Generic Attributes of IS Graduates: An Analysis of Australian Views

Abstract

This chapter describes the final phase of a study that validates a group of generic attributes of graduates of Australian undergraduate degree programs with majors in Information Systems (IS). The study, sponsored by the Australian Computer Society (ACS), involved 105 academics from all Australian universities that offer IS undergraduate degree programs of study and 53 industry representatives. A three-round Delphi questionnaire was used in the study. The results of this study are compared with a previous study of generic attributes conducted by the authors in Queensland, Australia. Differences between academe and industry are identified. The top three attributes in each study are the same, although the order is reversed in the national study. Some of the differences include the higher ranking of interpersonal skills, teamwork, and knowledge of the IS discipline by academics compared with the higher ranking by industry of self-motivation and the ability to learn independently. Other major findings include the high ratings of the attributes of team participation and the commitment to further learning and intellectual development. Oral and written communications are significantly rated as more important than a comprehensive knowledge of IS. This study has a very strong overall correlation with the previous Queensland study.