A case for advanced skills and employability in higher education

Abstract This article describes the Case Studies to Advance Skills and Employability (CASE) project and considers the role of case studies in the academic curriculum. The relationship between key skills in higher education and employability skills is discussed. The practicalities of implementing more key skills and employability skills orientated curricula are evaluated. The particular situation of non-vocational subject areas is raised. Outlines of a number of project strands from the CASE project are provided. The factors contributing to the success of CASE as an externally funded project are also reviewed, and employer and consultancy support in particular is described. The article continues beyond the scope of the project itself and concludes by assessing the opportunities for applying case studies of this type in other curricula and then suggesting that this may be the way forward for the embedding of Higher National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) within academic curricula.