Stand up and Shout out…

Graduates of the future are individuals with entrepreneurial mind-sets, drawn to innovative opportunities and new value creation. They need advanced skills of critical thinking, problem solving and the ability to working beyond traditional discipline boundaries. Soft skills such as creativity, leadership potential, resilience, communication skills and the ability to work in uncertainty are listed as top prerequisites pursued by the commercial sector.
This case study presents a blueprint for developing these sought-after attributes. The Creative Connection at Staffordshire University is a unique learning environment which brings together student, industry and educator. Its aim is to develop and deliver innovative teaching and learning practices to increase student learning, build sustainable networks and develop employability skills for the next generation. It brings students together from different disciplines to co-create and generate new knowledge, ensuring students leave with a backpack of skills. Using a range of techniques we have ensured that our students developed creative confidence to “Stand up and Stand out“, being competitive and subsequently better prepared for commercial, interdisciplinary working and real-world thinking.