A comparative study of approaches to strengthening student employability in delivering design programs between China and UK

The purpose of this paper is to find and understand the differences of approaches to strengthen students in design discipline employability via engaging employer in the curriculum in two product design degree programs delivered at the University of Salford in the UK and at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China. By conducting two in-depth case studies, two distinctive employer engagement models are established and discussed. These two models are compared in terms of context, employer perception, curriculum development, and challenges for sustainability. The findings figure out an effective approach to engage employers into curriculum, recognize a move away from “teaching” towards “managing learning opportunities” and the complexities of employer engagement, and explore how this may be embedded. To address employability agenda, one of the main problems faced by HEIs is the content of curriculum and its relevance to the employment market. Engaging employers in the curriculum becomes key in addressing this issue.