The Evening Standard revealed that the university, which is ranked by The Times at number 17 in the world, will offer classes on skills including innovation, leadership and awareness of cultural differences in the new "global citizenship" lessons, which will be offered to students across the year groups and will give students from different subjects the opportunity to work together.
Will these classes really manage to improve the job prospects of the UCL students? Or are they merely the university equivalent to the PSHE lessons at school i.e. scheduled nap time? Can you really learn innovation, leadership and cultural awareness within the confines of a classroom?The answer is probably no. It is no secret that innovation, leadership and cultural awareness are all skills that employers definitely wish to see, however it is important that you are able to provide examples of when you have built these skills outside of the classroom. When asked in an interview ‘Give an example of when you have taken on the position of leader in a group task’ it is unlikely that they will be impressed if you answer ‘I can’t give an example but I can tell you what my tutor said is a good way of leading a group.’ The way to establish these skills is through an involvement in your community and university life beyond lectures and tutorials. This could be in the form of a part-time job, being part of a sports team or being a member of a university committee. It is likely that these lessons will give helpful advice; however they should not be your sole resource for establishing yourself as a ‘global citizen’. There are some things you simply cannot learn in the classroom.What these lessons do offer is justification for the rise in tuition fees. As the £9,000 fees kicked in at the beginning of this year and were met with a drop in applications, universities do need to find ways to go beyond what the lower fee university experience offered in order to keep students interested in going to university. With graduate unemployment a daunting prospect, it is unsurprising that some students are questioning the value of a university experience that will cost them tens of thousands of pounds, but with no guarantee of a job upon graduation. Here at GRB we suggest that, while a degree does give you no guarantee of a job, it is still what many employers wish to see on your CV. It is also important to appreciate university as more than an academically educational experience. So if you do not go to UCL and fear that your university is letting you down by not offering you lessons on ‘global citizenship’, have a look at what else your student union offers you in terms of extra-curricular activities. It is here that you will unearth the lessons in leadership, innovation and cultural awareness that you need to take into the work place. And, let’s face it, getting involved in extra-curricular is a much more fun way of doing it!
