Supporting international graduate employability: making good on the promise

This report outlines current good practice within careers and employability services, within institutions and across the UK higher education sector, and recommends where further improvement and support is required to deliver future benefits and shape the policy agenda, in line with Action 5 of the Government’s International Education Strategy.

The report can be downloaded here.

A full list of recommendations for institutions is included in the summary of recommendations. It includes:

• developing a strategic institutional approach to supporting the employability of international students and graduates, with ownership at a senior level and supported by clear objectives and KPIs

• establishing a cross-department working group or similar with responsibility for international student/graduate employability to support the delivery of the strategic approach

• monitoring the outcomes of the institution’s international graduates in a more systematic way, and using this data to inform the further development and delivery of the institutionwide strategic approach

• embedding experiences that support the development of employability skills and work experience within taught postgraduate courses and developing these with input from careers/employability professionals and student feedback

• investing in targeted employer engagement with overseas employers and other resources to support international students returning home

• facilitating opportunities for home and international students to interact wherever possible to ensure continuous improvement of international students’ English language skills.

This report is a collaboration between Universities UK International (UUKi), the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS), the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) and Coventry University.