ARU staff recognised for boosting employability
Alessia Mevoli, Scott Steele and Asma Rezaei are shortlisted for national awards
Shortlisted ARU academics Asma Rezaei, left, Alessia Mevoli and Scott Steele
Three Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) lecturers have been shortlisted for national awards for their innovative approach towards preparing students for the workplace.
ARU lecturers Alessia Mevoli and Asma Rezaei, and ARU Peterborough’s Scott Steele, have been named as finalists for the Graduate Futures Institute’s Academic Employability Awards, which are open to higher education institutions across the UK and Republic of Ireland.
Alessia Mevoli, Senior Lecturer in Management at ARU, has been shortlisted for the Co-created Employabilty Initiatives category for MAFA (Mental Agility, Flexibility and Adaptability), a programme co-designed with students to help learners build confidence, adaptability and career readiness through psychometric tools, activities and peer‑led learning, resulting in stronger self‑awareness and employability.
ARU Peterborough’s Dr Scott Steele is a finalist in the Authentic Assessment for Employability category after designing a real‑world legal project as part of ARU’s Live Briefs initiative where students acted as law firms, interviewing clients and drafting contracts, boosting confidence, practical legal skills and leading many to internships and work experience.
Lecturer in Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Strategy Dr Asma Rezaei has been shortlisted in the Enterprise and Entrepreneurship category for The Entrepreneurial Journey, an enterprise‑focused module where students create startup ideas and consult on real business challenges, building teamwork, problem‑solving and strategic skills while gaining confidence applying learning in real contexts. The project was also part of ARU’s Live Briefs initiative, where students work with employers to find solutions for real-life problems.
The Graduate Futures Institute is the professional body for higher education careers services across the UK.
“Employability is deeply embedded in everything we do at ARU, and to have three of our academic colleagues shortlisted for these awards shows the impact they have had on our graduates in readying them for the world of work.
“These are fantastic examples of the innovative ways in which our colleagues ensure that all of our students have the opportunity to develop excellent professional skills and experience in partnership with industry, and the professions.”
Professor Yvonne Barnett, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation at ARUThe awards will take place on Thursday, 30 April at the Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies in London.