Curriculum Auditing: Embedment of Graduate Capitals in Ethiopian Undergraduate Engineering Programs’ Harmonized Curricula

Abstract

Curriculum auditing is a method for ascertaining how and where employability competencies are embedded in curricula. The purpose of this study was to explore whether the undergraduate engineering harmonized curricula have embedded graduate employability competencies. The study employed a qualitative approach and considered six randomly selected public universities and 12 industries. Besides, two professional associations were also included purposively. The study participants were 12 department heads, two heads of professional associations, seven industries heads, and 18 long-time unemployed graduates. Data were collected by content analysis of the three undergraduate engineering programs’ harmonized curricula and interviewing key informants. The main contribution of this work lies in showing the gaps of curricula in embedding the necessary employability capitals. The findings revealed that necessary graduate capitals and learning experiences employed for employability enhancement were not adequately embedded in electrical, civil, and, mechanical engineering harmonized curricula. Thus, undergraduate engineering curricula were not able to prepare graduates for the world of work. The study, therefore, recommended that universities should continually audit and revise their curricula to embed the necessary competencies by involving industries and professional associations.

Keywords: curriculum auditing, employability, employability enhancement, graduate capital, university

DOI: 10.7176/JEP/12-22-05

Publication date:August 31^st 2021