Higher education talks and events
At Nottingham Trent University we offer a wide range of events and presentations to local schools and colleges. The aim of these is to help bridge the gap for your students between where they are now and the world of university and higher education. We can deliver most of these sessions on school and college sites, although some of those listed below will require you to bring a group of your students onto our campus. We can also combine a range of these events into a longer session, or even create new ones depending upon your particular needs.
Activities for post-16 students
Induction
Average length: Flexible
We will attend or even host your sixth form induction event. This gives us an opportunity to highlight the link between our institutions at an early stage and serves to encourage students to start to think about their long term goals. We can also provide generic information on progression to higher education and academic support if required.
Employability and higher education (new)
Average length: 45 minutes
During this talk students will find out about the changing world of work, what employers look for and how going to university can equip them with employability skills. The session will offer advice on how to make university the most beneficial experience for their future career, how to make the most of a gap year, gain work experience and apply for jobs.
Higher education talk
Average length: 40 minutes
This is a general talk, usually delivered to the whole Year 12 cohort, on all aspects of higher education including types of courses, finance, the benefits of going to university and how to choose a course.
UCAS talk
Average length: 40 minutes
This is a presentation, usually delivered to the whole year group, designed to inform your students of the UCAS process and how to apply effectively, by providing a university perspective on completing the UCAS form and the personal statement. We will provide examples of successful personal statements and by the end of the session your student should be feel comfortable writing their statement and have a clear idea as to the best approach to influencing admissions tutor’s decisions.
Prospectus challenge
Average length: 50-60 minutes
This is an interactive workshop where students are required to use the NTU prospectus to gather information on courses, facilities and support available to students. They will then be required to deliver a presentation back to the group on their findings. This session helps to familiarise your students with the contents of a university prospectus and highlights important factors to keep in mind when making the hugely important decision as to where to go and what to study.
Year 12 visit
Average length: All day
On the Year 12 visit you can bring a group (either a whole year group or smaller selected group) to visit the University. We can offer a range of generic higher education awareness raising talks or more subject specific input including taster lectures, a tour of the campus and the opportunity to see for themselves how a university operates. Your students will have the opportunity to work with existing students in a university environment. This is by far the most effective way of getting your students to think actively about higher education and their next steps.
Library visit
Average length: Flexible
On a library visit you would normally bring a cohort of students from the same academic course. They will be welcomed by the relevant subject liaison librarians at the library, where they will be given a tour and shown how to use the cataloguing system, before then being given the freedom of the library to research and revise their chosen subject with the support of the liaison librarian.
Activities for Year 13 / 2nd year post-16 students
Finance talk
Average length: 30 minutes
A detailed but accessible talk on university finances introducing students to the costs, availability of funding and the process of applying for finance. Students will leave the session more aware of and thinking more positively about the financial implications of higher education study.
Budgeting workshop
Average length: 50 minutes
This is an interactive session, run with support from existing undergraduate students, on the importance of budgeting. Students will get advice and tips on how to manage their money and survive on a student budget, using practical examples.
Student life workshop
Average length: 50 minutes
This interactive workshop will provide students with the opportunity to meet existing undergraduates and find out what life is really like as a student. They will benefit from advice on what to expect in the first few weeks, how to make friends, how to balance your study and social life and how to make the most of life as a student.
Accommodation talk
Average length: 30 minutes
During this talk students will find out about the different types of accommodation students stay in and the pros and cons of each one. We also offer tips on how to avoid problems finding accommodation and to get the best possible accommodation to suit their needs.
Making the most of open days and interviews
Average length: 30 minutes
This session covers questions to ask and how to prepare for and make the most of open days, as well as offering tips on how to impress in university admissions interviews.
Study Skills: Transition from FE to HE
Average length: 45 minutes
In this session students we look at enhancing the skills a student will need once they get to university. To do this we consider the differences between learning at school / college and university, time management, independent learning, note taking, effective reading and research and revision.
Sensory acuity (new)
Average length: 50 minutes
This session aims to improve communication and learning skills. Effective communication is a key tool to success, and it is particularly important that students develop strong communication skills as they prepare for new environments and situations in HE and beyond. Through a series of interactive activities and experiments students are encouraged to explore the vast range of largely un-noticed information we process during interactions with others on a daily basis.
How to stress less (new)
Average length: 50-60 minutes
This is an interactive workshop where students will learn about a range of coping strategies to help them to stress less. They will identify causes and effects of stress, and learn about planning in advance as well as reacting to situations as they arise. By the end of the session they will have completed their own personal stress less planner.
Library visit
Average length: Flexible
On a library visit you would normally bring a cohort of students from the same academic course. They will be welcomed by the relevant subject liaison librarians at the appropriate library where they will be given a tour of the library and shown how to use the cataloguing system, before then being given the freedom of the library to research and revise their chosen subject with the support of the liaison librarian.
Activities for teachers/practitioners
UCAS: Personal statements, references and portfolios
Average length: 60 minutes
This session is aimed at teachers and tutors who are involved in the UCAS process. We will cover how to write an effective personal statement, what to include in the academic reference and how to put together a successful portfolio for art and design courses.
Parents
Please note that we are only able to attend evening events that have a specific higher education focus. If you do not currently run a higher education evening aimed at parents we are able to provide support and advice on organising such an event.
Higher education evening for parents
Average length: Flexible
We offer participation and support in the form of a presentations on various aspects of higher education as well as bringing an information stand with lots of information about higher education and Nottingham Trent University.
Finance talk for parents
Average length: 30 minutes
A detailed but accessible talk on university finances introducing parents to the costs, availability of funding and the process of applying for higher education finance. Parents will have the opportunity to have their questions answered and raise their concerns so they leave the session more aware of and thinking more positively about the financial implications of university study.
General support
Higher education display
We will provide you with a general higher education themed display which informs students about subjects ranging from finance to UCAS and will include all relevant information and important deadlines. The display is changed every six weeks by a member of our team.
Bespoke activities
If you have any other activities in mind that you think would be useful for your students please let us know and we can discuss the feasibility of running a bespoke session, based on your individual requirements.
If you would like to discuss any of these sessions in further detail please do not hesitate to contact us by telephone on +44 (0)115 8486089 or Email us.
