Spring 2014

Visiting excellenceHow outside experts help our students

Real-life experienceThe value of work placements

Building careersGraduates secure top roles

Starting out at uniTop tips from our Student Services team

#gobcu

Cover design: portfolio page by BA (Hons) Fashion Design graduate Cleo McColgan (see page 15)

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WELCOME #gobcu

90% 90% of undergraduates were in work or further study within six months of completing their course (DLHE 2011/12)

EARN Gain experience and earn while you learn with our own student employment agency

TOP 10 A top 10 university for spending on facilities (Complete UniversityGuide 2012 and 2013)

SUPPORT Outstanding support for students (Times Higher Education Awards 2010)

22,000 Around 22,000 students from 80 different countries

170 170 years’ experience of providing education and training in Birmingham

LEARN Virtual learning environments including mock classrooms, operating theatres and courtrooms

EMPLOYMENT Some of our recent graduatedestinations include IBM, Deloitte, Volkswagen, Arcadia Group Ltd, Links of London, Age Concern, Jaguar Land Rover and many more

97% 97% of Nursing and Midwifery leavers obtained a professional or managerial position (DLHE 2011/12)

£26,200 The average salary of a graduate from our School of Engineering, Design and Manufacturing Systems was £26,200 (DLHE 2011/12)

95% 95% of leavers from the School of Education went into employment or further study (DLHE 2011/12)

6th We are ranked sixth out of 130 institutions for student teaching time (The Telegraph)

At a glance

Contents

Check out our online prospectus at www.bcu.ac.uk/ prospectus or visit www.bcu.ac.uk/courses for the latest updates.

02-03 Welcome04-05 Student news 06-08 Visiting excellence 09 Staff news10-13 Placements and work experience14-17 Graduate success18-19 Alumni of the Year 20-21 Investing in your future22-23 Why Birmingham?24-27 Next steps

Keep up to date

For the latest news and information relating to Birmingham City University, you can follow us on Twitter at @MyBCU, using the hashtag #gobcu for information particularly relating to new starters. If you have any queries relating to starting at Birmingham City University this year, you can tweet us your question, using the same hashtag, and we will aim to respond to you as quickly as possible.

www.bcu.ac.uk

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#gobcu

At Birmingham City University, our focus is on providing professional and practice- based learning – that means helping you to gain the skills employers need. We enjoy close relationships with businesses and organisations in the city of Birminghamand the surrounding area, providing unparalleled opportunities for work experience and networking opportunities with the many successful firms and businesses in the city.

By 2015, our aim is for all students to participate in a work-related experienceeach year of study and to have 3,000 students, tripling current numbers, employed across the University through our ‘OpportUNIty – Student Jobs on Campus’ initiative. You can read more about our students’ experiences on placement from page 10.

In our last edition, one of the big stories was the opening of the new Parkside Building at our City Centre Campus, which welcomed students on our media and design courses in September. Our investment in our campuses is continuing with a further new teaching building now rising out of the ground next door. If you join us on our business, social science, law or English courses this autumn, you will be enjoying these facilities from your second year. For the latest on our campus investment plans, please see page 20.

As you may have seen, our ‘Shaping the World’ campaign highlights the achievements of many of our former students and you can read more of themon our website at www.bcu.ac.uk/stories.

Our graduates are continuing to shape the world and you could be next – I hope to welcome you as a student this autumn, and if you have any queries in the meantime,please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.

PROFESSOR CLIFF ALLANVice-Chancellor Birmingham City University

WelcomeWelcome to the latest edition of Go magazine. Whether you have already applied to study with us, or are still making your choices, we hope you will find plenty to interest you.

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WELCOME

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STUDENT NEWS #gobcu

Paper exhibition commemorates World War One centenaryStudents at Birmingham City University have recreated a poignant scene from the World War One trenches using just paper and cardboard, to mark 100 years since the start of the conflict.

Using the Battle of the Somme - in whichmore than one million men were woundedor killed - as the setting, the student-curated exhibition takes visitors on ajourney back in time to show the hardshipsand struggles of soldiers in the battlefield.

Life-size trenches, poor outdoor sleeping quarters and injured soldiers are some of the sets that have been created out of brown paper, and, give a touching snapshot into a ‘typical’ day on the battlefield.

With a budget of only £450 and a timescale of less than four weeks, first year Theatre, Performance and Event (TPE) Design students worked tirelessly to put a show-stopping set on display, fitted with sound-effects and impressive lighting to create colour and ambience.

Course Director Paul Barrett said: “The project is a simple yet extremely effective approach to experiential learning. We want the first year students to engage with fundamental principles associated

with performance design including scale, narrative, space, light, sound, audience and collaboration, “as well as abilities that are difficult to teach like tenacity and determination. I’m particularly proud of the way that this group has dealt with such an emotive subject in such a mature and respectful manner.”

Students drew on inspiration from the work of leading war poets Wilfred Owen, Woodbine Willy and Charles Hamilton Sorley,who all wrote about the shocking and sad horrors of life in the trenches. The TPE Paper Installation: Battle of the Somme was on display at our Parkside Building during February, where it could be viewed by the public, and attracted significant media interest.

Scenes from the exhibition

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Law students demonstrate their debating skillsStudent mooters have put their expert advocacy skills into action to triumph over both Bradford and Coventry universities in two recent competitions.

In the first round of the Oxford University Press National Mooting Competition, our Mooting Society team beat Bradford University by a resounding 52 points. Students Chanae Humes and Kirko Profirov were praised as “truly excellent”by the judge.

Continuing their success, the team beat Coventry University to secure victory in the first round of the English Speaking Union National Mooting Competition. Students Ellis Isherwood and Joshua Longhorne impressed the judge so much with their excellent performance that he offered them the possibility of a mini pupillage at his chambers.

Such valuable networking opportunities with legal professionals are just one benefit of taking part in mooting, along with improving your communication and legal practice skills.

Senior Lecturer in Law Sarah Cooper said: “The students involved have triumphed emphaticallyon a national stage, demonstrating they have first-rate research, analysis and advocacy skills. These skills will ensure they succeed handsomelyin the legal profession, and open up opportunitiesfor work experience, networking and scholarships.”

Student nurses show reality of life on the wards

Nursing students from the University have been starring in a new ITV documentary series showing the day-to-day working lives of student nurses.

Student Nurses: Bedpans to Bandages followed the diverse backgrounds and lives of trainee nurses in Birmingham and Manchester, with all the pressures, emotions and challenges they face both in training and on the wards.

The series offers an insight into what it takes to become a nurse in the 21st Century, uncoversthe motivation behind the student nurses’ dreamsand shows the challenges they face on a daily basis - juggling academic study with home life and work on the wards.

Four Birmingham City University students appeared in the series: TK, a father of two who discovered his dream career in child nursing and was filmed on placement at Birmingham Children’s Hospital; adult nursing student Aimeewho realised her aspiration to be become a nurse after working in a care home for the elderly with dementia; 48-year-old grandmother Diane who first trained as a hairdresser before becoming a mental health nurse; and mature student Dany who is picking up on a career she began training for three decades ago.

Dany’s first shot at nursing was cut short by illness, but her teenage dream never left her. She’s now in her second year studying adult nursing at Birmingham City University, and said: “When I started at 19, I was nothing like I am now. I was shy, I wouldn’t have said boo to a goose. Now, 30 years later, I can’t believe I’m back doing what I started.

“In my previous job, by the time I left it, I wasn’t getting any job satisfaction. But, you’ve only got to get one person who’s appreciative of the care and that is enough sometimes during the day to make it worthwhile.”

Dany Morris-Spence is among the stars of the new TV series Wheels in motion for a ‘green’ racing futureStudents from our University recently provided a glimpse into a more environmentally-friendly future for motorsport when they worked together to build their own, fully-functioning racing car – which runs entirely off electric power.

The students had two weeks to put together the iRacer – the world’s first built-at- home electric race car kit – as part of the Birmingham Made Me Design Expo.

The iRacer was developed as part of a partnership between the University and Kingswinford-based Westfield Sportscars Ltd was established to develop an all-electric sports car which would support the growing demand for zero emission racing vehicles. Westfield is one of the country’s leading suppliers of specialist sports cars, having sold over 13,000 of its cars worldwide since 1983.

The iRacer kit, available from £13,999, can be transformed quickly between electric, hybrid and internal combustion engines and is designed for colleges, universities and members of the public to build at their own premises and in their own time. The kit hasbeen designed to complement the experienceour students get through the annual FormulaStudent competition, a testing ground for the next generation of world-class engineersin which Birmingham City University regularly competes.

Parmjit Chima, Head of the School of Engineering, Design and Manufacturing Systems, said: “This partnership will benefit students by developing a pipeline of valuable technical and employability skills.”

