How was the Edinburgh Napier Graduate Attributes model developed?

In 2009, the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) charged each HEI to consider ‘what should be the attributes of a graduate from Scottish Higher Education in the 21st century and how can the achievement of these attributes best be supported’?

A Graduate Attributes Working Group was set up take on this work and consulted with students, staff and employers. Based on this feedback and international and national published sectoral work on graduate attributes, it was decided to develop a conceptual model for Edinburgh Napier, linked to our academic signature. Following further institution-wide consultations, the working group concluded that ‘graduateness’ for Edinburgh Napier, has four dimensions

• Application of and contribution to knowledge
• World of work prepared
• Learning for life
• Citizenship

The Graduate Attributes Model for Edinburgh Napier University was approved at the October 2010 LTAC and supported at the November 2010 Academic Board. The Board also supported the development of school/subject-based graduate attribute statements and the rolling out of the model to students from Week 1, 2011/12.

The model was slightly reworded following a student event held in May 2011 to ensure language clarity and students were also consulted on the promotional materials developed to raise their awareness of the graduate attributes concept.