The Student Recruitment and Outreach team work to encourage motivated and talented students to consider if Birmingham is the right choice for them.
The Student Recruitment Team work throughout the UK participating in a range of events with schools, colleges and UCAS and also organise many events on campus.The Outreach Team has a particular focus on raising aspirations and improving attainment amongst local students and has a number of widely recognised initiatives for schools and colleges in the West Midlands.
Student Recruitment team
Clair Abbey
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PA to Director of Student Recruitment and Outreach and Head of UK/EU Undergraduate Recruitment
Tel: 0121 414 2242
Email:
c.abbey@bham.ac.uk
Clair is PA to Liz Murphy and the Head of UG Recruitment (UK/EU) and is also the central contact for schools and colleges wishing to arrange for members of the team to give Higher Education talks to their students and to represent the University at organised fairs. Clair also arranges attendance at all major UCAS Higher Education Conventions across the country. Clair also has responsibility for booking prospective students on to campus tours, managing our schools database and is also the lead administrator for the Birmingham UCAS Higher Education Convention which is hosted biennially by the University.
Kathryn Barnett
Kathryn provides administrative support for the work of the Student Recruitment office and assists in the organisation of the general services provided at Applicant visit days. Kathryn is also responsible for the day-to-day management of the office’s Student Ambassador team and assists in the organisation of conferences for teachers and careers advisers.
Elizabeth Chandler
Lizzie spends much of her time visiting schools and colleges throughout the UK talking to students, teachers and parents. Lizzie delivers presentations on higher education issues relevant to pupils and parents and attends higher education and careers conventions providing advice and guidance to those considering applying to university. Lizzie is also responsible for the organisation and management of the University’s Open Days.
Christine Cox
Christine coordinates and co-manages the University’s Undergraduate Open Days and is responsible for the Open Day finance administration. Christine is also the central contact for teachers wishing to arrange a group visit to the University by their school or college.
Kerry France
Kerry is responsible for the strategic direction of the Universities' schools and colleges liaison development within the UK and Europe, working closely with colleagues across External Relations. This involves the management of a team of Student Recruitment Officers and Support Staff, who work with schools and colleges across the UK and Europe, giving presentations on Higher Education issues at schools and colleges; hosting events on campus and managing the production of resources aimed at providing students, teachers and parents with useful advice and information.
Michelle Mallender
Michelle’s role involves working with students, parents and teachers to provide advice and guidance relevant to higher education. This includes predominantly UK-based activity; visiting schools and colleges across the UK as well as hosting visits onto campus, for both UK students and international students domiciled in the UK. Michelle also engages in EU recruitment activity, visiting schools and attending exhibitions within the EU to provide advice and guidance to prospective students, who may wish to pursue higher education within the UK.
Carolyn Moody
Carolyn's role involves working with students, parents and teachers to provide advice and guidance on higher education topics. This includes visiting schools and colleges across the UK as well as hosting visits onto campus. Carolyn also promotes the University at higher education and careers conventions. As the project manager for the University’s Applicant visit days, Carolyn provides support for all University departments' recruitment activities and oversees the Student Recruitment services at these events.
Liz Murphy
Liz develops strategy for the university as a whole, External Relations and my own department of Student Recruitment (UK and EU) and Outreach working on open days, HE Fairs, Applicant visit days, Outreach activities, PG initiatives, digital and social networking projects, staff management and endlessly trying to balance the budget. I also take an active role promoting the city of Birmingham and working in conjunction with Marketing Birmingham.
Katherine Pagett
Katherine visits schools and colleges throughout the UK to deliver presentations to students, and sometimes their parents, on general issues relevant to researching and applying to Higher Education. Katherine also hosts group visits to the University and attends UCAS and school based Higher Education Conventions (HEC) and events to provide information, advice and guidance to those considering applying to university. Katherine also organises conferences at the University for teachers and careers practitioners and the Insight lecture series. Additionally Katherine manages the Birmingham UCAS HEC which is hosted biennially by the University and recruits and trains Student Ambassadors who assist with the department's activities.
Yvonne Williams
Yvonne spends much of her time visiting schools and colleges throughout the UK talking to students, teachers and parents. Yvonne delivers presentations on higher education issues relevant to pupils and parents and attends higher education and careers conventions providing advice and guidance to those considering applying to university. Yvonne also assists in the organisation and management of the University’s Open Days and editsthe printed and e-newsletters for teachers and careers advisers.
Outreach team
Mohammed Ansar
Ansar organises the Raising Aspirations in Secondary Education Programme ( RAISE) which includes a number of activities aimed at Year 7 to 11 students such as the Christmas Science Lectures, The Physics and Biology Big Quizzes, Birmingham Science Festival and the History Day. He also delivers Aspiration Raising Days for school groups onto the campus and delivers presentations in schools and attends school and college HE and Careers fairs. Ansar has responsibility for the Academic Enrichment Programme, a year 12 residential programme in August.
