A roundtable discussion and action planning was organised parallel to E3 on 30th November 2008 at BMICH in partnership with Aspirations Education.
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Discuss graduate employability amongst three main stakeholder groups i.e. undergraduates, lecturers and employers |
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Identify key action points for execution towards achieving graduate employability |
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| Employer expectations from students’ perspective |
Employer expectations |
- English language, IT and communication skills
- Interpersonal and team skills
- Loyalty
- Commitment
- Motivation
- Innovation
- Subject specific knowledge•Problem solving skills
- Results orientation
- Accountability
- Flexibility
- Adaptability
- Work exposure
- Extra curricular activities
- Team work
- Negotiation skills
- Time management skills
- Motivation
- Confidence
- Accountability
- Leadership skills
- Keeping up-to-date
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- Ready to hit the ground from the first day
- Ability to adjust to organisational culture
- Flexibility
- Adaptability
- Multi-skills
- Positive attitudes
- Initiation
- Challenge taking
- Leadership skills
- Effective communication
- Understanding the opportunities and practical situations
- Language skills
- Team working
- Personality
- Interpersonal skills
- Commitment
- Networking and sharing
- Willingness to learn (basics to advanced)
- Enthusiasm
- Ownership
- Responsible
- Accountability
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Industry needs to support after graduation to give exposure |
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Universities should not become vocational schools |
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I month intensive English course conducted in the 1st year of graduate studies is not enough |
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Although projects are compulsory for most courses, the industry is not providing enough opportunities |
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The business community accept the above but feels that there needs to be an effective system to organise |
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Universities should have effective placement offices that will provide not only work placement but also project opportunities |
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Academia should allow industry exposure |
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Qualified doctors and professors do not like to teach in rural areas |
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Students feel that after having free education for many years they must give return to the mother country |
This was recommended by Dr Uditha Liyanage, PIM Sri Lanka (discussion moderator) based on a suggestion by Dr Dulekha Kasturiratne, University of Plymouth. The solution recommends a centre within each university that develops and promotes entrepreneurship programmes, help students to find companies to carry out their project work as well as finding work placement after graduation.
SLASSCOM (Sri Lanka Association for Software and Services Companies) who took part in the discussion had proposed a programme for development of ‘Technology Entrepreneurs Award’. They propose the following plan:
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Call for applications of innovative, technology based ideas for enterprises from undergraduates (preferably from the UK as well), SLASSCOM in partnership with the British Council |
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Select viable ideas and provide a rapid training course on ‘entrepreneurship’ to the selected undergraduates in Sri Lanka conducted by the UK partner universities (sponsored by the British Council) |
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The trainees are then required to prepare a full business plan based on the knowledge obtained at the workshop |
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The best business plans will be selected and will be funded by venture capitalists and/or angel investors organised by the SLASSCOM. |
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The same model can be simultaneously carried out in the UK and the winning enterprises could be allowed to setup a development centre in Sri Lanka if required. There are several UK based ICT enterprises that have their development centres in Sri Lanka. |
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Some business models could be developed into partnerships between the UK and Sri Lankan enterprises. |
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The concept paper will soon be presented to the British Council by the heads of SLASSCOM |
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