Universities worldwide are actively seeking ways to improve the quality of teaching and learning in all their courses. There is a common rhetoric which stresses the achievement of excellence, and the implementation of change to improve student outcomes. Whilst there are many strategies used to promote change, the use of targeted funding of specific projects is widespread, and is evident at all levels. Many projects do achieve their goals, others have little impact, or are unable to sustain desired improvements. Given the limitation of university funds it is important to have an understanding of factors influencing effective change. This paper reports on a University wide project to embed graduate attributes into undergraduate course. It outlines a project framework developed from a review of good practice, and reports on the experience of five course teams in terms of their beliefs about the project as an agent of change.

Keywords: graduate attributes, course development, effectiveness in teaching and learning projects, institutional change.