A framework for the integration of graduate employability attributes in the vurricula of Management Sciences at higher education institutions in Namibia
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Date
2018
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Publisher
University of Namibia
Abstract
The industry in Namibia has persistently expressed dissatisfaction about the quality of graduates from institutions of higher learning, alleging that graduates are not adequately prepared for the world of work. They claim that graduates need other attributes apart from discipline specific knowledge and skills. Graduate attributes are the skills, personal attributes and values which should be acquired by all graduates regardless of their discipline or field of study. The aim of the study was therefore to investigate the present state of enhancing graduate attributes in the curricula of management sciences in Namibia, and to suggest a framework for the integration of graduate employability attributes in curricula. The study was carried out using a mixed-methods research approach and applying a sequential explanatory design. The research design consisted of two distinct phases, firstly to collect and analyse quantitative data, and secondly to collect and analyse qualitative data. During the quantitative phase, a survey method with questionnaires was employed to determine perspectives of employers, management sciences graduates and lecturers regarding graduate employability. Survey questionnaires were distributed to graduates who have completed Bachelor degree in management sciences discipline at higher education institutions in Namibia, a similar questionnaire was administered higher education staff in Namibia that is teaching courses in management sciences. Furthermore, a similar questionnaire was administered to the employers of graduates. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics with SPSS statistical software. The qualitative phase employed a strategy of content analysis to assess the integration of graduate employability attributes in management sciences curricula of two universities in Namibia. Qualitative data – content analysis was done using Atlas ti. Analysis software. The findings of the quantitative phase indicated that there is mismatch between opinions of employers, higher education institutions, and graduates regarding which attributes are most important for the labour market. However, all three stakeholders have indicated, graduates’ preparation for the labour market should include innovation, and professional accountability, in addition to other attributes such as critical thinking, leadership, management, information communication technology, systems thinking, work ethics, and literacy and numeracy. Therefore, a list of ten priority attributes has been generated from this phase. The results of the qualitative phase illustrated a weak position of targeted higher education institutions’ provisions for enhancing employability attributes. The study found inadequate emphasis on employability attributes in programme documents in terms of programme outcomes, content, delivery, and assessment of student learning. The study also found lack of provision for work-based learning, which could provide a golden opportunity and exposure for students to develop employability attributes. However, substantial attributes related to graduate employability were found to be inadvertently and implicitly embedded in discipline specific modules. Finally, based on the findings of the two study phases, and literature on best practices for enhancing graduate employability, the study produced four publications. The publications focus on a variety of aspects, namely, perspectives of stakeholders, critical analysis on literature, how others have embedded employability graduate attributes in the management sciences curricula and also a proposed framework for integrating employability attributes in the curricula.
Description
A dissertation by publication submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Education
Keywords
Employability attributes