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Capturing progression in students' formal knowledge and employability skills is essential in higher education but evokes questions concerning how to assess and monitor progression. While methods for capturing students' formal knowledge progression have traditionally been at the forefront, methods for capturing employability skills have been less researched within higher education. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a method to capture students' progression of formal knowledge and employability skills in higher education. We developed a rubric to monitor case discussions in class and evaluated the rubric by using it while observing case discussions in six professional education programmes involving undergraduate and graduate students. We found that it was possible to capture similar changes in the progression of formal knowledge and skills in all professional programmes. One advantage of using this method is that students can be monitored while they participate in case discussions within their respective curricula.

Biopharmaceuticals are complex biological molecules that require careful storage and handling to ensure medication integrity. In this study, a work system analysis of real-world protein drug (PD) handling was performed with the following goals: identify main barriers and facilitators for successful adherence to accepted recommendations in PD handling, analyse differences in two organizations, and define a Best Current Practice in the real-life handling of PDs based on the results of the work system analysis. Observational study was held in two university hospitals in Spain and Sweden. Based on the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) model, the tools chosen were: the PETT scan, in order to indicate the presence of barriers or facilitators for the PETT components (People, Environment, Tools, Tasks); the Tasks and tools matrices to construct a checklist to record direct observations during the real-life handling of biopharmaceuticals, and the Journey map to depict the work process. Observations were performed between March and November 2022. Each episode of direct observation included a single protein drug in some point of the supply chain and considered all the elements in the work system. Based on the results of the work system analysis and the literature review, the authors propose a list of items which could be assumed as Best Current Practice for PDs handling in hospitals. There were a total of 34 observations involving 19 PDs. Regarding People involved in the work process, there was a diversity of professionals with different previous training and knowledge, leading to an information gap. With respect to Environment, some structural and organizational differences between hospitals lead to risks related to the time exposure of PDs to room temperature and mechanical stress. Some differences also existed in the Tools and Tasks involved in the process, being especially relevant to the lack of compatibility information of PDs with new technologies, such as pneumatic tube system, robotic reconstitution, or closed-system transfer devices. Finally, 15 suggestions for best current practice are proposed. Main barriers found for compliance with accepted recommendations were related to the information gap detected in professionals involved in the handling of protein drugs, unmonitored temperature, and the lack of compatibility information of protein drugs with some new technologies. By applying a Human Factors and Systems Engineering Approach, the comparison of two European hospitals has led to a suggested list of Best Current Practices in the handling of protein drugs in a hospital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Swedish higher education, quality assurance mainly focuses on course module outcomes. With this in mind we developed a qualitative method to monitor and stimulate progression of learning in two modularized engineering study programmes. A set of core professional values and skills were triangulated through interviews with students, teachers, alumni and industrial employers and aligned with national intended learning outcomes, thus defining the aims of progression. Student teams (pre-university, first, third, and fourth & fifth year) were observed addressing real industrial cases/problems of key relevance to these programme objectives. We report on observed progression and hurdles in developing approaches to industrial problem-solving; appropriate use of technical and scientific language; knowledge of chemistry, biochemistry and engineering; statistical reasoning; knowledge of economic consequences; team behaviour; project documentation; and understanding of professional ethics and risk. Our results demonstrate student progression in most areas, but also a shift in ethical focus from protecting the public towards protecting corporate interests.