Successful students Ellis Isherwood and Joshua Longhorne

STUDENT NEWS

Sound Engineer passes on experienceHaving graduated from Birmingham City University with a degree in Sound Engineering and Production in 2010, Paul Smith went on to build up a successful career in the industry and now helps students who are on the same course today.

He lectures in areas such as mastering, advanced mixing techniques, effects and processing, advanced recording techniques, microphone placements, microphone design and drum tuning. He also teaches on the legal and contractual issues a mixing and recording engineer could encounter.

He is currently the lead sound engineer and tutor at Base Studios in Stourbridge, where he set up and now runs the digital studio, and regularly produces artists’ work. He has undertaken many projects involving teaching disadvantaged youth for organisations such as Youth Music, as well as Arts Council England, and European Union and National Lottery-funded projects. He has been a tutor on accredited BTEC awards and unaccredited courses for various colleges, often teaching the teachers.

His main passion is live music and he often records and engineers live acts at venues. He is no stranger to being on stage himself, playing in bands along with being a session musician for various artists.

Paul is now looking to expand his skills further, using his background in electrical engineering to move into lighting installation and custom-made studio furniture.

#gobcuVISITING EXCELLENCE

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VisitingExcellence

The majority of our lecturers come from and maintain their links with industry, ensuring our students gain an insight into the latest developments in their chosen area of study. But you won’t just benefit from the expertise of our full-timemembers of staff – we also welcome a wide range of visiting lecturers and professors to the University to provide specialised insight and work on specific projects.

Here are just a few of them…

TOP MUSICIAN SHARES EXPERTISEStudents at Birmingham Conservatoire benefit from the expertise of a wide range of visiting tutors and consultants specialising in their chosen instrument. One such expertis internationally renowned virtuoso classicalpianist, promoter, artistic director, educator and writer Peter Donohoe.

Since his unprecedented success as joint winner of the 1982 International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, he has developed a distinguished career in Europe, the USA, the Far East and Australasia. A keen chamber musician, he is acclaimed as one of the foremost pianists of our time, for his musicianship, stylistic versatility and commanding technique. His awards include the Grand Prix International du Disque Liszt and the Gramophone Concerto award.

Peter is Vice-President of Birmingham Conservatoire and has a close association with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, which dates back to 1974. He was also Artistic Director of the Solihull Festival from 1991 to 1996. He has been awarded Honorary Doctorates of Music from a number of universities and was awarded a CBE for services to music in the 2010 New Year Honours List.

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VISITING EXCELLENCE

IMPROVING MEDICAL CARE FOR THE MILITARYOur Faculty of Health is home to a leadingexpert in improving the medical and surgical care of military personnel whohave sustained injuries on the battlefield. Consultant plastic surgeon and professor Lt Col Steven Jeffery shares the experiencegained during an extensive medical career, which has seen him serve three operational tours of duty in Northern Ireland and a further three in Afghanistan.

Steven joined the Royal Army Medical Corps as a student in 1986. He qualified through the universities of St Andrews and Manchester in 1989, and served as a medical officer with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders before completing his basic surgical training, becoming a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and of Glasgow.

In 2007 the numbers of casualties coming back from conflicts abroad rapidly rose, and Selly Oak Hospital struggled to cope with the large numbers of casualties. Steve moved to Birmingham to be the first military plastic surgeon in the city, as well as to be part of the burns team there. In recognition of his contribution to developing the military plastic surgery medical and nursing teams, Steve was awarded the Military Civilian Partnership Award for ‘Regular of the Year’ in 2011, as well as receiving the Wounds UK ‘Key Contribution’ award and the Smith and Nephew ‘Customer Pioneer of the Year’ award the same year.

In 2013, he became the fourth professor to join the Faculty of Health’s Tissue Viability Practice Development Unit, initially on avisiting basis before later becoming a permanent member of staff.

He said: “I teach on the Burns and Plastic nursing module, exposing postgraduate nurses to the science behind the practice of burns and plastic surgery.”

LEADING AMERICAN LAWYER PROVIDES INSIGHT

Our Centre for American Legal Studies (CALS) was established in 2010 as a centre of excellence for the study of the law of the USA.

One of the Centre’s visiting experts is James Kousouros, founder and principal of the Law Offices of James Kousouros. The criminal defence practice opened for business over 25 years ago and, since then, James has handled well over 1,000 criminal matters in the state and federal courts of the USA.

Over the years, his expertise in criminal matters has been sought by media organisations such as Fox News, DiscoveryChannel, The New York Times and Newsday.

James has been awarded a visiting professorship by Birmingham City University and he delivered the commencement address for the CALS launch. This covered the impact of new technology on people’s expectations of policies, focusing on a recent Supreme Court decision in the USA concerning law enforcement agencies fitting a tracking device to a suspect’s vehicle.

BUILDING NEW EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Paul Forster is a Visiting Professor of Management Practice at Birmingham City Business School, where he is building new relationships between the School and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the West Midlands.

He brings with him over 50 years of business experience, having started at Birmingham-based chocolate maker Cadbury as a market manager in 1963. More recently, he served as chief executiveof advertising agency Euro RSCG London and was founder of customer value management consultancy Lifetime Business Group Ltd. He also spent 10 years as chairman of Prostate Cancer UK, during which time he built it up to become the pre-eminent men’s health charity.

He first became involved with Birmingham City Business School in 2011, initially providing expert knowledge to students in the field of marketing and communications. Last year, he started work on a project which allows participating SMEs to access details of students who are looking for work or placement opportunities, including their two-minute audio-visual presentations as well as traditional CVs.

VISITING EXCELLENCE

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#gobcu

Donal MacIntyre (left) and Mark Williams-ThomasIan Emes talks about his work Mark (left) is interviewed by Donal on stage

New City Talks programme shares knowledge with the city

We aim to be a ‘university without walls’ - open not only to staff and students but also to the people of the city and the wider region.

To promote this ambition, we’ve recently launched a new public lecture series has been launched entitled City Talks, which features a programme of high profile speakers who share their views and insights on a range of topics. The series is free of charge to local people.

Highlights so far include best-selling crime writer R J Ellory, who spoke on the rich and varied history of his home city of Birmingham – a heritage he argued many of its residents had forgotten. The author explained that Birmingham can trace its origins to the Romans but came to global prominence during the Age of Enlightenment through its contribution

to the Industrial Revolution, led by visionaries such as the Lunar Society – a ‘super-group of innovators’.

Investigative journalist Mark Williams-Thomas was interviewed by fellow TV reporter Donal MacIntyre about his exposé of Jimmy Savile – and the seismic consequences of this explosive story, which lifted the lid on shocking abuse and exploitation. The child protection expert and visiting lecturer at Birmingham City University explained the truth behind the exposé and examined the ethics of revealing the facts many wanted to keep hidden from public view.

BAFTA award-winning film director Ian Emes revealed how some of the biggest names in rock and pop – including PinkFloyd – became his inspiration. Ian is recognised as a key figure in the cultural and musical revolution that shaped the 1970s and beyond. In his talk he revisited this heady period, which was when he first heard a friend play a Pink Floyd record that then inspired him to create a short film – a project that would transform his life.

To register to attend future events, please visit bcucitytalks.eventbrite.co.uk.

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Oscar nomination for University film tutorCongratulations to BirminghamCity University tutor Lee Thomasafter a short film he produced was nominated for an award at this year’s Oscars.

The Voorman Problem, produced by Lee Thomas, Senior Lecturer in Film Distribution and Marketing, was one of five films shortlisted in the Best Live Action Short Film category.

Produced by Lee in collaboration with emergingtalent Mark Gill and Baldwin Li, the short film tells the story of Doctor Williams, played by Martin Freeman, who is called to examine the enigmatic Mr Voorman, a prisoner with a peculiar affliction - he believes he is a god. Doctor Williams is left to question the sanity of Mr Voorman, played by Tom Hollander, and decide whether he is a faker or a lunatic.

Lee said: “It’s great to be involved with a short film that has been nominated for an Oscar. It still doesn’t seem quite real.”

The short is based on an extract from the novel Number9Dream by David Mitchell (Cloud Atlas) which Lee is also developing into a feature film with director Asif Kapadia (Senna) and Film4 (12 Years A Slave).

Our MA course in Film Distribution and Marketingis the first of its kind in Europe, and is led and taught by established industry practitioners like Lee.

Our experts in the newsOur academics are regularly asked to share their expertise. Their research and comments can be found in media ranging from the BBC and commercial radio stations to national newspapers and specialist websites.

Birmingham School of Architecture’s ProfessorLubo Jankovic is a leading expert in zero carbon buildings. He is often called on by the media to speak about environmental issues and recently gave his opinion on the Government’s plans to carry out fracking – drilling deep underground to release gas – arguing that it would mean a huge step backwards in dealing with climate change.

Ron Austin lectures on computer networks and has interests in network security, hacking,wireless and mobile technologies, and telecommunications and mobile applications. Thanks to his extensive expertise, he was invited to speak to the BBC about website hacking after new technology was designed to prevent attacks on websites.

