Higher Education and the Future of Graduate Employability: A Connectedness Learning Approach by Ruth Bridgstock

Starting from the premise that learning and career development happen naturally and optimally through collaboration and social relationships, this book challenges the dominant employability skills discourse by exploring socially connected and networked perspectives to learning and teaching in higher education. With 10 empirical case studies of educational practice, chapters investigate the development of learner capabilities, teaching approaches, and institutional strategies to foster lifelong graduate employability through social connectedness. The book argues that higher education institutions have placed themselves at a disadvantage in learning and teaching by limiting and prescribing interactions that prevent multidisciplinary and cross-functional collaboration, and embeddedness into wider industry and community networks. The book offers new strategies and pedagogic approaches that can support learners to build, maintain and make the most of social connections for purposeful participation in life and work. It also demonstrates how universities can forge effective partnerships internally as well as with industry and community partners to ensure the relevance and vibrancy of university learning. Offering an alternative perspective on learning and teaching in higher education with international relevance, this book is a practical resource that can be used by educators to inform teaching practice and curriculum development. It will be essential for university leadership, as well as academics and researchers focused on education policy and university management.