Welcome Guide 2015/2016An introduction to the UWE Charter and our commitment to you

Also:Add the UWE Information Point phone number 0117 32 85678 to your phone, for any queries you have before or after you arrive.

Set up your UWE e-mail account on your phone or tablet.

Follow us to keep up-to-date with everything going on at UWE.

/uwebristol

@uwebristol

Complete your accommodation induction online if you’re staying in UWE accommodation (you will have received the link by e-mail).

Read and understand the UWE Charter. It’s all set out in this booklet. It’s also available online at:

www.thestudentsunion.co.uk/uwecharter

myUWE is where you register for your course. Log in to your account at https://my.uwe.ac.uk with your UWE username and password. You will have received these via e-mail. If you have any problems with this, let us know via 0117 32 85678.

add your personal details

upload a photograph for your UWE ID card

make arrangements to pay your tuition fees

check your timetable when it goes live (from 9 September 12:00)

check your UWE e-mail account

Register via myUWE

Read your course joining instructions to:

find out the date of your course induction

view your reading lists (if appropriate)

check to see if there is anything extra you should be doing for your course

Head to www.uwe.ac.uk/newstudents

Pack a photo ID (e.g. passport, driving licence). You’ll need it to collect your UWE ID card.

Pack a photo ID

We’re looking forward to meeting you.Before you get here, there’s a few things to do…

At UWE Bristol we strive to ensure all our students experience outstanding teaching, learning and support services throughout their university life so that when they graduate they are ready and able to realise their full potential, and make a positive contribution to society and their chosen field of employment. In short, we want you to succeed and achieve great things. We believe that this is best achieved by working together in a spirit of interdependence, trust and respect.

The UWE Charter sets out the principles on which our learning community is founded. The University and The Students’ Union have made commitments to you and there’s a few things you need to do in return.

We want you to succeed

UWE Charter

www.thestudentsunion.co.uk/uwecharter

Credit: Rachel Seed

32

Teaching and Research

Offer you excellent teaching and supervision supported by the physical and technical resources that will enable you to develop your academic skills and fulfil your learning potential

Provide a balanced curriculum that is appropriately practice-oriented and professionally recognised

Ensure that assessment is fair, marks and results are published on time and you receive regular feedback on your progress

From your first lecture at UWE you’ll receive top-quality teaching in modern facilities. You’ll have an Academic Personal Tutor to help you settle in to university study and to review your progress, and access to all your course-related information online through Blackboard.

You can learn from students who have finished their first year through the Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) scheme. PAL leaders can help you ease into higher education, build your academic confidence and develop good study habits.

Each campus has its own library, equipped with subject specialist librarians, unlimited renewals, and laptops you can borrow for free. There’s a range of bookable study spaces to help you crack on with group projects or private study.

If you have a library-related question outside of the library opening times, we offer ‘Ask a Librarian 24/7’ live web chat, so you can have your questions answered any time of the day or night!

Head online for:

We will

Blackboard Academic Personal

Tutors

Peer Assisted Learning

Library services

Study spaces Ask a Librarian

24/7www.uwe.ac.uk/studysupport

54

Offer a full range of professional and confidential advisory services to support you in your studies and personal life

Provide you with the information and guidance you need to settle into university life

Offer you study support and impartial academic advice and guidance to enable you to make informed choices

Provide career planning information and opportunities to enhance your employability through work experience placements, internships, community outreach and volunteering

Student Support and Welfare

Your questions

If you have any questions before or during your time with us, our campus-based Information Points are the place to go.

The Information Point team are on hand to answer your questions or link you to the relevant specialist adviser for more information.

No question is too big or small!

We will

www.uwe.ac.uk/students

76

Your career

It may seem a long way

away, but it’s never too early

to start gaining experiences

and developing skills which

will set you apart from other

candidates in the job market.

Log into Infohub, accessible

via myUWE, to find out about

volunteering opportunities,

placements and jobs available.

Make sure you register for the

UWE Bristol Futures Award.

This recognises the variety of

activities you can get involved

in whilst at university, helps you

build a graduate identity and

gets you a CV-boosting award

at the end of your course!

Our Careers Advisers are here

to provide resources and advice

to help you kick-start your career.

Your money

We know it can be tricky to

balance the books, plan and

budget your finances.

If you’re in need of tips on

budgeting and making ends

meet, we’ve got a stack of

information for you online.

If things don’t go to plan, our

team of Money Advisers are on

standby to help out! We offer

short-term loans and a range of

financial support for which you

can apply.

Your wellbeing Your health and wellbeing

are important to us while

you’re away from home.

If it all gets a bit too much,

just get in contact with the

Wellbeing Service for a chat.

We can support you with

your development and mental

health needs – we offer one-

to-one counselling, mentoring,

and group workshops,

to support you with your

studies and life in general.

There’s also a range of

support available for you if

you have a disability, including

specialist equipment, funding

and support workers.

Your health

Don’t forget to register

with a local doctor in case

Freshers’ flu hits!

There’s a university health centre

on Frenchay Campus, linked to

the Old School Surgery in nearby

Fishponds, available to all UWE

students, or you can register

with another local practice.

We want you to keep healthy

during your time with us so

there’s a range of ‘Feel Good’

activities on throughout the

year for you to get involved in.

