5 minutes with Louise Dobson

Tell me about your role at the University?

I am one of the Senior Regional Managers in the International Development Office, and I oversee the teams that support students from South East Asia, the Middle East, Pakistan and international students based in the UK. I have a wonderful team of seven, three of whom are based overseas (in Vietnam and Pakistan). This year I’ve also been responsible for leading on international Clearing processes.

What are your favourite tasks / areas of responsibility?

I love it when you finally get to meet a student on campus that you have been supporting remotely for a long time, sometimes it can be over 2 years! Pretty much every University in the UK is working hard to recruit international students, so when one of the team has a new and unique idea to raise our profile, meet or convert more students, or give sector-leading support, I love to help them make the idea a reality.

What is your favourite place on campus and why?

The roof garden on Boots Library on City Campus! It’s a million miles from the stuffy libraries I sat in during my studies, though that was quite a long time ago.

When you were growing up what did you want to be?

A writer. I still harbour hope that some day I might still become one?

What is your perfect weekend?

I have two young and very energetic boys, as well as a puppy, so let’s all go to the beach (perhaps in Norfolk or Cornwall) where I can sit with a delicious coffee in the sun while everyone plays happily. Then we will have a lovely pub meal with friends and good wine, but home early enough for me to read my book in bed and get a good nights sleep, ready to do it all again on Sunday!

Who would be your dream dinner party guests?

I’m sorry it’s not very imaginative, but my best friends! Between work and our families, we don’t get enough time together, and there’s nothing better than having a long meal with people who make you laugh so much you cry!

Do you have a favourite meal?

Anyone who works with me knows one of the highlights of this job for me is the food I get to try when travelling anywhere new! I’ve been spoilt with incredible food in Thailand and Vietnam: I love a meal where I get to have lots of little tastes of many different things, so the sharing style in these cultures really suits me. I’m also a chocolate addict, and think Cadburys Dairy Milk cannot be beaten.

Current favourite song, film, book, podcast?

Song: Fleetwood Mac, Never Going Back again is my pick-me-up song

Book: I recently loved “10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World”, which is set in Istanbul, a city I recently visited for the first time. It’s centred on a dark topic but beautifully written.

Podcast: Off Menu with Ed Gamble and James Acaster… they’re as obsessed with food as I am.

Have you made any holiday plans for 2025?

In 2024 I visited Lisbon, Portugal for the first time and found it to be stunning. I also enjoyed our annual trip with my friends to Spain’s best kept secret destination, Denia (shhhh, don’t tell anyone how great it is!). I also ticked off some new cities on my to-visit list for work trips: Istanbul, Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. It’s amazing to get the opportunity to see some new places and meet new people!