The search for innovation and economic growth has renewed interest in enterprise, employability and work-based learning, and the extent to which relevant skills and capabilities are nurtured by higher education. This Network is concerned with research on the policy and practice surrounding these issues at a variety of levels from international policy debate on the social and economic role of graduates, national reports on employer engagement, through to the effectiveness of institutional provision. This network discusses how outcomes are measured, and the ways in which the sector recognises and serves the diversity of its student body. Particularly in the current context of increased scrutiny of graduate outcomes by the Office for Students (OfS), this network considers what is captured or omitted by outcomes as a measure, and how unequal outcomes can be challenged and addressed.  

This informal networking event aims to reconnect researchers and students with an interest in these areas, and to shape the future directions of the network’s activities. During the session, network convenors Dr Tracy Scurry, Dr Fiona Christie, and Dr Ciaran Burke will present their current research interests and their plans for future topics this network can address. There will be opportunities to:  

• Introduce yourself, your research interests, and your thoughts on what you would like this network to cover 
• Discuss how the network can best support its participants
• Exchange ideas for the agenda and aims of the network 

Specific aims of the network include:

• Facilitating opportunities for networking and collaboration  
• Supporting the development and dissemination of high-quality research in this area 
• Fostering new research and the researcher pipeline 

The network intends to have at least 2 major events each academic year. Topics recently addressed were:  

• Graduate careers in (times of) crisis 
• Digital footprints: The transformation of measuring employability in higher education settings.
• Digital platforms, digital labour, and the future of employability.

You can find out more about the EEWBL network on our website, here: https://srhe.ac.uk/networks/employability-enterprise-and-work-based-learning/

Dr Ciaran Burke, University of the West of England, Bristol

Email: Ciaran.Burke@uwe.ac.uk

Dr Fiona Christie, Manchester Metropolitan University

Email: f.christie@mmu.ac.uk

Dr Tracy Scurry, Newcastle University Business School

Email: tracy.scurry@newcastle.ac.uk