Recommendation(s): 21

Recommendation 21: We recommend that institutions of higher education begin immediately to develop, for each programme they offer, a ‘programme specification’ which identifies potential stopping-off points and gives the intended outcomes of the programme in terms of: the knowledge and understanding that a student will be expected to have upon completion; key skills: communication, numeracy, the use of information technology and learning how to learn; cognitive skills, such as an understanding of methodologies or ability in critical analysis; subject specific skills, such as laboratory skills.

3.6 The Government endorses the Committee’s call for institutions to develop "programme specifications" which spell out the intended outcomes of each programme in terms of knowledge, understanding and skills, and the possible points along the way at which a student can stop off and get credit for what has been attained. Key or core skills, cognitive skills and subject-specific skills should all be specified, particularly those most relevant to future employability. The Quality Assurance Agency will have a role in providing guidance to institutions. DfEE is funding – through the Higher Education and Employment Development Prospectus – 10 projects at a cost of £1.6m to look at ways of developing students’ employability skills.

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