaching Strategy and the Employability Strategy. Local: Local Plan (GU) Pilot/Subject Plans