Sociology and Employability

C-SAP have recently published a 60 page report looking at employability and sociology in higher education. "Getting into Work: The Benefits of a Sociology Degree" is written by Max Farrar and Anna Gruszczynska and explores a range of issues such as graduate attributes and the role of community based learning. The relatively high rates of employment for sociology graduates was noted in the 2009 UK Government's Framework for Higher Education 'Higher Ambitions ', so it is useful to see how academics of the subject see the issues.

Some recent QAA publications

The QAA has published an information bulletin summarising some of the findings from the IQER process relating to Foundation Degrees. While a significant number of areas of good practice and innovation are identified, areas around assessment, work-based learning, student support and public information continue to be areas in which significant scope for improvement is identified. As highlighted in the publication of another recent report by QAA Scotland ‘Making it work – a guidebook to work-based learning’ – the challenges of developing such learning are not unique to Foundation Degrees. There is much still to learn in all these areas.

Policing and Higher Skills

Much of the higher skills provision delivered by social scientists over the last few years has been in the areas of police training and development. The Higher Education Forum for Learning and Development in Policing was formed a couple of years ago by representatives from HEIs working in this field and now has over twenty institutional members. They are holding their annual conference at UCLAN in September, with speakers from both education and policing sectors. More details can be found on the conference website.