Careers
Claire Pech – Careers Advisor
University of Sydney
I was lucky enough to be at University of Sydney last week for their equivalent Careers Advisors Day. Careers Advisors from all over the country were told about what the University has to offer, what is new for 2018 and more importantly why to encourage students into their courses.
Dr Michael Spence – Vice Chancellor and Principal
USYD has been looking at what current students need. They have come up with four major focuses:
(1) Asking the questions – how can courses be revised to ensure they are meeting the needs of all students?
(2) To ensure that students have knowledge about an open learning environment.
(3) The inclusion of learning about ethics.
(4) Having students undertake an extended real world problem to solve.
The USYD aim is to have 50% of students studying overseas at some stage of their degree. There is also a new curriculum, which will be coming in for 2018 and will have a huge impact.
2018 update
USYD is reducing their 120 degrees to about 40 or 50 degrees. They want to have degrees where students learn from the best, experience real collaboration, have a global perspective and solve real world problems. These four tenets are what is going to underpin the Sydney University Undergraduate experience.
Professor Pip Pattison – Rationale
Professor Pattison shared that as the world is changing so must education. There will be four pillars for their degrees:
- Academic rigour
- Cross-cultural perspectives
- Cross-disciplinary learning to solve complex problems
- Real world projects on industry, community and research.
A new four-year combined degree called the Bachelor of Advanced Studies is being introduced. This allows students to do a second major and advanced projects.
For Bachelor degrees in Liberal Studies, Professional or Specialist degrees there will be a shared pool of majors (about 100) and a new open learning environment, e.g.
- The Arab World today
- Visual Communication
- Business entrepreneurship
- Global Health challenges – Diabetes
- Symmetry
- Programming with Interactive media
They will introduce the Dalyell Scholars Program, which is only for the 98+ candidate. Features of this program include:
- Accelerated degrees to masters level
- Access to languages/maths/science
- Mentoring
- Skills development
- International experience.
Anders Sorman-Nilsson – Futurist – Guest Speaker
Mr Sorman-Nilsson spoke about the future of work and the effect it will have on our young workers. He spoke about digital disruption, about businesses who are all being disrupted, or how they will be very soon.
- 50% of all banking jobs will all be automated in the next 10 years.
- Skills for the future in 2020 where we will coin the term STEMpathy with the usual mixture of Science/Technology/Engineering/Maths with the empathy skills needed to work with people
- Complex problem solving skills are required
- People will crave transformation and self-actualisation and be more about the right brain than the left brain
- People will need breadth and depth
- The future of jobs is about the “gig” economy, about working remotely.
Arts Department
So what is new in Arts with the new restructured 2018 undergraduate experience?
- More than 450 academic staff
- Number one choice in Australia for Arts
- Global 230 partners worldwide
- Founding faculty
- Ranked 14th in the World (QES Data)
- Cross disciplinary learning
- ArtSS Career ready program
- Sciences Dual Degree program (B.Arts or B.Economics at Sydney)
- More flexible than the original BA – it allows more choice and breadth
Business Department
- First ever business school established in 1920
- Top 20 business schools in the QS2016 data
- Globally recognised
- International exchanges and case studies
- Flexibility for more majors from finance to IT to History
- Real world projects, social entrepreneurship
- Focus on leadership capability (new unit of “Leading and Influencing in Business” – have to develop a career plan)
- Bringing industry into the classroom
- Learning business is diverse, experiential, industry-current and international.
Science Department
- Academic Leaders are innovators
- Breadth of disciplines and depth of knowledge
- Research field school
- Can have majors from different faculties.
B.Advanced Studies – A fourth year qualification
- ‘Supercharges’ the first bachelor degree
- Focuses on interdisciplinary depth, access to projects, internships
- Starts preparing students for employment interests
- Could then complete a second major OR learning projects
- It is not a postgraduate qualification – it is more of an energy boost
- There will be OLE (Open Learning Environment), with taster units of study that provide a small number of credit points.
The University of Melbourne Virtual Fair
This will be held on 22 March, 5pm – 8pm (AEDT) and will provide the opportunity to chat to university staff and find out about tertiary options. Register online. https://unimelb.6connex.com/event/recruitmentcenter/login?in_c=webtile_fshome|oa_im_2017_events_virtualfair_march
Bond University Medical Program
Bond’s Medical Program is comprised of two sequential degrees – the Bachelor of Medical Studies (BMedSt) and the Doctor of Medicine (MD).
All students selected for entry into the Medical Program will have to complete both the BMedSt and MD to be eligible for registration as a medical practitioner in any state or territory in Australia or New Zealand. Both degrees are awarded at the completion of Year 5.
https://bond.edu.au/program/medical-program
Macquarie University’s Global Leadership Entry Program
Opens 8 May – closes 28 August
The Global Leadership Entry Program (GLEP) will support and inspire students as global leaders of tomorrow. If a student is selected for GLEP, they receive an early offer for 2018. They’ll also participate in exclusive activities while still at school. Are you active in the community and achieving good results? Register at: www.mq.edu.au/study/find-a-course/undergraduate/macquarie-entry/global-leadership-entry-program