To prepare you for your first moments at Northumbria University London Campus, we spoke to Alexandros Maniotis – our Student Operations Manager. Here is the inside track to learn more about your first week at our busy, sociable learning environment in central London.
As the Student Operations Manager, I oversee our Ask4Help and Student Support teams, which deliver the essential support our students require, from the first day of enrolment until their graduation. The London campus has grown significantly over the past few years, but our team members are dedicated to offering students, both new and returning, the same level of outstanding customer service.
The first day comprises of the Campus Induction events, where students can meet each other, as well as the University staff. The students are welcomed to the campus by our Campus Director, Dr Guy Brown, and Deputy Director, Dr Eustathios Sainidis, who also provide a quick breakdown of their learning journey and available resources.
The welcome is followed by introductions from our Support Teams, such as Ask4Help, Student Futures & Careers, Finance, ACE, as well as the Student Union. These sessions aim to familiarize students with the different kinds of support they can receive from the University, and to make them aware of the various avenues through which they can request assistance.
Students are generally required to attend 2 separate events during their Induction Week. The first one is the Campus Induction, which was discussed previously, but that one is not programme-specific. The second one is their Programme Induction. This is when they also get to meet their Programme Leaders, who deliver these sessions, as well as their classmates. The Programme Inductions usually take around two hours, during which students receive a detailed overview of their course’s structure and objectives.
The Student Union usually organises activities to bring new students together in a more relaxed setting. As an example, during the last induction week, they threw an “Induction Party” on campus, which included fun quizzes, cakes, refreshments and, of course, lots of mingling. It’s very important for students to check their university email regularly, to ensure they don’t miss out on such events.
I would say that it is paramount for new students to make sure they complete their enrolment as soon as possible. Especially for international students, this means arriving in the UK, collecting their BRP, and uploading it to their Student Portal -ideally- before Induction Week commences. This will ensure they have access to their resources and timetable in time for the start of their classes, which is key to kicking off their course smoothly. The good news is that this process can be completed online, which makes everything quite easy and quick.
Apart from that, it’s also important for new students to check the University website for their induction schedule and, of course, go through our Welcome Guide.
Starting a new course can be a challenging time, even more so if you have to relocate to a new city or country. I think it’s crucial to anticipate that settling in might take some time and not panic if things seem daunting at the beginning. It all gets better quickly once you form connections with people, and acclimate to the new setting and requirements that, naturally, come with joining a course. Lastly, remember that if you need support, our teams are always here to help you make the most of your studies in Northumbria University and the exciting opportunities that London has to offer!