Help is at hand:

Wellbeing Service

Disability Service

Careers Service

Money Advice and Funds Service

Information Points

All these services are accessible via an Information Point

98

0117 32 85678

infopoint@uwe.ac.uk

@UWEBristol

Provide an inclusive and supportive environment for everyone

Strive to provide a dynamic learning environment including high quality spaces, facilities and technologies

Support and promote access by all members of our community to the learning opportunities and services we offer

Promote environmentally responsible behaviour

Listen to and learn from the student community

Environmentand CommunityWe will

We’re pleased you’ve chosen UWE and hope you

will be proud to be part of our community. Bristol is

a wonderful, vibrant city to live and study in – we hope

you love where you live!

www.lovewhereyoulivebristol.co.uk

Living in community

It’s not just your campus community that you now belong to, but the wider community as well.

When you’re off campus, you represent the University – so make sure you leave a good impression.

We are committed to providing you with an inclusive and supportive environment, and don’t tolerate language or behaviour that leaves others feeling embarrassed, bullied or discriminated against.

If you do see or experience unacceptable behaviour please report it to an Information Point and play your part

in creating a safer university and environment you and all other students here at UWE can enjoy.

You can find all our policies at the above website.

Student Conduct policy

UWE and The Students’ Union at UWE joint policy statement on: zero tolerance to sexual and domestic violence, abuse and harassment

www.uwe.ac.uk/aboutus/policies

1110

Regulations

Provide you with detailed academic information in your Programme and Module Handbook

Provide you with the rules you will be bound by in the Academic Regulations and Procedures

Operate fair and transparent complaints and appeals policies and procedures

If things don’t go to plan We hope all will go smoothly for you and your studies, but if something major affects your ability to submit a piece of coursework, or sit an exam, support is at hand.

Student Support Advisers are here to advise you and guide you through the options available, including five working day extensions, extenuating circumstances and taking time out.

Get in touch with us sooner rather than later. Just contact an Information Point.

We will

Academic Regulations and Procedures are in place to make sure all students at UWE are treated fairly during their academic journey.

www.uwe.ac.uk/academicregulations

Head online for:

Join in!There’s various ways to find out what’s going on across the University:

Blackboard for your course information

www.uwe.ac.uk/students – information about support available

/uwebristol

@uwebristol

yourUWE: our regular student

e-newsletter, with articles hand-picked and relevant to you

UWE e-mail for important information

(accessible via myUWE and the UWE app)

UWE app: access your timetable and

UWE e-mail on the go (just search ‘UWEmobile’

in your app store)

Academic Survival

Guide

Student Support Advisers

Five working day extensions

Extenuating circumstances

Changing direction

Appeals and complaints procedures

1312

Facilitate a strong Student Representative System, ensuring your voice is heard within UWE

Provide independent information, advice and guidance about issues that may affect you through the Students’ Union Advice Centre

Support you to ensure that you are treated equally and fairly and are aware of your rights and responsibilities

Give you a voice on local and national issues

Provide part-time employment opportunities through the JobShop

Provide a wide range of opportunities to participate in sporting, political, social and cultural activities and events to enhance your personal and professional development

Actively promote good relations within our University community and the city more broadly

Students’ Union Commitments We will

Credit: Dave Pratt

Credit: shutterpresser.com

Credit: Kod Nguyen Credit: J Need

Credit: Harry Brayford Photography

Credit: Dave Pratt

Your Students’ Union

The Students’ Union at UWE exists to support and represent you, listening to what you’ve got to say and helping to make sure you get the most out of your time at UWE.

You’ll have the chance to discover a huge variety of activities and events through societies, sports clubs, community networks and volunteering. All of these give you the chance to meet new people and get involved in something fun! There’s also a JobShop to help you find part-time work.

The Students’ Union ensures all students are treated fairly, with Student Reps elected in every course and level. Reps are recruited in the first weeks of term – could you be the new rep for your course?

Register with your Students’ Union at www.thestudentsunion.co.uk and get the most out of your student experience!

@theSUatUWE

thesuatuwe

/thesuatuwe

Head to www.thestudentsunion.co.uk for:

Freshers’ Fair Advice Centre JobShop Presidents New building Student Reps

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1 Manage your own learning including submitting coursework on time and in the right format, sitting exams and reflecting on feedback you receive.

2 Familiarise yourself with the requirements of your course, including your timetable.

3 Actively participate in opportunities to evaluate your experience. We can’t improve if we don’t know what parts of your experience aren’t living up to expectations.

4 Acknowledge when things aren’t going so well. Seek the advice and help of the relevant support service and encourage your friends to do the same.

In exchange UWE expects you to...

5 Act as an ambassador for us, not only on campus but off campus too. This includes social media – inappropriate use can be a breach of the Student Conduct Policy and even your professional body’s conduct policy.

6 Check your UWE e-mail regularly and use it for University communication.

7 Comply with all University regulations, policies and procedures.

We look forward to seeing

you soon!

16

0117 32 85678 infopoint@uwe.ac.uk @UWEBristol

Any questions?

www.uwe.ac.uk/newstudents

© University of the West of England

This guide is brought to you by the Student Communications team.

Care was taken to ensure all information was correct at the time of publication.

Want to give us feedback?

studentcomms@uwe.ac.uk

UWE Bristol

Frenchay Campus

Coldharbour Lane

Bristol BS16 1QY

Telephone: 0117 32 85678

E-mail: infopoint@uwe.ac.uk

Web: www.uwe.ac.uk

Tweet us: @UWEBristol

www.uwe.ac.uk

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