Professor Craig Jackson, Head of Psychology,is interested in the effect of workplaces and working on people’s health and psychological wellbeing. He featured in The Daily Mail in February, discussing claims that compulsory fitness tests for police officers discriminate against women.

Applied Physiology lecturer Nigel Penny specialises in human nutrition, nutritional therapy and physical activity for health and exercise science, and he has been asked to comment in media as diverse as Marie Claire and the Daily Express, offering his expertise to the latter on remaining healthy over the winter months.

Senior Lecturer in Media and CommunicationsDave Harte is an expert in social media with experience of working closely with Birmingham’s vibrant digital media sector. He appeared on BBC Online after his research into social media was published, showing that Birmingham has more ‘hyperlocal’ news websites than any other council area.

Professor Mike Jackson, Director of AcademicQuality and Enhancement at Birmingham City Business School, has research interests centred on database technology, and wasapproached by BBC Midlands Today and Capital FM to speak about internet ‘trolling’, based on his research into how the internet and social media impact on society.

STAFF NEWS

Following the success of Killers Behind Bars, in which Professor David Wilson from Birmingham City University investigates some of Britain’s most notorious serial killers, another of our experts is now offering his insight into the criminal mind.

Professor Craig Jackson, Head of Psychology at Birmingham City University, is the scientific consultant for Spree Kills that Shook the World, a compelling documentary series that attempts to unravel the complex psychology behind some of the world’s most incomprehensible crimes.

Spree killings are defined as the killing of

Professor offers insight into killers’ minds

Professor Craig Jackson

Lee Thomas

two or more victims in multiple locations over a short period of time.

Each episode tells of unparalleled events, of warning signs missed and of lives that will never be the same again. Professor Jackson offers his explanations of different types of spree killings as high-impact but thankfully rare crimes, as well as giving insights into each of the 12 unique cases uncovered. Cases featured in series one include the Hungerford massacre, the Dunblane shootings, and the attempted killing spree of Raoul Moat.

The 12-part series began showing on Channel 5 in the UK at the end of March.

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Placement is huge boost to career opportunities

Our students have undertaken placements with many leading companies, gaining valuable experience of the workplace and building relationships with potential employers. There are many opportunities to gain the experience and contacts that will open doors. Get to grips with the realities of work - and exactly what potential employers are looking for - by spending time on placement with an employer or working on a real-life project.

PLACEMENTS AND WORK EXPERIENCE #gobcu

Tammy Yeshua described undertaking a year-long placement with international computing giant IBM as part of her BSc (Hons) Computer Science degree as the “best decision she has ever made”.

Tammy’s work for IBM led to her securinga place on a two-year graduate programmewith the firm as a Technical Consultant after she graduates.

In her role as a Maximo Support Dispatcher, she got to interact with big-name clients around the world, including Cisco, BP and Heathrow Express, building up her confidence and communication skills.

She says of her placement: “My overall 12 months as an IBM employee was an unbelievable experience. I interacted with industry professionals, gained strong and trustworthy relationships with interns and colleagues, and have been able to further improve my skills. As a result of my experience at IBM, I have been

head-hunted by three different companies, which has been a huge compliment.

“Several of my personal skills have improved considerably, such as my confidence and presentation skills, which I am hugely grateful to IBM and my team for.

“IBM has some of the best brains and talents in the world; therefore, as well as having a client-focused role, my manager always ensured that I gained the best possible experience from my time with the organisation. I had one-to-one meetings with executive managers and technical consultants, which is a specific role that I am interested in.

“I was also given the opportunity to interact with the labs at a different location,and became aware of the technologies being created. Taking a placement with one of the largest companies in the world was a ‘foot in the door’. I became aware of the processes the company followed and their business guidelines, putting me a step ahead of several candidates.”

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Harneet Paul

Graduates these days can expect to gothrough a rigorous recruitment process which can include lengthy online competency-based applications, psychometric tests and assessment centres.

In addition, employers are increasingly requiring students to have relevant workexperience. The recent report The GraduateMarket in 2014 from High Fliers Research,which focused on firms in The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers list, showed that over half the recruiters taking part in the research were ‘unlikely’ to offer places on their graduateprogrammes to people with little or no work experience. The study also showed that a record 37 per cent of this year’s entry-level positions were expected to be filled by graduates who have already worked for their organisations – either through paid internships, industrial placements or vacation work.

This puts students at Birmingham City University in a great position as so many of our courses already give you the opportunity to take part in work experience during your studies – and our target is for all courses to do so by 2015. Many of our graduates already go on to work for companies that they have spent time with on placement, showing the value of these opportunities.

The High Fliers study also showed that the UK’s leading employers expect to recruit significantly more graduates in 2014 and are offering 8.7 per cent more entry-level vacancies than last year – the biggest annual rise in graduate recruitment for four years. This substantial increase in vacancies takes graduate recruitment to its highest level since 2007 and means that there will be more opportunities for this summer’s university-leavers than at any time since the start of the recession.

Our Careers and Job Prospects team delivers Career Management workshops and advice as a standard part of our courses and offers workshops to all students to help develop your skills in applying for jobs, succeeding in psychometric tests and assessment centres, and performing well in interviews.

In addition, our Career Kickstart programme helps recent graduates who are looking for work. The team works closely with local employers and has an online jobs board advertising full and part-time job vacancies and internships available to students and graduates.

JO FAIRCareer Zone ManagerBirmingham City University

Getting aheadin the workplace

Accounting and Finance student secures Grant Thornton internshipAccounting and Finance student Harneel Paul is well on her way to success. When she graduates in 2015, her academic knowledge, hard work, determination and experience will help her to stand out from the crowd.

Harneel is keen to get the most out of her time at university, and while undertaking her placement year at Solihull Council, she has secured herself a summer audit internship at Grant Thornton, giving her two invaluable industry experiences before her final year at university.

The application process was rigorous and competitive but with her passion, commitment,existing knowledge and industry experience she managed to excel. She decided to apply to big firms as she believes that both academicachievement and a portfolio of practical experience are the key to success, especially when competing against a high calibre of students or graduates.

Harneel said: “Get as much experience and industry exposure as you can. It’s not just about academia; it’s also about experience and application of knowledge, and how you can act in certain situations.”

Harneel is enjoying her time at Solihull Council,and is now looking forward to the next chapter of her early career with the Public Sector Audit Internship at Grant Thornton, before returning to university for her final year.

There have been many changes to recruitment processesover the years. The days of leaving school or university and walking straight in to a job after an informal chat with an employer have long gone.

PLACEMENTS AND WORK EXPERIENCE #gobcu

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PLACEMENTS AND WORK EXPERIENCE #gobcu

The opportunity to combine the study of British and American legal systems, including spending time on placement in the USA, was a big attraction to Lauren Smith when deciding to study at Birmingham City University.

Having already undertaken a placement at a law firm in the UK as part of her course, Lauren then got to spend over two months working alongside a criminal defence attorney in Houston, Texas. As well as attending court on most days, she also carried out a lot of preparatory work including research, interviews and client visits.

She helped to secure a ‘not guilty’ verdict in a murder trial, and negotiated with prosecutors on two driving-while-intoxicated cases.

She said: “The whole experience has been amazing!You get to experience the job from all different aspects, from the paperwork all the way through to the trial. All the attorneys help you and are willing to take you under their wing so you have the best experience possible.”

Lauren said her time at Birmingham City University had been very beneficial in gathering the skills required in her chosen profession, with much of the experience she gained in the USA also applicable to legal practice here.

She added: “Everything that you learn in the American Criminal Procedure module you can see in practice over there, which shows that what you’re learning is relevant to practice and how the system works.

“The skills that attorneys use in the USA are transferrable to the UK because opening and closing statements and questioning is the same; you just need to apply it to English law rather than US law.”

Making the most of Stateside opportunities

Lauren Smith

Designs attract industry attentionA BA (Hons) Textile Design student recently had the opportunity to work exclusively with Brintons Carpets, and exhibit her designs at INTERIORS UK – the UK’s definitive interiors event for furniture, lifestyle and design.

Chloe Frost was introduced to the Creative Director of Brinton’s at a graduate degree show and made the most of the opportunity, organising a two-week work placement with the company. During her placement, Chloe worked in both the archive and design studios, using their revolutionary 32-colour ‘High Definition Weave’ technology and CAD software to generate design ideas for a new range of rugs, while working with the company archive to recolour and modernise some of their previous designs. The placement provided Chloe with the chance to turn design processes into context, gave her insight into new construction methods and forged her some useful industry links.

One of Chloe’s own designs - from a portfolio of work she produced for a Global Color Research project - was selected by Brinton’s to produce as a rug for INTERIORS UK. Along with this, other samples of her work were displayed as part of an interior set.

