Bologna Shaping the Agenda Employers perspective Richard Brown Chief Executive, Council for Industry and Higher Education (CIHE)

Bologna: Shaping the Agenda A View from Business Richard A Brown Chief Executive The Council for Industry and Higher Education

3 Various stages of ignorance on Bologna Distinguish between international businesses and SMEs A reasonably informed business has views on: 1) student depth (3+2+?) 2) ECTIS 3) student mobility and global awareness 4) courses in English 5) generic v specific skills Ignorance is bliss!

4 6) international recruitment 7) more transparent info (Diploma Supplements) 8) overall quality 9) research excellence What employers want…

5 1) Increased emphasis on post-grad qualifications 2) Opportunities for greater student mobility and for work based learning across frontiers; employers value grads who have wide experience, but message not getting through 3) Potential for institutional partnerships and placements 4) Threat to UK delivery of English language learning Implications

6 5) Greater continental emphasis on general employability skills with employers investing more in up-skilling? 6) UK can remain source for international grads (but need more depth in STEM incl. via 4 year awards) 7) Help SMEs and diversity agendas 8) High quality even more important in an international market; contact hours only one aspect; UK perceived as high quality but…

7 Implications 9) European Research Council; EIT as coordinating networks; SP6 also networks of excellence; world class research, graduates and post-grads

8 Richard Brown Chief Executive The Council for Industry and Higher Education