Why undertake this Audit?

The purpose of this audit is to support Academic Schools (AS) in meeting the requirements of the following:

(i)QAA Quality Code for Higher Educationwith particular reference to Chapter B4: Enabling Student Development and Achievementand Chapter B10: Managing Higher Education Provision with Others

(ii)University of Kent Plan 2015-2020 and University of Kent Employability Strategy

The above documents are available on the Staff Section of the Careers and Employability Service (CES) website under Audits/SLAs 2016-2017. The audit process is intended to be used as a developmental tool to aid discussion, identify strengths and inform the Service Level Agreement (SLA) between the ASand the CES.

How to complete this Audit and Service Level Agreement

Prior to the audit meeting please answer the questions starting on page 2 with a provisional “Yes” or “No” (Y/N). Please provide details, directly under the audit questions, to substantiate your responseand return the audit to the CESat least one week before the audit meeting. Once the meeting has taken place the School’s rating will be determined and shownas a red, amber, green or green plus “rating” in the box on this page (page 1).The SLA located at the end of this document will be completed jointly by CES and the AS after the audit meeting has taken place.

Signing of the Audit and Service Level Agreement by the Head of School

Once the 2016-2017 SLA has been completed it will be sent, by the CES, to the Head of School to be signed. Itmust be returned to the CESby the 2ndSeptember 2016. Failure to return the signed SLA by this date will result in a lower audit rating and a possible reduction in the resources provided by the CES to the AS. Colleagues in the AS and the CES with responsibility for the implementation and monitoring of the SLAwill bedetailed at the end of the SLA document.

Understanding the Rating System

Red Academic School does not meet the requirements of the audit.

Amber Meets the requirements of the audit with strengths identified and areas for development.

GreenMeets the requirements of the audit with significant strengths identified and minimal areas for development

GreenplusMeets the requirements of the audit with significant strengths identified, minimal areas for development and has also excelled in one or more area

Prior to your meeting with the CES please answer the following questions with a “Yes” or a “No.” Please provide details, directly under the audit questions, to substantiate your response and return this to the CES at least one week before the audit meeting. Please use as much space for your responses as you need.

General Principles

  1. Does the Academic School (AS) ensure employability contributes to strategic and operational planning?
/ Y/N
  1. Does the AS have an up-to-date Employability Policy or Statement? If yes please include it when returning the audit to the CES ahead of the audit meeting.
/ Y/N
  1. Do staff involved in employability feel appropriately supported and resourced by their AS?
/ Y/N
  1. Does the AS regularly review employability provision including seeking feedback from students?
/ Y/N

Monitoring

  1. Are systems in place for the ASto contribute to the DLHE Survey with a focus on informing students of its importance?
/ Y/N
  1. Does the AS use Key Performance Indicators/DLHE statistics to informstaff and studentsof the main areas of employment/study entered by the School’s graduatesand to inform future employability input?
/ Y/N

Curriculum Design

  1. Are employers and/or external professionals involved in the design or delivery of the curriculum?
/ Y/N
  1. Are employability-related modules/activitieswithin the curriculum identified and made explicit to students?
/ Y/N
  1. Is the AS developing employability in the curriculum, for example through employability skills modules?
/ Y/N

Placements and Experiences of Work

  1. Is the AS planning on increasing opportunities for students to gain work experience?
/ Y/N
  1. Isthe AS offering targeted internships for students through the Work-Study Scheme?
/ Y/N
  1. Will the AS be using the Placement Management System to effectively manage and monitor placements?
/ Y/N

Employability

  1. Will the AS be contributing to the University’s Employability Festival in the Autumn Term?
/ Y/N
  1. Is the ASincreasing engagement with employers and external organisations?
/ Y/N
  1. Is the ASactively working to improve the employment outcomes of widening participation students including those with disabilities?
/ Y/N

Links with the Careers and Employability Service

  1. Does the AS work with CES to coordinate employability and to promote itto staff and students?
/ Y/N
  1. Do staff participate in CES training sessions and/or other opportunities to develop their knowledge and contribute to best practice on employability?
/ Y/N
  1. Are there procedures in place to ensure the signed Service Level Agreement is returned to CES by 2ndSeptember 2016?
/ Y/N

Please use this section to highlight areas of employability practice that work well in your Academic School including areas of innovation and good practice.Please also let us know if there are other ways you would like the Careers and Employability Service to support you and your students.