She says of her placement: “The overall experience was extremely beneficial. It has increased my confidence and opened up industry links. It has also opened my eyes to industry and how design briefs work in a real work environment, I confirmed myinterest in commercial design and production, and it has inspired me to pursue a career in the textile industry working on large client accounts and projects.”

Chloe is now looking at MA courses in woven textiles and hopes to go on to work for atextile mill or studio as a woven textile designer.

Designs by Chloe Frost

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PLACEMENTS AND WORK EXPERIENCE #gobcu

Journalism students gain experience with Birmingham Mail

In the field of journalism, experience is essential to getting ahead. Six of our Media and Communication (Journalism) students recently had the chance to gain experience in events coverage by assisting in the Birmingham Mail’s coverage of the Great Birmingham Run.

Carmen Valencia Lopez, Calum Sexton, Kefira Matthew, Suzannah Parsons, Hardeep Kaur and Sarata Jabbi conducted interviews, wrote articles and took photos for the newspaper.

Carmen, a student from Spain studying at Birmingham City University on the Erasmus programme, volunteered as a photographer. She says “It was very enriching to feel that you were covering an event of this magnitude.”

Her work was published on the Birmingham Mail website throughout the day as part of a live blog. For Carmen, the experience was particularly beneficial as it gave her experience in a role related to her degree along with contributing to the development of her language skills, her self-confidence and her independence that she has found through coming to Birmingham City University.

She says her time at the University has been amazing. “If I could choose, I would do my whole degree here, I feel Birmingham City University gives more opportunities to the students and also the facilities are so new! I am sure that my year here is going to make a difference when I get back to my university in Spain.”

This helped him to secure another prestigious role on graduation, as Product Development Graduate at Aston Martin.

Having decided at college that he wanted to follow his passion for cars and motorcycles, he looked at the content of our Automotive Engineering degree and felt it would be interesting, relevant and challenging, as well as helping him to achieve his aim of building a career in the automotive industry.

For his placement, Mike worked at Bentley’s Crewe headquarters as an IndustrialPlacement Trainee – Body Engineering. He was given the sole responsibility for the manual boot system of the next generationContinental GT Flying Spur, and was involvedwith a wide spectrum of activities. He undertook design of parts, developed them together as a system, tested this system and finally validated it. He was also encouraged to undertake various personal and professional development courses and

activities, and support ‘extra-curricular’ work such as charity and school liaison work to further develop his skills.

He said: “I undertook an industrial placementyear because in today’s job market, it is very difficult to stand out from the crowd. A placement year allowed me to demonstrate my competence to employers away from academia, and gave me a vast amount of experience to draw from in interviews.

“I now hope to get involved with as many different aspects of the automotive business as possible through my graduate scheme and progress into a design engineering role with lots of responsibility on some of the world’s finest sports cars. I hope to continue to develop here at Aston Martin, and contributeas much as possible to the many exciting future prospects for the company. From there, I hope the opportunity will arise to progress within the company and build a real base of technical expertise in my chosen field.”

Mike has secured a prestigious role with Aston Martin

Carmen Valencia Lopez

After coming to Birmingham City University through Clearing, Mike Carter benefited from the expertise of our staff and the cutting-edge facilities at Millennium Point, and built his experience with a placement year at luxury carmaker Bentley.

Bentley placement puts wheels in motion for successful career

GRADUATE SUCCESS #gobcu

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Sound of success for HarryA graduate from our BMus (Hons) Jazz programme has successfully built a name for himself as a composer for film and TV. Harry Lightfoot’s career has gone from strength to strength over the past five years, acquiring a contract with Accorder Music and working on projects for big names including BT, Olay, MaxFactor, Milka, Sony, Ford and Hyundai.

His recent work has seen him creating sound design to accompany the BBC’s Original British Drama logo and composing the theme tune for Britain’s Big Wildlife Revival. As well as TV work, Harry has composed for BAFTA-winning film production companies and game developer Namco Bandai.

After graduating, Harry worked full-time as a teacher, during which time he also performed as a session musician for variouspop artists, worked as a recording studio engineer, played in wedding and party bands, and started to write music. Within two years, he had signed a major publishing deal and began life as a full-time composer.

He said: “I knew I wanted to be a full-time professional musician, and I knew that studying jazz would give me the knowledge and discipline to be able to make that happen. The main thing that I appreciated was the real world lessons we were taught; lessons in how to cope with being self-employed and how to promote yourself as a full-time musician. That kind of stuff is invaluable. It’s all well and good being a great musician but that alone won’t make you a success.

“I’m proud of anything that I write that gets used as it shows that all the hard work and perseverance pays off. You can’t beat the rush of knowing that millions of people are listening to your music!”

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Sarah has designs on a successful futureA graduate from our Visual Communication programme has landed a role with one of the most prestigious names in retail, as Lead Packaging Designer for London department store Harrods.

Sarah Carter’s role involves leading a team of five, creating concepts and artwork, and producing packaging for various ranges.

After graduating from Birmingham City University with a degree in Visual Communication in 2009, she worked for the University as a designer, and then moved

to a design company in Redditch where she worked on various projects with clients including BMW and Rolls-Royce. From there, she decided to move to London, landing a role as part of the design team at Harrods.

She was employed as an all-round designer at first, working on various brochures, campaigns and signage, all under the Harrods brand. She also got to work on a number of packaging projects, and it was here that she excelled due to the varied and creative nature of the work.

Graduates land roles with top fashion label

Two of our students are celebrating after gaining prestigious graduate positions with world-famous fashion label Abercrombie and Fitch. Cleo McColgan (top) and Phoebe Stonehill (above), who both graduated from the BA (Hons) Fashion Design course, are part of a handful of elite graduates recruited by the company each year. They both took up their new roles at Abercrombie’s head office in Ohio in February 2014.

Cleo explained that the opportunity came about when representatives of the firm saw their portfolios at Graduate Fashion Week, which all design students take part in each year. After impressing in an initial interview, they then had to complete a project before a second interview in the USA, which led to them both securing the role.

She said: “With the course we got the option to go to Graduate Fashion Week, where the people from Abercrombie saw our portfolios and invited us to an interview in London. I thought it was worth a shot – I wasn’t expecting too much, but it went really well. They then gave me a project to see if I could cater for their customer market. They gave me a call to say they really liked it and I was called over for a second interview in the USA. The interview went well, and soon after I had the call to say I was successful!

“Their role of design assistant consists of trainingthroughout the first year. They had really looked after us throughout the whole interview process, right through to flying us out. Overall, Abercrombie and Fitch seem to be an amazing company to work for. You are encouraged to grow within the company, so there’s definitely the option to stay there and progress.”

As part of her course, Cleo got to undertake placements with London-based designers Lulu Liu and Julien Macdonald, as well as benefiting from the expertise of our lecturers, with her experience helping her to secure her new role.

She added: “I chose the course because it was so open – it gave you the chance to try lots of different options in your first year, which was

good for me because at that time I didn’t know what I wanted to specialise in. When it came to picking my options for the second year, I knew by then that I wanted to do fashion design, so I chose three options in that field, but again, if you’re still not sure you can choose options from different areas.

“There is the opportunity to do a placement for one of your second year options, and receive a mark for it, but I thought it was more important to make as much of the teaching as possible and do a placement in my own time, which I did between the second and third year with an internship at Lulu Liu is London, which was very eye-opening – I got to work with the designers and they trusted me a lot more than I expected. I did a lot of pattern work, and worked with the team up to Fashion Week. After I completed my course, I did another internship with Julien Macdonald, even though I already had the job with Abercrombie lined up, because I’d got so much out of interning before.

“I think the course is brilliant, particularly becauseof the tutors – they’re so supportive, and I’m still friends with many of them now – they keep in touch with us and ask how we’re getting on. They do really care for us and want us to do well, and that’s what really makes the course.”

GRADUATE SUCCESS #gobcu

Phoebe’s final collection Cleo’s final collection

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GRADUATE SUCCESS #gobcu

Emma Shipley, an exceptionally talented textile designer and illustrator, has won the prestigiousAvery Dennison Emerging Fashion Brand prize at the Global Fashion Awards, staged by the world’s leading fashion forecaster, WGSN.

Since graduating with a first class BA (Hons) Textile Design degree from Birmingham Institute of Art and Design (BIAD) in 2008, Emma completed an MA at the Royal College of Art. Her work has won her a number of awards including theTexprint Pattern Prize in 2011 and the UKFashion and Textiles RISE Newcomer Award.Her work, which has been described as ‘astonishingly skilful and distinctive’, has received international acclaim.

After launching her label Emma J Shipley in 2012 at London Fashion Week, Emma’s line of silk scarves are now stocked in luxury department stores internationally.As well as being on sale in Liberty, Harvey

Nichols, Fenwick and Fortnum & Mason in London, her work can be found in Paris,Hong Kong and the USA.

