INTERNATIONALISATION and GLOBAL EMPLOYABILITY: an overview

A report for Learning and Teaching Committee – May 2008

Background

Over the past three years it has become increasingly apparent that employers are looking for ‘global graduates’; however, defining exactly what that might mean is extremely challenging. Any description would certainly include all the key skills employers already seek together with a global awareness, a cultural sensitivity, a willingness to embrace new practices and a desire to learn more about the world in which employers increasingly operate. Given that universities look to a world-wide market for recruitment and delivery it is essential that within the resources offered to all our students there is a component that will help to prepare them for the global marketplace. HEFCE recognised this global dimension with regard to the growing international competition all HEIs now face together with a need to increase opportunities for international engagement. Employers look to universities to deliver a well-educated workforce if they are to stay competitive in the global economy.

The Careers Centre consulted the employer members of its Advisory Board in June 2007 to ascertain their understanding of, and commitment to, the development of global employability skills within their workforce. As a result of feedback a number of initiatives are being developed which, it is hoped, will provide some component of internationalisation within the Loughborough student experience. Information provided gave an indication of the more in-depth training given to recruits who might be working across a wide range of countries and who would need to understand and operate within differing cultures which could affect a whole range of areas including meeting behaviour, email communication and management structures.

The Centre is also aware of work that has been undertaken for previous University bids which highlighted areas that could be developed to support the provision of resources to promote more cross-cultural activity. The launch of the pilot of the Loughborough Employability Award (LEA) in autumn 2008 also provides a vehicle for the delivery of workshops or sessions covering this area.

Current initiatives

There is already some work underway across campus in this area and the Careers Centre does not claim to be aware of all initiatives. The International Student Centre, for example, runs a mentoring programme for home and international students and this element could be developed further and feature in the LEA.

The Careers Centre has organised two events to bring together international alumni working in the UK with current international students to inspire them by outlining their international career histories. Another similar event is planned shortly in conjunction with the Graduate School which will focus on international alumni who were postgraduate researchers at the University meeting with current international postgraduate researchers and which will also help participants to develop good networking skills.

The Careers Centre Insight course (held annually just before the start of the summer term for up to 80 second year students) runs a game with cultural dimensions entitled Bafa Bafa. This game highlights to the students the difficulties and uncertainties of living in a society where one is unaware of the cultural guidelines. This game has been enhanced by a presentation developed by the Careers Centre on cross-cultural issues which highlights issues which face people when they are placed in an unfamiliar cultural environment.

The Careers Centre has developed a workshop entitled Could you be a global employee? which is currently being trialled with students. This workshop gains much from having participants with a range of cultural backgrounds and takes the students through a variety of short interactive exercises as well as giving them some theoretical background to cultural development. Various scenarios are presented to the participants with a view to helping them to understand employment and management issues which must be addressed when working in a global organisation.

Future developments

The workshop referred to above will be developed further and built into the programme offered both centrally and in departments, where appropriate, by careers advisers and the employability development adviser.

It is anticipated that a form of the workshop will be a component within the LEA and, once piloted, it may be a compulsory section for all participants but delivered electronically via Learn.

The Careers Centre will look to build into its skills course – Top Graduate Skills – a workshop on the topic of global employability led by an employer and also consider further development of the internationalisation and cross-cultural agenda within all its programmes.

It is hoped to hold more targeted events in conjunction with the Graduate School tapping into the wealth of cultural experience within this area and also investigate what development might take place involving the University’s research staff in this context.

Both work in departments delivered by careers advisers and the employability development adviser and future website initiatives will seek to enhance all students’ awareness of the cultural resources around them.

Conclusion

There is clearly a need to be deliver quality information and resources in this area but it must be meaningful and relevant to both home and international students. Buy-in from members of academic staff, especially those with an international background, who can add to the substance and content, will be invaluable. The goal is to break down the barriers that it is said develop between the various nationalities both within the curriculum and outside it and to this end the Careers Centre would work closely with the Students Union as well as academic colleagues.

One additional benefit would be the provision of more work experience or work shadowing opportunities especially for international students with UK employers. The Careers Centre is very aware that to many such students the UK recruitment process, outside that of the major multi-nationals, may be unfamiliar and the Centre will seek to address this issue. UK students themselves often lack confidence in making proactive approaches to employers to arrange work shadowing for themselves and for many international students this is an unknown concept.

The Careers Centre recognises that there is much more that could be developed across the University and this is part of the overall University Strategic plan. The above initiatives demonstrate that the Centre’s immediate intention is to help the University to provide an environment where there can be a growth in cultural understanding and confidence among all students so that they are empowered to play their part in the global marketplace.

Jenny Jones/27.05.08