Developing Skills for Graduates and Citizens of the Future

Date: 12-December-2011 

HLST is sponsoring the Second Employability, Enterprise, and Citizenship in Higher Education Conference, which will take place on 27th March 2012.

Release written personally in support of the 2012 conference:
The Rt Hon David Blunkett (MP for Sheffield Brightside & Hillsborough)

"Nothing can demonstrate more effectively the energy and enterprise of our nation and a future of hope than young people engaged in active citizenship in their own lives and the enterprise and creativity of new thinking.
That  is why citizenship in the school curriculum, in facilitating those who choose to make Britain their home, is so vital to the wellbeing of our communities and of our country. Knowing about our institutions is just part of this process, but more important than even understanding where power lies and how influence can be exercised, is actually engaging directly so that individuals begin to explore how they can make a difference in the lives of those around them, and by doing so their own self value and self esteem.
Those who are committed, have a sense of belonging, understand their own identity and have confidence in their own strength and contribution, are also likely to be the most enterprising and innovative.  This translates social wellbeing into economic progress, into ideas and ingenuity, and therefore into success for the future."
In essence, this links benefit to the individual with the wellbeing of society as a whole and therefore individual gain with mutual benefit and solidarity."

Proposals for presentations, workshops, research papers and posters are welcome from academics both in the UK and overseas addressing themes including (but not restricted to) the following:

1. Employability

  • Developing skills for industry-ready graduates
  • Optimizing the benefits of the placement: Perspectives from students and tutors
  • Innovative approaches for delivering Personal Development Planning
  • Developing employability skills in university curricula
  • Employability: The role of the university careers service

2. Enterprise

  • Embedding enterprise in higher education curricula
  • Innovative approaches to teaching creativity and entrepreneurship
  • Recognizing and developing enterprise skills
  • Effective evaluation of enterprise and employability initiatives in HE

3. Citizenship

  • Citizenship education in universities: Philosophies and purposes
  • Student community engagement, wellbeing, and the Big Society
  • Responsible citizens: Social media and community action
  • The ‘gap year’ and global citizenship: What do you bring back?
  • Governance and regulatory structures for wider engagement
  • Social enterprises and active citizenship
  • Citizenship education in HE: Critical perspectives.

The deadline for submissions is 16th December 2012.

For more information visit the Conference Website.