More than five thousand new students will next week join the University of Birmingham – and they can be sure of a warm welcome to campus.

Starting from 20 September Birmingham's Welcome 2008 will see new and returning students take part in a range of activities - organised by the university and its Guild of Students - designed to involve and introduce everyone to Birmingham's 30,000 strong student community.

From the famous Fresher's Fair to evening entertainment, students will have the opportunity to meet new friends and to gain a real flavour of life at Birmingham. They will also be able to take tours of the accommodation and campus. 

In addition to those activities, staff from across the university, including the Student Life team, will be on hand to offer advice to students and parents, from financial matters to study support, to help them settle in to university life. 

Kate Dodd, Director of Student Life, said: “Starting university can be an exciting and challenging experience.  We're here to provide students with the information and support they need. Welcome 2008 is a time for students to settle into what should be the best years of their lives.”

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Media information: Anna Dingley, Press Officer: 0121 415 8134/07769 952763, email a.j.dingley@bham.ac.uk or Ben Hill, Press Officer: 0121 4145134/07789 921163.

Notes to Editor:

• The University of Birmingham has around 30,000 students and 6,000 members of staff and a turnover of £360 million.

• Birmingham encompasses not only the lakeside setting and green landscape of its Edgbaston campus, but also has bases across Birmingham as well at the Shakespeare Institute in Stratford upon Avon, the Ironbridge Institute at the Ironbridge Gorge and at its outward bound Priestley Centre on the edge of Lake Coniston in the Lake District.

• For further information on Welcome 2008 please visit:  www.as.bham.ac.uk/welcome

• For further information on the Student Life division please visit:

www.as.bham.ac.uk/studlifeabout.shtml