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

Date
2016-06-06
Authors
Higdon, Rachel Delta
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Sage
Peer reviewed
Yes
Abstract
The student voice is currently absent from the employability agenda for higher education in the UK. A government-led neoliberal model of employability, claiming what employers want when employing graduates, has been uncritically adopted by many universities in Britain 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 to develop meaningful, future policy relating to higher education.
Description
The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version. The Publisher's final version can be found by following the DOI link.
Keywords
neoliberalism, government policy, higher education, employability, student voice, inequality, undergraduates
Citation
Higdon, R. (2016) Employability: The missing voice: How student and graduate views could be used to develop future higher education policy and inform curricula. Power and Education, 8 (2), pp. 176-195
Research Institute
Institute for Research in Criminology, Community, Education and Social Justice