WRIPA & SEPnet Workshop 2018
Enhancing physics graduate employability through curriculum development
A joint WRIPA & SEPnet Workshop, supported by the Institute of Physics
Wednesday 18th July, 2018
Chaired by Professor Sir William Wakeham
Context
To create a more productive economy the UK government has recently published its Industry Strategy. The government’s vision for a transformed economy is based on 5 foundations, including “people” and “places”. “People” and “Places” emphasise a number of challenges such as tackling particular shortages of STEM skills, developing skills to take advantage of new technology and implementing Local Industrial Strategies to drive productivity.
To meet these business needs (and others!) for talent, skills and innovation i.e., “innovation diffusion” through people, university physics departments will need to consider how this will be achieved via curriculum development, work-based learning and employer engagement.
The aim of this one-day workshop is to understand better the enablers and barriers to curriculum development, the opportunities for physics departments with respect to the Industrial Strategy and to share best practice of embedding employability within degree programmes.
The workshop also provides the opportunity to build a wider network of employability focused academic and professional staff. The programme will include presentations and case studies from Institute of Physics and a number of physics departments.

Presentations
What are the opportunities for university physics departments in the Government’s Industrial Strategy?
Prof Richard Jones FRS, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield
Changes in the HE sector and impact on curriculum development and embedding employability.
Dr Catherine Hack, Higher Education Academy / AdvanceHE
Putting skills at the heart of accreditation
Embedded Employability at Salford – the transition from group projects to live briefs
Prof Ian Morrison, University of Salford
Learning physics by doing as real-world physicists do
Dr Andrea Jimenez Dalmaroni, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Cardiff
Integrating employability with programme design – current practices and future potential
Dr. Alastair Buckley, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield