Professional Services

External Engagement

The heart of External Engagement’s activity is to help to deliver on the key themes of the strategic plan for the University, whether recruitment and reputation, people, research, employability and enterprise, internationalisation or academic development. Our work is integrated through academic areas and corporate departments. Our aim is to ensure the University of Wolverhampton remains connected to its environment and key stakeholders, enriches its growing reputation, and delivers on the promise made by our brand communications.

Alumni and Development

We focus on two key areas: alumni relations and development activities (fundraising). Aiming to re-engage alumni with the University, our team offers a host of benefits for graduates and opportunities to get involved and give back to the University, through either volunteering time and expertise or giving philanthropically.

Arena Theatre

The Arena Theatre hosts over 200 public performances per year (in addition to a host of other special events) from students, local schools and community groups, as well as professional touring theatre companies and musicians. Supported by the University and Arts Council of England, we have developed a reputation as one of the leading venues in the country for our support of Deaf and disabled artists, and offer a diverse programme of work that reflects Wolverhampton’s rich cultural diversity.

Aspire to HE

This partnership comprises the University of Wolverhampton (the ‘lead institution’) and six colleges of further education: Dudley College, Halesowen College, City of Wolverhampton College, Sandwell College, Telford College and Walsall College, and 25 secondary schools across the Black Country and Telford and Wrekin. As one of 29 consortia operating across England that are funded by the Office for Students as part of the National Collaborative Outreach Programme (NCOP), Aspire to HE aims to significantly contribute to the Government’s stated aim of doubling the proportion of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in higher education.

Business Engagement

The University is committed to developing a sustainable workforce in the region and closing the skills gap in line with the Local Industrial Strategy and Strategic Economic Plans. Responsible for designing a strategy to increase business and community engagement, and establishing processes for gathering, communicating and responding to business intelligence and needs in our region, the teams also supports engagement with key strategic partners such as health trusts, local authorities and businesses to work together with the University to develop academic provision to provide the skilled workforce demanded by employers and required for economic growth.

Centre for Lifelong Learning (CLL)

The Centre works to expand opportunities for flexible lifelong learning in strategic locations, for diverse groups of students using innovative approaches. Our role to grow part-time students is at the heart of the University’s commitment to being the ‘University of Opportunity’. CLL runs University Centre Telford and University of Wolverhampton in Stafford Centre – providing information, advice and guidance for prospective students and community-based educational programmes aligned with local demand. We develop strategic lifelong learning innovations including the Wolverhampton City Learning Region to put learning at the heart of the region’s economic and social development.

Corporate Communications

With specialists in media and communications; stakeholder communications; digital PR and research communication, the unit also provides strategic communications support to the Offices of the Vice-Chancellor. We are responsible for raising the University’s profile, creating content and proactively gaining coverage for the media (regionally, nationally and internationally), as well as digital and social channels. We promote news, events, research and expertise internally and externally; handle media inquiries for the University; deal with reputation and crisis communications; advise staff on conducting media interviews; source expert academic comment on current affairs; and operate an emergency out-of-hours service. We are responsible for corporate communications and campaigns for staff, current students, governors and stakeholders.

Digital and Creative Services

Our team leads the University’s digital and creative design provision, including copywriting, design, event management, social media and web development services. We produce over 600 creative copy and design jobs for internal departments per year. Responsible for the organisation of key corporate events, such as Open Days, the team is also responsible for the University website and social media strategy, offering training, advice and support to departments for web development and online promotion (eg. through web, social media, search engine optimisation etc).

Global Opportunities Office

This team supports the strategic ambitions and operational objectives for internationalisation, expanding horizons for our students and our staff. Working across the University to identify and disseminate opportunities for collaboration and to negotiate and implement international partnership agreements, our portfolio of partners offers excellent educational opportunities to students in a range of countries. An ambitious strategy seeks to increase both transnational education (TNE) enrolment and income, whilst maintaining high academic standards. We provide on-going assistance to our partners and support staff and student mobility on ERASMUS+, the Visiting Scholar Scheme, The Commonwealth Scholarship Scheme and short training courses.

Market Intelligence

We provide intelligence to the University on potential and existing markets to inform recruitment and marketing strategies and enhance understanding of customers and their experiences, motivations and successes. We conduct research to assess marketing trends and perceptions; develop insight into the student journey from enquiry to graduation and beyond; and monitor the University’s competitive position.

Marketing

An experienced team of marketing professionals, we plan, create and deliver marketing plans and innovative campaigns for all of the University’s markets: undergraduate, postgraduate, international, business, research and faculty. We lead on brand development and implementation, offering expertise in traditional and increasingly varied digital marketing.

UK Recruitment and Outreach

We work with schools, colleges and the community, to encourage learners to consider progression to higher education generally and to the University of Wolverhampton specifically, through a range of on and off-campus activities, including campus tours, Open Days, taster events, school and college visits, presentations, and subject experience days. The team is also responsible for offering advice and guidance to a wide range of prospective students who may be interested in pathways to the University.

Estates and Facilities

Estates and Facilities Directorate (E&FD) plays a major role in assisting the University to deliver its key University Strategic Objectives. E&FD supports the ethos of the University of Opportunity and its commitment to the regeneration of the City of Wolverhampton, business communities, and distributed learning centres.

E&FD offers a consistent, coherent and competitive service delivery across all activities on all campuses. This position delivers the optimum utilisation of resources, knowledge base and experience to facilitate an appropriate level of interaction with students, staff and visitors, in order to meet their needs and aspirations. E&FD delivers to students a welcoming, secure and helpful environment in which to study, work and live.

For the E&FD departmental structure, please see overleaf.

The aims of E&FD are as follows:

• To continue to provide improvements to the University campuses to enhance the student, staff, tenant and visitor experience and to create the best first impression at all opportunities, and for the University to grow and develop as an institution of first choice in the region, nationally and internationally.
• The continued delivery of major capital projects across all campuses.
• To maintain the estate to provide good facilities to staff and students; to meet Condition and Legislative Compliance and reduce the backlog maintenance across all campuses.
• To continue to deliver carbon reductions in line with government guidelines and the University’s policies.
• The continued operation of the existing lease hire bus fleet, timetabled in an effective and cost-efficient manner.
• To develop the business delivery of all services to serve the University community and provide third stream income from outside the University.
• To support faculties’ growth and development plans in order for the University to achieve its strategic objectives.
• For the University to be an anchor for regeneration initiatives with the City of Wolverhampton, Walsall and Telford, together with other centres across the region.

E&FD acknowledges that the University of Wolverhampton’s campuses are a vital element in symbolising what the University stands for: ‘Students First.’ E&FD seeks to consolidate what is good about the existing campuses and to create a vibrant, friendly place to study, work and live. E&FD provides fit for purpose facilities within genuine campus communities, which will deliver focused improvements to deliver business performance that the University stakeholders will be proud of.

Mission: over-riding purpose of E&FD Strategy

• To create and maintain an effective, distinctive, welcoming, accessible and coherent environment for students, staff, tenants and visitors alike.
• To deliver an uplifting positive student, staff, tenants and visitor experience of which the University can be proud.
• To provide a physical estate which has:

– Elements of the built environment which have a fresh and contemporary aesthetic impact, allow for serendipity complete with wow factors, together with social democratic space which will allow natural interaction between people and provide a sense of belonging and community.

– Learning environments with digital connectivity which will allow appropriate access to users to enable easy communication, as well as being comfortable and Equality Act compliant.

– Environmentally sustainable and space efficient facilities, that enhance operational effectiveness and business performance.

– Catering outlets which are contemporary, offering innovative catering concepts with associated social interaction areas for students, staff, tenants and visitors to dwell and enjoy.

– Business environment for the SME community especially those businesses that have a direct link with the University of Wolverhampton in respect of research, business and employment, in order to assist economic regeneration.

Key goals

• To continually review and benchmark service provision to ensure Estates & Facilities deliver services that put the Student First.
• To deliver the long-term capital and annual maintenance programmes.
• Ensure maximum usage of space by faculties.
• To review and develop the sustainability goals for the University.

The purpose of the Finance Directorate is to provide the means and expertise to support the University, its faculties and departments to deliver the University’s strategic plan and to ensure financial sustainability.

We aim to provide efficient and effective financial services and processes to meet the needs of our stakeholders in a cost effective manner and assist with the generation of value for money through our activities.

The Directorate has a number of specialist teams supporting the University in the following areas:

• Financial Support for Faculties
• Financial Support for Professional Services
• Management and Financial Accounting
• Taxation Management
• Cash Flow Management
• Costing and Pricing
• Financial Planning
• Budgeting and Forecasting
• Financial Systems Development
• Payroll
• Pensions
• Insurance
• Procurement
• Credit Control

The Directorate is accountable to the Board of Governors for financial oversight and for assisting in the delivery of the strategic plan.

Delivering the Digital University

Digital Services provides the leadership for the Digital Strategy of the University and the oversight of the key elements of it to deliver The Digital University. In order to do that we work closely with every area of the University and collaborate effectively with every team involved in delivering digital solutions.

We maintain and support the University’s core IT infrastructure and the end-user computing estate including staff and student computers, telephony and classroom technology as well as standard and specialist software.

We work closely with a range of internal stakeholders across academic and professional services, as well as technology suppliers, to provide the university community with technology and systems to deliver its teaching, learning and business services. A service desk and a team of support staff provide help and guidance to our students and staff working on and off campus.

Our Ambition

Through the Digital Strategy, Digital Services are leading an ambitious programme of projects and activities which has at its heart a mission to inspire student, staff and academic success. We are working to deliver digital solutions and services that are sector-leading and which will lead to the University being nationally recognised as a centre of excellence in digital services, solutions and data in higher education.

Our Guiding Principles

• University systems and services that work first time, every time, which are responsive to students needs and present the most relevant information clearly and intuitively.
• Digital solutions, services and workflows that work in synergy with our excellent staff.
• A commitment to every member of the University community to support, challenge and encourage the development of a digitally confident University.

Transforming the University

In order to achieve our ambitions we are embarking on an exciting journey to transform digital services and solutions at the University and, most importantly, to transform the digital confidence and competence of every member of the University community. Through our Digital Campus Programme we already lead on a number of transformational change projects for the University, providing project management, professional project support and technical skills. Current projects include Cyber Essentials to provide a cyber-secure environment for all student and staff activity, a replacement Digital Platform underpinning all on-premise digital services and a new Research Management system. Future projects will concentrate on digital confidence, digital workflows and a new University-wide approach to the digital experience and relationships between staff, students and other stakeholders.

The Offices of the Vice-Chancellor are also responsible for implementing corporate strategy and operational policy decisions from Academic Board, Corporate Management Team and the Board of Governors.

Find out more here.

Directorate Overview

The Directorate of Student and Academic Services (DSAS) brings together complementary departments with the overarching aim of providing excellent student support.  

DSAS is integral to the academic achievement of our students and plays an instrumental role in the implementation of key university strategies designed to deliver outstanding student experience, whilst demonstrating commitment to upholding the University’s values of equity and inclusivity.

With approximately 170 staff, DSAS comprises the newly formed ASK@WLV Service; Careers, Enterprise & The Workplace; Student Support & Wellbeing; The University Library, all underpinned by a Business Support function.  We provide professional advice, information and guidance and work proactively with students to shape the service, enabling them to succeed on their academic journey and beyond.

The support we offer is accessible to all students, including those on apprenticeship programmes and studying at collaborative partner institutions.

ASK@WLV

ASK@WLV is the first point of contact for all student queries and support, replacing Faculty Student Services.  Our friendly and dedicated team of advisors are here to help students get the support they need to make the most out of their time at university.  

ASK@WLV can help students with: 

• Accessing wellbeing support services
• Submitting assignments and applying for an extension
• Module registration, enrolment and timetabling
• Taking a leave of absence or transferring to a different course
• Official letters and study transcripts
• Advice on progression and academic regulations

ASK@WLV has locations at:

• City Campus in the Ambika Paul Building, next to the Harrison Library.
• Walsall Campus in the foyer area of the Performance Hub.
• Telford Campus on the ground floor of the Darby Building.

Contact:

Students can drop-in and speak to a member of the ASK@WLV team Monday to Friday, from 10 am to 5 pm. The team will also offer a pop-up service throughout the year for students to get support at key locations across different parts of our campuses, including Springfield and Burton.

Students can log a question or access FAQs on e:Vision any time 24/7

Alternatively, phone:  01902 518518, Monday to Friday, from 10 am to 5 pm.

www.wlv.ac.uk/ask | wlv.ac.uk/staff/services/askwlv-toolkit

Careers, Enterprise and the Workplace (CEW)

Careers, Enterprise and The Workplace provide employability skills development and opportunities to students and graduates, up to three years past graduation. Our professional team supports our students and graduates to develop their career plans, explore career options and help them to build their employability skills.  We provide practical support at all stages of the job search and application process and deliver careers education within the curriculum through the Wolverhampton Enterprise & Employability Award.

Our Career SPACE platform provides access to digital careers resources which are available to our students and graduates 24/7.  Our employability workshops are delivered live through a variety of online, digital platforms and are also made available throughout the year through Canvas.

The Workplace assists students and graduates to secure employment though part-time jobs, placements, international opportunities, graduate roles and volunteering.  We also organise virtual online and physical jobs fairs, both centrally and faculty specific.

The Enterprise Department provides support to students, graduates and staff to develop entrepreneurial skills, develop business ideation and register and start their own businesses.

CEW has locations at:

Career SPACE and The Workplace have shop fronts in corridor of the Ambika Paul building (MD), City Campus.

There is also presence at:

• Walsall Campus, Jerome K Jerome (WA) building
• Telford Campus in the Hutchison Library (SA) building.

 Our SPACE for Enterprise co-working and incubation hub is located at the Science Park, Technology Centre.

wlv.ac.uk/careers | careers@wlv.ac.uk

Student Support and Wellbeing (SSW)

Student and Support Wellbeing deliver a multi-dimensional and flexible service to support our students in achieving their potential as well as providing guidance for staff.

Students engage with SSW services through a variety of pathways, including self-referrals, being referred by staff or other students, or pro-actively contacted by any of the SSW teams.

Support, as appropriate, is available at different levels, such as self-help options, professional one-to-one and group support and a digital mental health support platform open 24/7/365.

Specific professional support is offered for issues such as mental health, disability, financial hardship, spiritual guidance, support for Care Leavers and Estranged students, applying for Disability Support Allowance, and BSL Interpreting. Students are further referred to other services within the university, i.e. Skills for Learning team, Academic Coaches, Graduate Teaching Assistants etc. as necessary or appropriate. Information and advice is also offered in regard of access to Disabled Students’ Allowance funding and about student tuition fees and maintenance loans.

Support is provided both on campus and online, and waiting times are kept short, with students being offered an appointment usually with a week or two.

SSW also covers Student Insights, conducting data analysis and leading on projects such as student surveys so that the university can to continue enabling students to achieve their aspirations and goals.   

SSW has locations at:

The University Library

The University Library is at the heart of student academic life, enabling effective access to all forms of academic information and offering support and advice to help all students succeed. Alongside an extensive digital library, there are libraries at each of the Telford, Walsall and Wolverhampton campuses. 

Key areas of activity include:

• Customer Services: providing excellent front line support for students in the libraries and online (include 24/7 online support), access to study spaces, laptop loans, and circulation activity.
• Content: responsible for content acquisition; reading lists (via Leganto); library management system (Alma) and discovery service (Primo).
• Liaison Services: this team delivers engagement and liaison with faculties and has responsibility for content selection and management.
• Scholarly Communications: providing repository support and development, and advice and guidance on topics related to open access, publishing, and copyright.
• Skills for Learning: the Skills for Learning team is responsible for delivering academic skills across the university.

The Library has locations at:

• Harrison Library Ambika Paul (MD) Wulfruna Campus, Wolverhampton
• Walsall Library Performance Hub (WH), Walsall Campus
• Hutchison Library The Hutchison Building (SA), Telford Campus

 wlv.ac.uk/lib | library@wlv.ac.uk

Business Support

Business Support currently includes support across a range of areas including communications, finance, HR as well as PA and general administrative support.

DSASBusinessSupport@wlv.ac.uk and  DSASCommunications@wlv.ac.uk

Or contact:

PA to the Director: Karen Jones K.Jones5@wlv.ac.uk | DSASExec@wlv.ac.uk

Human Resources (HR) provide timely and professional human resources support to the University, its managers and staff. Operating at strategic and operational levels, within a rapidly changing political, economic and legal context, we aim to provide innovative and practical solutions, thereby helping managers to achieve their academic and business objectives. The services we offer encompass:

• Employee Relations
• Recruitment
• HR Operations
• Reward
• HR Analytics
• Organisational Development and Learning
• Diversity and Inclusion

The CARE Framework

The CARE Framework describes the behaviours aligned to our University values. These behaviours not only support our values but also result in successful performance for staff and a great student experience.

The framework has four main themes and is about being:

The Registry Directorate provides an integrated and high-quality suite of professional service which advises, guides and supports the academic mission of the University to applicants, students, partners and staff across the University.

The Registry Directorate comprises several central units.

Admissions

Offering an excellent level of customer services, Admissions are often the first contact applicants have with the University. Alongside general responsibilities – including evaluating, processing and making decisions on applications, and liaising with applicants, academic staff, UCAS and other admissions services – Admissions ensure integrity and quality is maintained to ensure compliance with University regulations and relevant government legislation.

Course Records Unit

The Course Records Unit responsibilities include ensuring that validated course material is prepared for students to enrol on e-vision, providing advice and guidance to staff in relation to academic regulations
and grade entry. This team is also responsible for the creation of new course and module records in SITS
and for the submission of the UNISTATS return.

Central Timetabling Unit

The Central Timetabling Unit (CTU) is responsible for producing the University’s teaching timetables in accordance with its Timetabling Policy and for managing the teaching estate across all campuses so it can be used to deliver both module teaching and other important University activities. Students are provided with personal timetables.

Exams Unit

The Exams Unit organises all formal examinations, including special arrangements in exams. The Unit also appoints and trains invigilators and co-ordinates activities with Faculty administration teams.

Quality and Collaboration Unit

The Quality and Collaboration Unit (QCU) manages and provides guidance on the University’s quality processes, including: academic governance, continuous monitoring, external examining, course modification and deletion, periodic review, PSRBs, audit, validation and approval of new provision. In addition, the Unit maintains oversight of the quality of academic partnerships. This involves working with new and established partners from a variety of institutions in the UK and worldwide to ensure staff and students experience high quality academic and administrative support.

Student Records

Student Records support a wide range of activities that impact upon student and institutional data and the student life cycle. These activities range from maintenance of student records, submitting returns to various government organisations, liaising with the other central departments regarding tuition fees, sponsor records and maintenance grants/loans to organising, promoting and co-ordinating the University’s graduation ceremonies (including those held overseas).

Student Transnational and Research Office (S.T.a.R.)

The S.T.a.R Office provides excellent customer services and specialist knowledge, guidance and support including programme admissions, enrolment, assessments, award boards and graduation in the areas of transnational education, research and distance learning to transnational education students, research students, students on a designated distance learning course, and faculty/departmental staff.

Student Systems Team

In liaison with faculties and other central departments, Systems Development and Support develop and maintain an excellent University student management information system that underpins academic administration; learning and teaching; research supervision activities; partner activity and placement activity across the institution, to ensure that decision-making is informed by easily accessible, accurate management information.

UKVI Compliance Unit

The UKVI Compliance Unit co-ordinates all Tier 4 and associated student visa and immigration activities. Liaising with the Home Office and other agencies, the UKVI Compliance Unit ensures that appropriate documentation is held centrally and any changes in circumstances are reported.

Conduct and Appeals Unit

The Conduct and Appeals Unit is responsible for the development and implementation of University-wide policies and procedures relating to Academic Misconduct, Student Conduct, Academic Appeals
and Complaints.