Emma has come to be known for her highly skilled drawings transferred onto delicate silk, wool and cashmere scarves with vibrant colourways, along with her considered and creative brand development.

Her designs are inspired primarily by nature, taking inspiration from places as diverse as Birmingham’s Botanical Gardens through to her travels to the Amazon jungle and on safari in Africa.

Emma definitely made the most of her time as a student, winning both the Eric Mead award for Excellent Studentshipand the Burberry Design live project, with subsequent work placement opportunity. This led to her selection as one of the University’s Alumni of the Year in 2013.

She says of her recent award: ”It’s been brilliant; it’s fantastic to have that support and recognition from such a successful company as Avery Dennison, and also

from the WGSN awards which are so respected in the industry.”

“My business is growing each season and I’ve been pursuing some really exciting collaborations. For example, at London Fashion Week I launched a collaboration with Nails Inc, and with Atelier Swarovski on exclusive scarves and jewellery.

“The Textiles course was really the grounding to everything I’m doing now; I’ve progressed and developed since graduating but it all stems from the three years I spent there learning about textiles and developing my design handwriting.”

Tim Voegele-Downing, Global Creative Director at Avery Dennison commented: “Emma J Shipley ultimately stood out. She created not just an electrifying collection but also a powerful brand that helps differentiate her products.”

The award includes a €12,000 prize from Avery Dennison to help Emma elevate her brand.

Textile graduate’s success at WGSN Global Fashion Awards

Some of Emma’s designs (Images ©Emma J Shipley Ltd)

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GRADUATE SUCCESS #gobcu

With the film already attracting praise at the San Jose International Short Film Festival, Tom Green, 27, was one of just three films shortlistedin the Short Film and Animation category at the prestigious event in September 2013.

The 10-minute film The Ref, which was filmed in Cardiff, tells the story of a devil-like character, The Ref, who takes a sinful boxer back through hisheinous past before offering his final judgement.

Tom said: “Really, it’s a story about revenge, justice and comeuppance. It has a powerful message that’s really close to my heart - it’s aboutpeople paying for the bad things they do in life.”

It’s all the more special for the young director as the film was entirely self-funded. “I basicallybegged and borrowed to try to make it as cheaply as possible. Between my girlfriend and I, we managed to get together enough money to pay for actors and locations but I had to call on lots of favours from the crew I’d been working with over the previous years.”

Some of Emma’s designs (Images ©Emma J Shipley Ltd)

Tom had written the script a year before he finally began filming. “There’s nothing worse thana script sat on your table that you’re desperate to make without the means to do it. After six months had passed I’d had enough of waiting and I knew I had to do something about it.”

Tom, originally from Essex and now based in London, has enjoyed a fruitful career since graduating with a First Class degree in Media and Communication. He spent four years in Cardiff working at independent television company Wild Dream Films, where he was responsible for pitching and producing international documentaries for major international broadcasters including Discovery and National Geographic.

He has since gone on to work as a producer on various projects in Qatar before being hired to head up the development team at London based BriteSpark Films working alongside award-winning producer Nick Godwin.

Drumming up a promising career

When Jonathan Silk began playing the drumsat the age of 12, he never imagined that he would have his own album out in the future.

But since graduating from Birmingham Conservatoire, his big band album Uncouth, which was launched in July, has already received critical acclaim and has been nominated for a Scottish Jazz Award.

Jonathan, who is originally from Scotland, is now developing his skills as a drummer, composer and big band leader.

He is now undertaking a Fellowship with Town Hall Symphony Hall, spending a year working on big band compositions. Artistic Adviser Tony Dudley-Evans, who also lectures at the Conservatoire, took him under his wing.

Jonathan’s Fellowship is supported by an award of £10,000 he received from the BBC Performing Arts Fund. He appeared on BBC One’s The Voice UK when the programme featured footage of successful grant winners, with an update on what they’ve been up to since receiving funding.

Jonathan says the Conservatoire gave him a huge range of opportunities and was the springboard for his career.

“I chose Birmingham City University after going to an open day; it just felt right. A lot of the experience for me was about meeting like-minded people. I did jazz drums for four years, which was great,” he says. “I was taught by very talented professionals who are working and gigging, including drummers who are world-renowned.”

Graduateearns BAFTA nominationTom Green, who graduated from our Birmingham School of Media in 2008, earned a Welsh BAFTA nomination for his debut short film, which he wrote and directed himself.

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MATTHEW CHRISTIEBA (Hons) Media and Communication, 2005 Excellence in Sport or the Arts

Matthew Christie has built a successful career on the back of his lifelong passion for, and interest in, boxing. Having graduated with a First Class Honours degree in Media and Communication, specialising in TV production, he got his break with specialist production company KOTV before becoming one of the world’s most respected writers on the subject, working for Boxing News magazine and various national newspapers.

Despite his enthusiasm for the sport, Matt had found himself side-tracked into an unfulfilling retail career after his A Levels until, at the age of 24, he decided to make changes in his life and follow his dream of working in a boxing-related role in the media.

After graduating, Matthew was offered a job withKOTV as a runner, becoming a producer within two years. In 2009, his dream job as a reporter for Boxing News came up and he beat 400 other candidates to secure the role. In 2011, he was promoted to senior writer and by the end of the year he was web editor on the new Boxing News website. He now presents the weekly internet show BNTV, and hosts the weekly podcast The Opening Bell, which has over 10,000 listeners, while still writing for the magazine and website every day.

He said: “I remember when I went back to University, it wasn’t an easy decision but it turned out to be the best thing I ever did. Whenever I speak to family or friends now, who are perhaps unsure of what to do in the future, I always advise them to get a solid education – decide what field you are interested in and then go for it. That’s what I did and I can’t thank the University enough for everything they did for me.”

ALUMNI OF THE YEAR #gobcu

Alumni of the YearBirmingham City University Alumni of the Year recognisesand celebrates the outstanding achievements of our graduates, make a real difference across the globe in a variety of ways.

Each year, the University names up to five Alumni of the Year in three categories – Enterprise and Innovation, Community Engagement and Leadership, and Excellence in Sport or the Arts.

We were delighted to announce this year’s Alumni of the Year in December, and the recipients were presented withtheir certificates and sterling silver Alumni of the Year pinsat our graduation ceremonies in February and March.

LAURA MVULABMus (Hons), 2008Excellence in Sport or the Arts

Composition graduate Laura Mvula is a singer-songwriter, who has been recognised as one of the music industry’s most exciting new artists. She landed her first record deal with Sony Music Entertainment’s flagship label, RCA Records, and in March 2013 released her debut album, Sing to the Moon, which reached the UK Top 10.

Laura won two MOBO awards in 2013 – Best Female Act and Best R&B/Soul Act – plus nominations for BRIT and Q awards; her album – acclaimed by the Sunday Times culture magazine as “a masterpiece” – was shortlisted for the Barclaycard Mercury Music Prize and she came fourth in the BBC’s Sound of 2013 list of up-and-coming new artists.

Her talents are not confined to the microphone, as she has also been named as one of Marks & Spencer’s Britain’s Leading Ladies, which sees her feature alongside actress Dame Helen Mirren and singer Ellie Goulding to promote the High Street chain’s new clothing range.

She said: “It’s been a whirlwind. When I started I didn’t really have big aspirations or ideas about what could happen so I’ve been blown away at every step of the journey. I’m still trying to process everything that happened last year, from playing Glastonbury, to supporting Prince to receiving a Mercury Prize nomination – even releasing an album seems like a dream. There’s so much to take in but I’m just really grateful for everything that’s happened.”

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ALUMNI OF THE YEAR #gobcu

CATHERINE TYLDESLEYBA (Hons) Acting, 2006Excellence in Sport or the Arts

Catherine Tyldesley is one of the most recognisable faces to have graduated from Birmingham School of Acting in recent years, having played Eva Price in top TV soap Coronation Street since June 2011.

After graduating from Birmingham School of Acting, one of her first acting jobs was a guest role as a midwife in Coronation Street, as well as appearing in such popular series as Holby City, The Royal, Emmerdale and Shameless. She enjoyed her first starring role in the 1920s-set BBC drama Lilies and also showed she had an eye for comedy, appearing in sketch show Scallywagga and sitcoms Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps and Trollied.

Having wanted to sing and act on stage from an early age, Catherine performed with varioustheatre groups as a child and teenager but chose to get formal training before embarking on a professional career.

She said: “I auditioned for a lot of schools and out of all of them, Birmingham School of Acting was the one that impressed me the most. I came down for the audition day and the tutors we met were all great, and it was the only place that gave feedback to everyone, regardless of whether they offered you a place or not. I learned so much on that day, I thought ‘just imagine what I’d learn in three years’. The tuition we received was absolutely outstanding– so many of our tutors had worked in the actingbusiness all their lives, so to have the benefit of their experience was amazing for all of us.”

