Professor Kate Purcell was interviewed as part of the BBC Radio 4 programme, The Graduate, which is being repeated. Kate talks about the wider graduate labour market and student experience, drawing mainly on the Futuretrack survey.  Episode 2 will be aired on Monday 18 October at 8pm on Radio 4.  To catch up with Episode 1 go to the Radio 4 website.

IER researchers, Dr Heike Behle and Beate Baldauf, and a IER doctoral researcher, Charoula Tzanakou, all attended the 2010 Work, Employment and Society Conference at the University of Brighton last week.   Heike and Charoula’s paper entitled ‘German and Greek Students on undergraduate degree courses at UK universities. Their everyday experiences and expectations for the future’ brings together Heike’s work on Futuretrack and some of Charoula’s doctoral studies.  Their paper explored the everyday experiences and expectation of German and Greek students in the UK and their preparation for the transitions after graduation.  Beate’s paper, written with Dr Clare Lyonette, entitled ‘Quality part-time work: organisational responses to the recession’ drew on their recent research commissioned by the Government Equalities Office.  Their paper based on a qualitative study explored two key issues: (a) how organisations have responded to the recession and what role, if any, part-time work or, more generally, reduced hours measures have played and whether they have had a lasting impact on working patterns; and (b) how organisations have supported or increased ‘quality’ part-time work.

IER hosted a seminar on 25 May entitled 'Older Women's Work and Learning Pathways: transition and adaptability'. Professor Jenny  Bimrose and two IER Associate Fellows, Professor Mark Watson from the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in South Africa and Dr Mary McMahon from The University of Brisbane in Australia co-presented. The seminar presented initial findings from international, ongoing research in the UK, South Africa, Australia and Italy into the career trajectories of older women and the careers support they have experienced (or would like to have experienced) throughout their life-course. 

April 21 - Professor Kate Purcell will be speaking  at the 'Higher Education Advisers Conference 2010' at the University of Birmingham. View flyer.

Professor Mark Watson (Nelson Mandela University, South Africa) and Dr. Mary McMahon (Queensland University, Australia), two of IER’s international Associate Fellows, both linked to the careers and learning area will be visting IER from 16-20 March.