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2016 -2017 Service Level Agreement between CES and AS

2016-2017Careers and Employability: Service Level Agreement – Name ofAcademic School

What the Careers and Employability Servicewill do: / What the Academic School will do: / Areas of note and for development between CES and the AS
General principles /
  • Undertake with the Academic School an audit of careers and employability provision
  • Work in partnership with the Academic School to have in place a Service Level Agreement for the start of the academic year
  • Provide support to develop and review the Academic School’s careers andemployability statement and/or policy
  • Gain feedback from students as to how they feel the CES and wider university initiatives are preparing them for future employment
/
  • Ensure that careers and employability informs strategic and operational planning
  • Ensure employability provision in the Academic School is appropriately supported and resourced
  • Actively participate in the Audit/SLA process and ensure signed SLA is returned to the CES by 2nd September 2016
  • Seek feedback from students as to how they feel their time at university is preparing them for future employment

Monitoring /
  • Conduct the annual Destination of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey
  • Provide Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) as part of the Audit/SLA process
  • Provide the Academic School with employability-related statistics when requested
/
  • Inform staff/students of the importance of the DLHE survey and work towards 80% UK FT response rate
  • Facilitate the sharing of KPIs/DLHE information with staff and students.
  • Consider how the KPIs/DLHE information can be used to inform future careers/employability input
  • Provide information to CES to support the Kent Experiences of Work(KEW) framework

Curriculum Design /
  • Advise on how employability skills can be embedded in the curriculum
  • Provide information from the DLHE survey to inform curriculum design
  • Support the creation of Employer Boards to advise on curriculum design and review
  • Deliver timetabled sessions within the curriculum
/
  • Identify and promote modules to students which include a placement and/or significant work-related learning
  • Where feasible, schedule careers/employability activities to be delivered within the curriculum
  • Increase employer and industry representatives in the development, design and review of the curriculum
  • Consider the development of employability skills modules

Placements and Experiences of Work /
  • Make available the Placement Management System
  • Provide support with the sourcing and implementation of placement provision, including international placements
  • Provide regular updates of new placement opportunities
  • Facilitate the sharing of good practice in relation to placement provision
  • Continue to develop the Kent Experiences of Work (KEW) framework and associated bursary scheme (B-KEW)
  • Deliver Work-Study Scheme to enable widening participation students to gain skills and the possibility of paid work in Academic Schools and Professional Service Departments
/
  • Ensure all relevant procedures and checks are in place for students on placement
  • Provide support to students to find placements and be successful whilst on placement
  • Look to increase placement/work-based learning opportunities
  • Support the CES with the development of the Kent Experiences of Work (KEW) framework including the bursary scheme (B-KEW) by promoting it to students
  • Offer placements to Work-Study widening participation students

Employability /
  • Keep up-to-date with developments and trends in the graduate employment market
  • Organise theUniversity of Kent Employability Festival and associated Careers Fair and Employability Fair
  • Manage the Careers Employability Award (CEA) on Moodle
  • Further develop and promote the KEW-NET alumni mentoring system
  • Facilitate staff and student awareness of employability provision across the University
  • Offer employability activities and sessions for students
  • Facilitate access to employers, training providers and other external organisations
/
  • Signpost students to careers/employability support in the CES and across the University
  • Work in partnership with the CES to prepare students to be successful in the graduate labour market
  • Contribute to the University’s Employability Festival and publicise the Festival and programme of events
  • Support students, including widening participation students, to take part in personal development and employability enhancing initiatives
  • Consider how to recognise, reward and record student engagement in careers/employability activities
  • Consider how external stakeholders can help enhance student employability
  • Encourage current and graduating students to become members of KEW-NET
  • Promote the Careers Employability Award (CEA) on Moodle

Links with the Careers and Employability Service /
  • Provide a named contact from the Careers and Employability Service for liaison purposes
  • Provide access to impartial careers guidance interviews with qualified, professional careers advisers
  • Provide drop-in sessions for quick queries
  • Provide colleagues with access to careers/employability related training
  • Provide high quality careers information in a variety of formats
  • Respond to student queries received in person, by phone, email and social media
  • Deliver sessions to students to raise awareness of the CES and the services it offers
  • Run a generic programme of events advertised via the University’s Events Calendar & social media
  • Facilitate and/or support meetings at Faculty and School level that are relevant to employability
/
  • Provide a named contact from the Academic School for liaison purposes
  • Promote and publicise the Careers and Employability Service and how students and alumni can access its services
  • Encourage students through the Academic Adviser system to use the CES and its services
  • Meet as appropriate with CES to plan and review activities
  • Support meetings at Faculty and School level that are relevant to employability

2016-2017 Careers and Employability: Service Level Agreement – Name of Academic School

Listed below are key contacts in the Academic School and the Careers and Employability Service with responsibility for the implementation and monitoring of this Service Level Agreement. Please ensure this document is signed and returned to the Careers and Employability by the 2nd September

Key contacts in the Careers and Employability Service

Tim ReedHead of the Careers and Employability Service 01227 827595

Nicola Urquhart Careers Adviser 01227 827934

Gemma Traquair Employability Adviser 01227 823164

Key contacts in The Academic School

Signed: Head of School...... Date ......

Signed: Head of CES...... Date ......

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2016 -2017 Service Level Agreement between CES and AS