JACK ROWBA (Hons) Jewellery and Silversmithing: Design for Industry, 2009 Enterprise and Innovation

Jack Row is an award-winning craftsperson and designer. He has won a number of awards for his collections of luxurious precious metal fountain pens and cufflinks, including the coveted British Jewellers Association prize for his precious metal fountain pen design and a gold medal prize from the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths.

He was first inspired to create a luxury pen prototype with matching cufflinks after spotting

a gap in the market during his dissertation research. After graduation, Jack spent a year-and-a-half working for a local bespoke jewellerymanufacturer, and during evenings and weekendshe continued to develop his single prototype into a complete collection of pens and cufflinks.

His flagship ‘Architect’ collection debuted at prestigious store Harrods in November 2011 and has since become his most celebrated work. Jack has recently launched a collection ofmore affordable, handcrafted pens and cufflinksand also offers a bespoke jewellery service.

He said: “I am a very proud graduate of the School of Jewellery, and to me this award

also recognises the achievements of the School as a whole and the dedication its staff put into the education of each student, consistently producing graduates who are shaping our industry.”

REENA JAISIAHBA (Hons) Sociology, 2003Community Engagement and Leadership

Reena Jaisiah is involved in a number of projectswhich help to bring diverse communities together, fitting the work around her full- time role as a curriculum support officer in an inner-city school.

She is a member of an ethnic group that has faced caste-based discrimination worldwide. Reena joined Caste Watch UK in 2003 and is believed to have been the first person in the UK to speak out publically against caste discrimination.

Reena formed a theatre company called Caste Away Arts, and co-wrote and directed sell-out play ‘The Fifth Cup’. She has worked with

local charity Kairos running a drama course for women caught up in sex work, or at risk of prostitution.

In 2009, she delivered arts programmes to orphans and members of the Tamil community in Sri Lanka, and has supported war-affected young people through drama project Release UK. She is currently planning to deliver a series of drama taster sessions in a women’s prison with the support of Prison Link.

She said: “I’m the kind of person that, if an issueaffects me, or I see it affecting other people, I haveto do something about it. Caste discrimination was something that had touched me and my community, and I wanted to be proactive and bring the issue into the open. Being involved in schemes such as this have a positive effect on me as well – I get so much out of it.”

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Next phase of development is announced

Having already committed over £180 million in developing our estate and learning facilities, we have recently unveiled plans for a further £58 millionof improvements to consolidate most of our teaching onto two state-of-the- art campuses.

From 2017 we will move all teaching and learning, research and business engagement services, student support and professional services to our City South Campus in Edgbaston and our City Centre Campus within Eastside and near Millennium Point – which encompasses our satellite sites for the School of Art, School of Jewellery and Birmingham Conservatoire – with both sites benefiting from new purpose-built facilities.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Cliff Allan feels that the exciting long-term estates strategy will ensure that Birmingham City University is best-paced to become a university of choice for Birmingham, the West Midlands, the UK and internationally,by providing facilities and a learning experience which are world-class.

“Positioning the University at the heart of the city will enable us to capitalise on connections and better engage with local and national business, enabling us to continue our focus on professional and practice-based courses and development to attract students to the city and retain highly-skilled graduates in the region.

“The significant amount of new build on both sites will enable us to create best practice facilities and an environment which embraces new technology and the innovative methods of teaching and learning required by today’s students and business partners.”

INVESTING IN YOUR FUTURE #gobcu

A second new building will house our business,law, social science and English courses from September 2015, as well as new library, IT and student support facilities, providing a ‘one stop shop’ for our students’ needs.

With the foundations and steel frame of the building complete, work is now starting to take place on the internal structure. The landmark building will feature two wings of teaching accommodation, linked by a central atrium. Our flexible teaching space will incorporate traditional lecture theatres and seminar rooms,as well as more informal ‘break out’ areas.

The development is also benefiting currentstudents, with those on our architecture and

construction-related courses getting the opportunity to visit the site to shadow staff from contractors Willmott Dixon Construction, giving them a greater insight into the design and building process. There will also be an opportunity for up to seven students to gain placements on site, with one placement being a fully-paid position.

Our Student Services team is consulting with students to find out what they want from the new hub, while the student steering groups from Birmingham City Business School and the Faculty of Education, Law and Social Sciences are also involved in gathering the opinions of students.

New city centre building taking shapeFollowing the successful completion of our Parkside Building – which opened its doors to students on our design and media courses in September – work is now well under way on the next phase of our City Centre Campus development.

An artist’s impression of our new building, which opens in 2015

The Parkside Building lands green titleOur new Parkside Building, which opened in September 2013, is not just providing a fantastic learning environment for our design and media students – it has also been recognised for its high environmental standards.

The flagship building picked up the ‘Sustainability Award’ at the Inside West Midlands Property Awards in November 2013, beating competition from the new Library of Birmingham and the Two Snowhill office development.

It was praised by judges for the ‘attention to detail’ that had been put into the project, with innovations including solar panels, a biomass boiler and a ‘brown roof’ providing natural habitats for wildlife.

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INVESTING IN YOUR FUTURE #gobcu

City Centre Campus

Margaret Street

Birmingham Conservatoire

TV gallery, The Parkside Building

School of Jewellery

Textile room, The Parkside Building

Mock ward, City South Campus

Our facilitiesWherever you study at Birmingham City University, you can be sure you will benefit from access to some of the best facilities available for your chosen subject.

Our main City Centre Campus in Eastside currently consists of two buildings – Millennium Point and The Parkside Building – with more developments planned over the coming years.Students from the Faculty of Technology, Engineering and the Environment, Birmingham School of Acting, Birmingham School of Media and design courses from Birmingham Institute of Art and Design are already learning here.

Our state-of-the-art Mediahouse, within The Parkside Building, includes four industry-standard TV studios, plus our green screen MILO studio, providing the largest concentration of TV facilities to be found between London and Salford, as well as radio studios and Avid editing suites. Students on our design-related

courses benefit from dedicated workshops for print, textiles, woodwork, ceramics and glass; photography studios and darkrooms; and digital print and pattern-making facilities.

For the Faculty of Technology, Engineering andthe Environment (TEE), facilities include noiseand vibration cells, a robotic laboratory andfantastic recording facilities, including a vintagemixing desk. Our £4 million purpose-builtBirmingham School of Acting benefits from10 studios with specialist acoustic panelling,sprung floors and a large performance studioregarded as a benchmark for drama trainingfacilities in the UK.

Our trainee health professionals get to enhancetheir skills in the most realistic environments possible at the City South Campus, where facilities include mock hospital wards, an operating theatre and birthing room, a simulated home environment, virtual radio-therapy suite and radiography training centre.

Facilities at our City North Campus include mock classrooms for our education students and an imitation court room for the use of trainee lawyers – so realistic it has been used as a set by TV drama producers!

Our art students gain plenty of creative inspirationby studying in a Grade I listed Venetian Gothic building at Margaret Street in the heart of Birmingham city centre. Despite these historic surroundings, they still have access to cutting-edge resources with light and airy studios, gallery and installation spaces and dedicated workshops for wood, metal, plaster, fibreglass, ceramics, digital media, print and photography.

One of the most significant jewellery schools in the world stands in Vittoria Street, right in the heart of Birmingham’s famous Jewellery Quarter, where much of the jewellery made in Britain today is manufactured, providing great opportunities to build contacts with future employers. You’ll benefit from industry-standard equipment, exhibition space and a specialist library.

Music students at Birmingham Conservatoire benefit from our location at the heart of the city, close to the Symphony Hall and Town Hall venues. Facilities include state-of-the-artrecording and editing suites, 50 dedicated practice rooms and our 520-seat concert hall. We’re making plans for a new home for the Conservatoire as part of the redevelopment of Birmingham city centre, with details set to be announced soon.

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#gobcuWHY BIRMINGHAM?

When I first arrived in Birmingham, I was overwhelmed. Coming from a mid-sized town, Birmingham seemed to go on forever, yet while you soon get to know your way aroundthe main areas, there is always a new hidden gem, a new perfect coffee shop, a new best bar and a new event or opportunity to be found.

ShoppingBirmingham’s Bullring shopping centre has over 160 shops and is open until 8pm during the week. If you can’t find what you need there, you’ll find it elsewhere in Birmingham city centre or nearby Solihull, where there are plenty of shops but a lot less hustle and bustle. Digbeth is home to Birmingham’s string of vintage boutiques, namely COW vintage warehouse, and the Custard Factory – home to independent retailers, galleries, music shops and host of monthly vintage fairs. Another alternativeshopping destination, the underground Oasis Market, is where you’ll find independent retailers, music stores, piercing shops and unique fashion.