Kathy Buckley
Kathy provides finance and administrative support to the team of Outreach Officers, manages the evaluation, monitoring and reporting of the team’s activities and administers the mentoring schemes. She maintains outreach contacts in local schools and colleges and is also responsible for updating the team’s webpages on the University’s website and managing stock of promotional and marketing materials.
Laura Taylor
Laura is involved in a number of outreach activities which include running visits to the University for school groups, delivering presentations in schools, and attending school and college higher education and careers fairs. Laura also has responsibility for outreach mentoring schemes (including the Aimhigher Associates scheme) and co-ordinating the Looking Forward Aiming High and Forward Thinking programmes.
Laura is currently on maternity leave and her post is being covered by Anna Speakman.
Jane England
Jane is a main contact for the University's Masterclass Programme which is designed to stimulate enquiry into university learning and broaden knowledge of subject areas. Jane supports the Mentoring Scheme and other progressive programmes we run as a University. Jane spends her time delivering campus visits and attending school and college events in the local area. Jane also visits Primary Schools with the Professor Fluffy Programme, encouraging Year 5/6 pupils to explore the vocabulary and concepts of higher education.
Janet Hadley
Janet provides administrative support to the Access to Birmingham scheme and is the first point of contact for queries from students and teachers. Janet also supports the Head of Outreach and Outreach Officers in their activities, with particular responsibility for the Office Finance Administration
Lucy Hall
Lucy is involved with organising the Access to Birmingham (A2B) and Realising Opportunities Schemes. She regularly visits schools and colleges to discuss the programmes and coordinates the Higher Education Learning Module for students participating in the A2B scheme. As part of the Outreach team Lucy also runs University visit days for schools and delivers presentations on other higher education topics in schools and colleges across the West Midlands. She is also responsible for the Sandwell Schools that are involved in the Forward Thinking Programme.
Ester Hill
Ester works with pupils from as young as Years 5/6, introducing higher education to them through the innovative ‘Professor Fluffy programme, through to Years 12/13. Ester also conducts talks in schools and hosts school and college visits to campus. Ester oversees a number of other projects including the Subject Enrichment Programme and long term progressive programmes with local schools. Ester also helps to run the University’s UniFest event.
Catherine McNicholl
Catherine is the first point of contact for UniFest, the residential summer school for Year 10 pupils. Catherine supports the application process to summer schools by visiting schools speaking about residential opportunities and supports teachers and parents in applying to and preparing students for summer schools. Catherine also coordinates the University's Subject Enrichment programme, organises University visit days for schools, supports colleagues on the Access to Birmingham (A2B) scheme and attends school higher education and career conventions.
Gail Rothnie
Gail is responsible for the University’s strategy for outreach work related to the widening participation and fair access agenda. Gail manages a team of Outreach Officers whose activities include the Access to Birmingham scheme and a comprehensive programme of outreach work with schools in the West Midlands including campus visits, progressive programmes of intervention with specific target cohorts, student mentoring, residential activity, work with teachers and advisors, transition activity preparing young people for higher education study and subject enrichment activity. Outreach activity is with students from year 6 to sixth form. Gail is the University’s representative on the Management Group for the local Aimhigher Partnership, and the national Realising Opportunities Programme.
Anne Snell
Anne manages the Access to Birmingham (A2B) scheme, which recruits the most able students from disadvantaged backgrounds to the University. For successful applicants to the scheme, this involves organising activities to ease the transition from school or college to university life. In particular, Anne gives presentations to sixth form students about how they can benefit from the scheme and provides general advice and guidance for prospective university applicants from schools and colleges in the West Midlands. Anne is also the first point of contact for any student leaving local authority care to come to university.
Anna Speakman
Anna is involved in a number of outreach activities which include running visits to the University for school groups, delivering presentations in schools, and attending school and college higher education and careers fairs. Anna also has responsibility for outreach mentoring schemes (including the Aimhigher Associates scheme) and co-ordinating the Forward Thinking programmes.
Anna is currently covering Laura Taylor's post while she is on maternity leave.
Laura Taylor
Laura is involved in a number of outreach activities which include running visits to the University for school groups, delivering presentations in schools, and attending school and college higher education and careers fairs. Laura also has responsibility for outreach mentoring schemes (including the Aimhigher Associates scheme) and co-ordinating the Looking Forward Aiming High and Forward Thinking programmes.
Laura is currently on maternity leave and her post is being covered by Anna Speakman.