Queen Mary University of London Graduate Attributes

The Queen MaryStatement of Graduate Attributes

Summer 2010

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Queen Mary, University of London has awell-established reputation for the qualityof its research, teaching and communityinvolvement. Our student body is diverseand cosmopolitan, and many of ouralumni hold leadership positions in theirchosen fields. We believe this success isshaped by the quality of the educational,

cultural and social experience Queen Mary, University ofLondon provides. Indeed, it underpins many of ouroutstanding achievements in recent years.Maintaining the pre-eminence of ourgraduates in the current environment ischallenging; and we remain committed toensuring they progress successfully to theworld of work and contribute effectively to theirsocial and professional communities. To meetthis commitment we aim to recruit the beststudents and to ensure they experience thehighest quality of learning throughout theirtime here. Synergy between these factorsproduces outstanding graduates.

At Queen Mary we are conscious of ourdistinctive features and through our GraduateAttributes framework we make explicit thebehaviours, values, attributes, skills andknowledge we expect all our students todevelop. We aim to produce graduates withboth high levels of subject and professionalexpertise and the capabilities to exploit thedistinctive attributes they develop whilestudying with us. By means of the Graduate

Attributes initiative these complementarydimensions will be manifested increasingly in all our graduates.

This is an opportune time to launch anupdated and contemporary view of what it isto be a graduate. We believe this approachwill add value to our graduates and enablethem to compete in an unpredictable marketplace. For external organisations we believethere is real merit in stating clearly thecharacteristics of Queen Mary graduates atthe point where they enter the world beyondhigher education. Clarity of this kind benefitsall parties with a stake in the pool of talent our graduates represent.

Professor Simon Gaskell, Principal of Queen Mary


Queen Mary is a leading research-intensiveinstitution that draws its students from a culturallydiverse set of communities and that is committedto preparing its students for the complexities ofthe twenty-first century. But what should a 21st century Queen Mary student be capable of? Bothgovernment and employer groups are clear about their expectation: all highereducation institutions should make the employability of their students central to their mission.

To meet this challenge Queen Mary staff, students, recent alumni and selectedemployers have through a process of consultation produced this statement ofgraduate attributes. The purpose is to capture the distinctive features of ourlearning environment so that we can share it more explicitly with our students and their parents, all our staff and all those who wish to engage with the university and its graduates.

The statement identifies seven attribute themes with detailed descriptors that are grouped into the categories of Vision and Realisation. The Vision descriptorsembody the core attributes at the heart of the College’s framework for teaching and learning across the institution as a whole. The Realisation descriptors expressways in which our degree programmes are designed to develop in our students anunderstanding of their own unique capabilities. All seven attribute themes, takentogether, reflect the most significant elements of the learning experience achievablethrough study and engagement in the wider Queen Mary student experience.

By developing this statement we aim to foster a shared commitment to developingstudent opportunities for learning that are consistent with the mission and vision ofQueen Mary, but are also focused on preparing our graduates for their future placesin the modern world. Thus the intended use of the statement is to inform the reviewand enhancement of curriculum provision, provide a framework for students’personal development planning, and provide support for student learning achieved through extra-curricular activities.

The statement as set out in this document has been endorsed by the AcademicBoard and Queen Mary Senior Executive and is aligned with the Teaching andLearning Strategy 2010-2015. Resources to support the implementation of thestatement are being made available to staff and details can be obtained from theGraduate Attributes Project web page (www.qmul.ac.uk/gacep).

The Queen Mary Statement of Graduate Attributes


Vision

RealisationClarity ofCommunicationWhile at Queen Mary, we expect our students to:• develop effective spoken and written English

• explain and argue clearly and concisely

• apply different forms ofcommunication in various social,professional and cultural settings

• use communication technologiescompetently

As a result, Queen Mary graduates willcommunicate effectively with a range of audiences

Our Commitment to Q

Engage critically with knowledgeQueen Mary is committed to developinggraduates who:• acquire and apply knowledge in arigorous way

• connect information and ideas withintheir field of study

• use writing for learning and reflection

• adapt their understanding to new and unfamiliar settings

Have a globalperspectiveQueen Mary is committed to developinggraduates who:• accept the responsibilities that comefrom taking a global perspective

• recognise the value of operating in more than one language

• work effectively in diversecommunities

• engage with the professional world

Rounded IntellectualDevelopmentWhile at Queen Mary, we expect ourstudents to develop:• good judgement

• curiosity and openness to change

• initiative and resilience in meetingchallenges

• respect for the opinions of others and a readiness to act inclusively

• the ability to reflect upon andassess their own progress

• transferable key skills to help themwith their career goals and theircontinuing education

As a result, Queen Mary graduateswill be self-aware and responsiblelearners


Learn continuously in a changing worldQueen Mary is committed to developinggraduates who:• acquire new learning in a range ofways, both individually and collaboratively

• possess the skills to influence,negotiate and lead

• respond appropriately to criticism

• use quantitative data confidently and competently

Research CapacityWhile at Queen Mary, we expect ourstudents to:• grasp the principles and practices of their field of study

• produce analyses which are grounded in evidence

• apply their analytical skills toinvestigate unfamiliar problems

• work individually and in collaborationwith others

• develop a strong sense of intellectual integrity

• acquire substantial bodies of new knowledge

As a result, Queen Mary graduates willbe able to extend their understandingthrough academic enquiry

Information ExpertiseWhile at Queen Mary, we expect ourstudents to:• identify information needsappropriate to different situations

• use technologies to access andinterpret information effectively

• critically evaluate the reliability ofdifferent sources of information

• use information for evidence-baseddecision-making and creativethinking

As a result, Queen Mary graduates will be able to use informationconstructively and critically

Queen Mary Students


Key contactIf you would like further information please contact:Dr Caroline WalkerEmployability Development AdviserEducational and Staff DevelopmentFrancis Bancroft Building, 3rd FloorQueen Mary, University of LondonMile End RoadLondonE1 4NSemail: [email protected]: +44 20 7882 2820

www.esd.qmul.ac.uk

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The Graduate Attributes Curriculum Enhancement ProjectA key purpose of the Graduate Attributes Statement is to inform curriculum development andenhancement and to promote innovative teaching practice and assessment across all degreeprogrammes at Queen Mary. In developing the statement, consultations have been carriedout with Queen Mary students, academic and non-academic staff, recent alumni andselected employers.

The statement was endorsed by Queen Mary’s Academic Board on the 10th December2009. A curriculum enhancement project has now started and you can follow progress with the project by visiting: www.qmul.ac.uk/gacep

Find Out More About Queen MaryQueen Mary, University of London is one of London and the UK's leading higher educationinstitutions. You can find out more about us by visiting: www.qmul.ac.uk


Documents

Queen Mary University of London Graduate Attributes