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One of the most common questions asked by international students looking to come and study with DIFC is what employment opportunities are available after graduation.

Although there are many factors involved in your employability after graduation, the QS Graduate Employability Rankings looks at the top universities worldwide from the perspective of graduate employment. This is a great way to look at which Universities are considered to produce the best graduates and provide the best opportunities for their graduates to enter the workforce.

The Employability Rankings assess institutions based on five key aspects:

Employer reputation: graduate employers are asked to identify the institutions producing the best graduates in their field.

Alumni outcomes: analysis of the educational pathways of 21,000 of the world’s most innovative, creative, wealthy, entrepreneurial and/or philanthropic individuals.

Employer partnerships: the level of engagement with industry in terms of research and other areas. This is a critical point for students – particularly when institutions offer industry placements during your studies to help kick start your industry connections prior to graduation.

Employer-student connections: this involves summing the number of employers who are actively present on a university’s campus and providing students with an opportunity to network with them.

Graduate employment rate: obviously this is the simplest rating and measure the proportion of graduates that achieve full- or part-time employment within 12 months of graduation.

According to the QS Rankings, when it comes to the best universities in the world for graduate employability, Stanford University in the USA is number one. But, there are over 300 Universities indexed in the 2017 rankings, some of which are part of the DIFC university partner network. So, we’ve taken a closer look at some of the Universities that rated the highest for employability and have pathways available for DIFC students.

 

Australian National University – #32

The Australian National University (ANU) is a world-leading centre for education and research. Ranked #1 in Australia and #22 in the world (QS World University Rankings 2016-17), Australia’s national university is further distinguished by an outstanding record for student satisfaction and graduate employability.

ANU has recently started accepting students who have completed the International Foundation Year programme offered by DIFC, so this offers a fantastic pathway for students looking to progress to a top-ranked University. The University also boasts a 5-star rating from Good Universities Guide 2016 for student demand, research intensity, research grants, staff qualifications and graduate starting salary – as well as having one of the highest average academic staff-to-student ratios among leading Australian universities.

 

University of Manchester, UK – #35

With a distinguished history of academic achievement and an ambitious agenda for the future, The University of Manchester offers a learning experience rooted in a rich educational heritage and boosted by cutting-edge research and innovation – all at the heart of one of the world’s most vibrant and exciting student cities. DIFC has a great record of helping our top students’ progress to study with The University of Manchester in areas such as Engineering, Business and Accounting with 24 students going on to study at the University over the last 7 years.

As part of the Russell Group of universities, The University of Manchester’s reputation for quality teaching and a world-leader in research really put it to the top of most international students’ study preferences. Coupled with the University’s award-winning careers service and courses designed specifically with graduate employability in mind, it’s no surprise Manchester features in the Top 5 – in fact, 94% of Manchester graduates go straight into jobs or further study.

 

University of Bristol, UK – #39

The University of Bristol is one of the UK’s most popular and successful universities. With a reputation for academic excellence and a rich, vibrant study experience for international students, Bristol is a highly sought after study placement across a range of fields.

In terms of employability, The University of Bristol is the fourth most targeted by UK employers and approximately 93% of graduates achieve employment or further study within 6 months after graduation. This is an impressive statistic and testament to the way the University of Bristol designs its degrees with real-world relevance so that graduates can hit the ground running in the professional working life.

 

Monash University, Australia – #42

Another recent addition to DIFC’s global university network, Monash University – the largest Australian University with seven campuses across Melbourne, plus international campuses located in Malaysia, China, India, Italy and South Africa.

Monash offers the largest range of degrees in Australia and is particularly well-known for its degrees in Accounting & Finance, Engineering, Chemistry, Law and Medicine. The courses are also specifically structured to help you get career ready – such as building in specific industry qualifications as part of your degree that is recognised for professional registration immediately on graduation. Many programmes also offer industry experience via internships and volunteer roles to help you gain exposure to the workforce and build your professional network.

In addition, Monash University also offers over 200 different types of scholarships, worth up to AU$ 70,000 – some as one-off payments, others as ongoing support.

 

University College Cork – Notable Mention

We couldn’t talk about employability and not mention The Sunday Times University of the Year 2017, University College Cork! Although, it doesn’t feature in the QS Rankings for graduate employability, UCC punches well above its weight in terms of graduate employability.

The world-class university places an equal emphasis on academic rigour and practical application with many courses including work placements and industry input. This is how it can boast a high post graduate employment rate of between 85-90% and supports their claim to deliver international graduates that are work ready and world ready. Furthermore, UCC have 14 subject areas that feature in the top 300 globally, with the School of Pharmacy ranking in the top 100 by subject in the world.

 

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