Name: Faye Neivens

Job title: International Student Experience Coordinator

Department: Office for Global Engagement

Can you tell us a little bit about your role?

I work within the Global Student Experience team, responsible for student events on and off campus that contribute to students’ welfare and overall experience during their time at Warwick. This involves close working relationships with many University departments and external services throughout the academic year, including 'out of term time' provision.

A key part of my role is to work on the welcome activities for new international and EU (non-UK) students to the University. This year we have developed a new programme, the Welcome to Warwick Programme, to welcome all new postgraduate students and international and EU undergraduates. We have developed the programme in collaboration with the Central Induction Team, the Graduate School, the Library and the Students' Union in response to student feedback – students told us that they were confused by the choice between three paid programmes last year and wanted more choice about what they paid for. The Welcome to Warwick Programme merges the separate packages that were offered in 2016 (Welcome Week Plus, Orientation and the Postgraduate free programme of events) into one, and allows students to choose to pay for airport collection, accommodation on campus and meals on a pick and mix basis.

And what’s your involvement in Welcome to Warwick Week?

My role in the project team has included coordinating the selection and recruitment events for 95 student helpers and team leaders, writing and creating new webpages to promote the programme to offer holders, working on the publicity and student communications in the run up to the programme, monitoring bookings and reporting on programme numbers, coordinating the airport transfers for 400 international students from London Heathrow airport and coordinating Police Registration sessions for our international students due to recent changes to this process. As part of this I have been busy liaising with departments right across the University, from the Chaplaincy and the Students’ Union to academic departments and Conferences and of course external organisations such as the Police and coach companies!

What’s the best bit about being involved in the week?

It’s definitely meeting new students and seeing how the work that we’ve done together has helped students to settle into Warwick. I’ve also really enjoyed seeing the volunteer student helpers that we recruited in July doing such an amazing job in welcoming new students.

Are there any challenges?

Co-ordinating a new programme has been challenging and we have had to put a lot of thought into how best to promote and communicate it online to students; however, creating the web pages for the programme has also been a great development opportunity!

Not many people know this about Welcome to Warwick programme, but …

... as well as the different University departments involved, we have a team of 95 student volunteers supporting the events throughout the week and styling out the famous 'red hoodies'. Helping us to train and coordinate the helpers is Charlotte, a recent graduate from Warwick!