ArtBirmingham Museum and Art Gallery hosts attractions including the priceless treasure of the Staffordshire Hoard and thelargest public Pre-Raphaelite collection in the world. With Birmingham’s great rail connections, you can also get to The New Art Gallery in Walsall and The Herbert inCoventry in less than 30 minutes; both arehosts to regular exhibitions. Sophie Bancroft,a recent graduate from MA Fine Art, says: “Brum has the kind of arts scene that makesyou want to live here even beyond your degree, from painting shows to performance

events, galleries in all corners of the city and events in the coolest of bars. The arts scene in Brum is a proper community and so exciting to be part of whether as a practitioner or just a viewer.”

MusicDepending on whether you like big, loud, world-class names or you prefer local acoustic guitar musicians with your decaffeinated coffee, Birmingham can cater for all. Urban Coffee Company in Church Street puts on monthly Open Mic nights, Live Music Friday, where they stay open late and serve coffee and tea as well as alcoholic beverages. The Yardbird is a good bar with live music most nights (and an ostrich burger stand outside).

At the other end of the scale, two of Birmingham’s larger venues, the LG Arena and the National Indoor Arena, have upcoming gigs including Little Mix, Robbie Williams, Dolly Parton, Miley Cyrus and Lady Gaga. The O2 Academy and The Institute also have regular gigs and club nights. If pop isn’t your thing, Birmingham is the only city outside the capital to have a world-class symphony orchestra, and Symphony Hall puts on regular shows.

A student’s guide to BirminghamSarah Holmes, a third-year English student, gives her guide to the city

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WHY BIRMINGHAM? #gobcu

FoodBirmingham’s Balti Triangle is famous for its array of restaurants and takeaways offering spectacular curry dishes. The multicultural city offers an abundance of worldwide delicacies. Every nation is represented in Birmingham, with Portuguese, Hungarian, Lebanese, Indian, Polish and Caribbean restaurants dotted about the city.

Recent eateries tried and tested include The Plough, a pub in Harborne serving excellent meals with two-for-one on brunch, pizzas and burgers during the week, and Cafephilia in Moseley which offers Has Bean coffee (a favourite of mine)along with a range of snacks including freshly baked bread toasted and served with butter and jam – simple but perfect! I have also been highly recommendedMount Fuji, a Japanese restaurant in Spiceal Street, part of The Bullring, and Indianos in Acocks Green, a short train ride from the city centre. And when you’re cooking for yourself, you’ll never fail to find an ingredient you need in Birmingham’srange of world-food stores, supermarkets and farmers’ markets.

CinemaAlongside two Odeons, a Cineworld and the Big Screen at Millennium Point,

Birmingham city centre hosts the UK’s oldest working cinema, The Electric. With sofas, a bar and waiter service, you can enjoy screenings of independent films, foreign movies and classics alongside the best reviewed mainstream releases in style. Hannah Giblin, a third-year English and Media student and film aficionado, suggests: “Birmingham is a brilliant place to get lost in the world of film. Filmmakers flock to Birmingham throughout the year to experience the Flatpack Festival, a film and performance festival that takes place all over the city and can unearth new and upcoming talents.”

OutdoorsDespite being known as Birmingham’ssecond biggest city, it doesn’t take too longto find some peace in the great outdoors. Birmingham’s canal system offers relaxingroutes for walking and cycling, and the cyclepaths are undergoing a great improvement.Most notable for me is the Rea River Valley route which takes you from Digbeth to Longbridge via Cannon Hill Park. Winding paths through parks full of football players and kite flyers alongside the River Rea makefor a beautiful, easy Sunday afternoon. Many also don’t know that Europe’s largesturban park is in north Birmingham: Sutton Park covers 2,400 acres and has seven lakes, beautiful woodland, restaurants and a donkey sanctuary!

NightlifeBirmingham is the youngest city in Europe with under-25s accounting for over 40 percent of the population. Because of this, the city has an abundance of opportunitiesfor the young including a booming nightlifescene. From the glitzy bars and multi-roomed clubs of Broad Street, the

underground scene in Digbeth and the pubs and bars of student rich Selly Oak, there is something for everyone. My housemate, also an English student, lovesthe alternative nights at bar Scruffy Murphy’sand club Subside. In the city’s Jewellery Quarter, bars include The Rectory, with cocktail deals if you get there before 9pm. My favourite bar, BrewDog, prides itself on interesting ales but also stocks great whisky and bar snacks.

EventsI recently went to mac birmingham to watcha performance by Kate Tempest, a spoken word artist, and it was one of the best experiences I’ve had in Birmingham. Strongrap-esque vocals blasted triumphantlyfrom the enigmatic performance artist over a live score. In the introduction, Kate told the audience how much she loved Birmingham, saying that, unlike London, her hometown, everyone in Birmingham was so friendly.

The mac, based in one of Birmingham’s largest green spaces, Cannon Hill Park, is well worth a visit. It hosts regular art, theatre, dance and music events along with independent cinema showings. This year Birmingham will play host to the Wireless festival, which will be held less than one mile from our City North Campus,at Perry Park, from 4-6 July. Other events include Fusion Festival, Moseley Folk Festival and Supersonic. Birmingham event guide livebrum.com is your one-stop resource for what’s on.

Recruitment andcareer opportunities Many former students have chosen Birmingham to launch their careers, start businesses and improve their CVs. Birmingham City University offers many degrees that integrate work placements and sandwich years, and we also have our own employment agency, OpportUNIty – Student Jobs on Campus, providing work while you study. Birmingham is home to around 42,000 companies and over 900 international firms (Source: Business Birmingham), providing plenty of opportunities for part-time employment and work experience.

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#gobcuNEXT STEPS

Application deadlinesThe official on-time deadline for most courses is 15 January each year, but there is no need to panic if you missed this – Birmingham City University will continue to accept applications for most of our courses until the UCAS main cycle closes on 30 June.

However, some popular courses may well fill up earlier, so it’s best to get your application in as soon as you can. Once you have completed your application, the next stage will be to reply to the offers you receive.

Accepting or declining offersAfter submitting your application to us, we will either make a decision based on your application form and predicted grades, or invite you to an interview or audition before deciding. We will then make a conditional offer (a guaranteed place provided you meet certain conditions, usually exam results), an unconditional offer (if you have already met all the conditions), or inform you that your application has been unsuccessful.

You reply to your offers through Track on the UCAS website once you have received decisionsfrom all of your universities or colleges. Once the universities or colleges have all informed UCAS of their decision, UCAS will contact you, asking you to select your firm and insurance choices.

If you are waiting for decisions but you are no longer interested in these choices, you can withdraw them in Track and then reply to the offers you have already received.

You will need to reply to each offer in one of the following ways:• Your firm acceptance is your first choice

for where you want to study which may be unconditional or conditional (if it is conditional,you may also select one insurance choice). All other offers should be declined.

• Your insurance choice may be conditional or unconditional, and it is the university or college you are agreeing to attend if you do not meet the conditions of your firm choice. Therefore, it is usual to select a course

with lower entry requirements than your firm choice.

• You can only accept a maximum of one firm and one insurance offer and must decline the others – although if you wish, you may decline all of your offers and seek an alternative place.

What other options are available to me?

UCAS ExtraIf you do not receive any offers, or if you decline all the offers you receive, you can make an additional choice between February and July through UCAS Extra. You can use the UCAS website to check which courses still have places and apply for one course at a time, but if you do not receive an offer from the course you apply to, you may then make another application (time permitting). If you doaccept an offer, you are committed to taking up that place, provided you meet any conditions.

Your application –what happens now?

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ClearingClearing starts on 1 July for those who applyto UCAS after the main cycle closes on 30 June, but most students will use it when theyreceive their exam results in mid-August. It is designed for anyone not holding the offer of a place (either because they did not meet their conditions, did not receive any offers, declined them all or applied late) to be matched with remaining vacancies.

You will need to look at the UCAS website for a list of courses which have vacancies and then contact us directly. Admissions staff will often make an offer on the phone straight away, and give you a certain period of time to decide whether to accept it.

AdjustmentAdjustment is a process for applicants who have exceeded the conditions of their original offer and wish to hold their unconditional firm place while investigating other course options available to them.

If you are eligible to use this process, you must register on the UCAS website, and contact university and college admissions departments directly to discuss vacancies– they are not listed on the UCAS site as Adjustment vacancies but they will be the same courses on offer in Clearing. If you areoffered an alternative place and accept it,you will be giving up your original confirmedplace and any additional terms associated with it (eg guaranteed accommodation), but if you do not find an alternative place, you will retain the offer from your first choice.

Of course, even if you have exceeded your offer you may not wish to use Adjustment – there will have been reasons why you made

your first choice and this may still be the right course for you. The most competitive courses may not have places available at this stage.

The period in which you may be eligible for the Adjustment process is limited to five days between 14 and 31 August 2014. Your five-day period will start on 14 August, or the point that your conditional firm choice changes to unconditional firm, whichever is the later. Adjustment cannot be used to change an insurance choice.

