From: External Relations
Sent: 21 July 2017 10:58
To: Staff
Subject: Geoff's Update - July 2017
Geoff's Update - July 2017
Geoff's Update - July 2017
We start with a congratulations to Professor of
Information Science Mike Thelwall and the Statistical
Cybermetrics Research Group, Research Institute of
Information and Language Processing (RIILP), for their
number one world ranking for their research in the
Academic Ranking of World Universities – Shanghai
Ranking – published recently.
Clearing 2017 - update for staff Clearing is now open across UK universities, and we are working towards one of the
1
busiest periods in the Clearing process when students receive their A Level results on
Thursday 17 August and our Hotline opens to them at 7am that morning.
Prospective students are already looking at our Clearing web pages and can register
their interest to receive a call from us on A Level results day or to apply to us directly if
they already know their results. We will once again be running a widespread advertising
and publicity campaign to promote the University during Clearing, and holding an Open
Day on Saturday 19 August where students can apply directly to us on the day by
bringing in their results.
This year we have evolved our Clearing process internally to ensure our potential
students get the very best experience possible, enabling us to handle more calls than
ever as we have increased our Clearing Centre phone lines from around 20 to 87 call
stations this year. We are expecting in the region of 6,000 calls to the Clearing Hotline on
the first day alone.
For the first time, over 50 trained student advisors will be answering the calls on the
Clearing lines as the first point of call for enquirers. Not only will prospective students be
speaking to current students of the University – a real positive, and reassuring for those
going through Clearing – but these advisors will also be able to make offers to
prospective students on the spot if they have the right entry grades for courses. The call
handlers will be supervised by members of staff experienced in Clearing.
These advisors will refer calls to academic staff when there is more detail needed or to
discuss other courses that may be available to the potential student – all in the ethos of
us as the ‘University of Opportunity' and enabling students to access higher education
and start the right course at the right level.
Inevitably, the Clearing Hotline can get extremely busy and we do not want prospective
students to be left waiting or having to call back. A phone hunt group is being set up so
that if the Clearing Hotline phone lines are all busy, calls will be taken by staff
experienced in Clearing throughout the University.
Admissions staff will be focusing on confirmation and processing international,
postgraduate and part-time applications for 2017/18 entry.
The Clearing Hotline number is
01902 51 85 85 and opens from
7am – 7pm on
Thursday 17 August, 7am – 7pm on Friday 18 August,
9am – 5pm on Saturday 19
August, 10am to 4pm on Sunday 20 August, and 8am to 5pm from Monday 21 August onwards.
As well as the Open Day, we will be holding Clearing Open Afternoons on a Wednesday
from 2pm onwards where potential students can visit us, tour the University, find out
more about their course/s of interest and apply. These start from Wednesday 23 August.
The Clearing process lasts right through to the start of the new academic year so across
the University we will all be focusing on assisting as many new students as possible to
start with us in 2017/18. Students First is our priority and recruitment is competitive now
across all UK universities – Clearing no longer has the stigma it may have once had and
you'll see students will all different types of grades coming through the system as it is a
‘buyer's market', the power is with them to choose where they would like to study. We
have to do everything we can to ensure Wolverhampton is their number one choice in
Clearing and that's a job for all of us.
University safety checks following Grenfell You can read the latest information on our safety checks following the Grenfell fire here
2
Staff appointments
Welcome to Emma Bull, who has joined the University
as Director of Organisational Development in the Offices
of the Vice-Chancellor from her previous role as Director
of Student Services at QMUL, where she also spent time
as Interim Chief Operating Officer. As mentioned in a
previous Geoff's Update, Emma will lead the
development of our systems through a cultural
transformation process in which, together with Deputy
Vice-Chancellors and Corporate Service Directors, a new
way of working will be established with an enhanced
customer focused service.
Honorary graduates lunch We recently held a lunchtime celebration for our honorary graduates – attendees
spanned across music, sports, the arts and business. You can find out more here
Estates update – transport strategy A five-year transport strategy is being developed that encompasses inter-site travel,
parking and commuter travel. Stakeholder comments and views will be sought in due
course. This will be a major opportunity to shape how the University responds to
environmental needs.
Geoff
University of Wolverhampton
Wulfruna Street
Wolverhampton
WV1 1LY
Website : www.wlv.ac.uk
© 2017 University of Wolverhampton
3