Delaying entryIf you accept our offer but then decide you would like to join us the following year instead, perhaps because you want to take time out to travel etc, you must contact us to seek a deferral until the following year. If you want to apply to a different course or institution, you will need to start a new application, as UCAS cannot re-use applications in subsequent years. Applicants who choose to defer must still meet any conditions of offer by 31 August of the cycle inwhich they apply, ie you would be holding anunconditional firm offer for the following year.

Stay up to dateUCAS has detailed information about the application process on its website at www.ucas.com. For updates on UCAS Extra, if you are on Twitter you can use the hashtag #ucasextra to find out the latest news from UCAS and fellow students. During Clearing, the hashtag #ucasclearingperforms the same role. Alternatively, Clearing information is posted on the Birmingham City University website at www.bcu.ac.uk and through our own social media channels.

Advice from our studentsWe asked our students via Facebook what advice they would give themselves if they were starting University now.

Here are their responses...

Helping you to study with confidence

Would you like to learn more about the academic skills and study techniques needed to succeed at university? Or do you need to brush up on your mathematics skills before starting a course with us this autumn?

Birmingham City University’s free HeadStart programme will run from 8-12 September, providingvaluable help and support for those about to start courses with us. Whether you are coming straight from study at school or college, or have been out of education for a while, this provides an invaluableopportunity to begin your studies in the right frame of mind.

The Head Start - Academic Skills course covers subjects such as academic writing, study skills, presentation practice and critical analysis, while the Head Start - Maths course focuses on numeracy, algebra and using Excel.

The course and sessions are all voluntary, but you will receive a certificate provided you attend all or most of the sessions.

More information about the programme will be sent out to new students nearer the time.

“Take part in any additional qualifications

that arise along with your degree.”IAN TAYLOR

“Read, read and do some more reading. Organise yourself and stay focused.”

SHAU NNA

“Don’t be afraid tochallenge yourself, your peers, and those who

teach you.”WIL VINCENT

“Have belief in yourself and

you can achieve everything.”

AINEE QURAT

“The moreyou do the more fun

it is! So basically get involved...”

RICHARD DAVIES

“Enjoy it!!! Be social, take advice, learn from

mistakes and don’t give up!”

LINDSEY SHERWOOD

NEXT STEPS #gobcu

Finance and money matters

Pre arrival

Check out the funding you may be entitled to by

visiting www.gov.uk/student-finance-calculator

and make sure you apply in plenty of time to ensure

funding is in place when you arrive. You should

also talk to your parents or guardian regarding

how much help they are able to offer you, and you

may want to consider working through the summer

holidays to build up savings.

On arrival

Attend all induction and orientation talks as vital

information on student life and budgeting, will be

made available. Explore additional funding resources

administered both by the University and external

agencies.

Day-to-day

Try to shop at supermarkets near closing time

to get marked-down products and buy winter

clothes in the summer when they are cheaper!

Where possible, bring your own lunches and

drinks to campus to save cash. Choose to walk

or cycle to keep travelling costs down.

Childcare

Explore your childcare options early as providers

do become full. Apply for all sources of funding

including the childcare grant to help you with your

childcare costs. Visit Jackie Brophy, Childcare and

Finance Adviser in Student Services, regarding

your childcare and finance needs.

Career and job prospects

Update your CV and register for jobs online

Birmingham is a great city for students seeking

part-time work, and many employers advertise

their vacancies directly with our Careers and Job

Prospects service, using our Online Jobs Board.

We advertise jobs on campus through OpportUNIty.

Make sure your CV is up to date and focused towards

the role you are applying for, as this will increase

your chances of getting the best job for you.

Gain work experience

Work experience is crucial for getting a good job

when you graduate; many graduate employers

won’t consider your job application if you don’t

have any. Work experience, placements and

summer jobs are a great way of developing the

skills that employers are looking for and can lead

to a job with that company. Book an appointment

with a Career Consultant to explore how you can

gain experience relevant for you.

Attend careers events

Our Careers and Job Prospects service organises

a range of events throughout the year to help you

plan and manage your future career. These include

jobs fairs, employer visits, mock assessment

centres, psychometric testing sessions, leadership

courses, and lunchtime sessions covering CV

writing, interview success and effective networking

Health and wellbeing

Register with a doctor

If you are new to Birmingham, you will either

need to register with the University’s healthcare

providers or with a local doctor or dentist in your

area. We can help you with this process, but

please don’t wait until you feel ill!

Feeling stressed or low?

ASK us about our confidential one-to-one British

Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy

(BACP)-accredited counselling service or general

mental health support, giving you the opportunity

to talk to us about any personal or emotional

difficulties that may be concerning you.

Find out about disability support

If you have a disability, long-term condition,

mental health difficulty or specific learning

difficulty such as dyslexia, contact the Disability

Support Team to find out what help you may

be entitled to. If you think you may have dyslexia,

but have never been diagnosed, we can screen

you for free.

www.bcu.ac.uk/studentservices

Top tips for starting out!At Birmingham City University, we know that starting university is a big change for you. Our dedicated Student Services team is the first point of contact for any queries you may have, offering expert advice on a wide range of academic and personal issues. Based on some of the most common queries in previous years, Val Robinson from Student Services presents their top tips for a successful transition to higher education...

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If you’re leaving home for the first time, we know how important it is for you to know where you will be living.

All first years, from the UK, are guaranteed a room in one of our halls of residence, provided Birmingham City University is your first choice, you live outside Birmingham (over 10 miles from your permanent address to your place of study), and you apply for accommodation by 31 July 2014.

Once you apply for accommodation, you will receive your unique eight-digit Application Number, which should be used in any futurecommunication with us. Once you have beenallocated a room, you will receive an email informing you of the room you have been

offered. You must then follow the instructionsin that email to accept the room.

Where possible, we will allocate you a room that is close to your place of study, attempt to place you with other students on similar courses, and take account of your preferences regarding living in single sex or mixed accommodation.

Our guarantee of a place in halls of residence does not apply if we are your insurance choice or if you come to us via Clearing, but if we are unable to provide a room in University-owned accommodation, we will find you a place elsewhere with a University-approved provider. Clearing and insurance students should apply by 22 August 2014 if accommodation is required. For more information, see www.bcu.ac.uk/accommodation.

Get connected

Social MediaWe know that you may like to keep in touch with your friends via Facebook and Twitter – and the good news is you can communicate with us that way as well. Just visit our pages to find out the latest University news and information or contact us with any queries you have.

www.facebook.com/birminghamcityuniversity www.twitter.com/MyBCU

BCYouBCYou is our personalised news and information service, giving you everything you need to know about studying at Birmingham City University. By registering, you’ll receive regular email updates straight to your inbox, including a tailored BCYou newsletter and crucial information about Open Days, application deadlines and Clearing – ensuring you never miss a thing. www.bcu.ac.uk/bcyou

Visit UsTo really get a feel for life at the University, there is nothing better than visiting us in person. At our Open Days you can chat with staff and students, view our fantastic facilities, learn more about the Students’ Union or take a tour of our accommodation.www.bcu.ac.uk/opendays

If you have already applied to study with us, you will be invited to an Applicant Visit Day, which will give you the perfect opportunity to find out more about your chosen course. Even if you have already attended an Open Day, attending a Visit Day will give you a more in-depth picture of the subject and how to make the most of it.www.bcu.ac.uk/visitdays

You can also see our students’ work at concerts, plays and art exhibitions, while our new CityTalks series of public lectures allows people from the city and the wider region to gain insights from high-profile speakers on a range of topics.www.bcu.ac.uk/events

Talk to UsOur friendly advisers on the course enquiries hotline can help you to find the best course for your aspirations and interests. Call us on +44 (0)121 331 5595 or visit our website. www.bcu.ac.uk/courseenquiry

@

Finding the right home for you

If you hold an Unconditional Firm offer, we will start making offers from

1 May 2014.

If you hold a Conditional Firm offer and you meet the terms of that offer, we

will begin allocating rooms on 18 August 2014.

When we make you an offer of a place, you will be asked to respond within three days (seven days for international students).

Depending on the type of offer you hold from the University, we will allocate rooms as follows:

How to contact us

Birmingham City UniversityCity North CampusPerry BarrBirminghamB42 2SU

T: +44 (0)121 331 5000E: mainreception@bcu.ac.ukF: +44 (0)121 331 7994W: www.bcu.ac.uk

For UK/EU Course EnquiriesT: +44 (0)121 331 5595W: www.bcu.ac.uk/enquiries

For International Course EnquiriesT: +44 (0)121 331 6714E: bcuinternational@enquiries.uk.comF: +44 (0)121 331 6314W: www.bcu.ac.uk/international

For UK/EU Applicant Enquiries T: +44 (0)121 331 6295E: admissions@bcu.ac.uk

For International Applicant EnquiriesT: +44 (0)121 331 5389E: international.admissions@bcu.ac.uk

bcu.ac.uk