inform
Autumn term 2011
The student newsletter of the International Office at the University of Warwick
Cycling safety
Student Barometer:
why your views matter
The University of Warwick has reviewed the way it
asks for feedback from students in order to minimise
the number of surveys we ask them to complete.
Therefore, University-endorsed surveys such as the
Student Barometer are more important than ever.
Over 1 Million students across 21 countries
in 5 continents have participated in this
independent student satisfaction survey. It
asks students about their arrival, learning,
living and support expectations and
experiences.
From responses to previous Barometer
surveys in autumn 2010 and summer 2011,
we know that Warwick students are very
satisfied with their overall university
experience. The overall satisfaction rating
in the International Student Barometer
Summer Wave 2011 was 89.2%. However,
there are other areas, such as transport
links, where you have told us you are less
satisfied. The University does take your
feedback seriously and acts upon what
you tell us, making a real difference to the
student experience at Warwick for years to
come.
The Student Barometer takes just 15-20
minutes to complete, so it is a really easy
way of helping the University to understand
your needs. The Autumn Wave 2011 will close
on 9 December 2011, so please make sure you
give us your feedback before this date. The
link to the survey was sent to your Warwick
email account on 7 November along with
a message from the Vice-Chancellor. The
link to the survey is: http://survey.euro.
confirmit.com/wix/p772354250.aspx
As a thank you, you might win a £1,000
cash prize or a £100 Amazon.co.uk voucher
(the University will be awarding vouchers to
five lucky participants).
If you would like to find out more about
the results of previous surveys and what the
University and Students’ Union has done as
a result, please visit: www.warwick.ac.uk/
go/international/updates/isb
Bicycles can be a good means of transport:
quicker than walking, greener than driving
and a good way to keep fit. If you use one
make sure you ride safely so you don’t hurt
yourself or anyone else. Some of these rules
apply to pedestrians when they are crossing
roads also.
You must never cycle after dark or
in poor visibility (e.g. when there is fog)
without lights. For these conditions you are
required to have a white front light, a red
rear light, a red rear reflector and amber
or yellow pedal reflectors on the front and
back of each pedal. It is also wise to wear
reflective clothing whether it’s night or day,
and to have a bell. Helmets will help protect
you if you come off your bike. You can use
www.yell.com to find cycle shops which
sell these accessories. For buying a bike the
university has negotiated a discount with
Albany Cycles in Earlsdon, Coventry.
Like cars, you must ride on the left hand
side of the road, and go round roundabouts
in a clockwise direction. You must not cycle
on the pavement unless there are signs
saying this is allowed, though it is perfectly
acceptable to get off your bicycle and walk it
round busy junctions or roundabouts using
the pavement. Also, don’t listen to music
or use your mobile while on your bike:
you need to be able to hear traffic and to
concentrate without distractions.
“Never cycle after dark
without lights...”
In this issue: Student Barometer: why your views matter + Cycling safety
+ Immigration top tips + WIDS autumn summit + See the sights
+ Welcome to the Chaplaincy + Your next career step + Help and support is just a
phone call away + A change of address + What are you doing this Christmas?
02
Inform Autumn 2011
The University of Warwick
WIDS
autumn
summit
Immigration
top tips
The University does not want you to have any
immigration problems during your stay and therefore we
offer you the following top tips for ensuring that you are
complying with the immigration rules:
• If you are a non-EEA national, you will
normally be subject to UK immigration
control whenever you re-enter and stay in
the UK
• Your reason for coming to the UK must
match the type of visa you hold, i.e. it
is not advisable to study full-time on a
Tier 1 (Post Study Work) visa as this is an
employment visa
• You are required to present immigration
documents to the University, including
any changes/renewals of your
immigration permission
• A Tier 4 visa ties you to study at the
institution that issued your CAS
• You must notify UKBA of any changes in
your situation by completing a migrant
change of circumstances form, found at
www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visasimmigration/studying/adult-students/
changes including:
– your personal details, e.g. criminal
convictions that you have not previously
told UKBA about;
– your contact details;
– your representative’s details;
– your family members’ details, if they are
in the UK as your dependants;
– any other information that you think
UKBA should know
For full guidance, please see:
www.warwick.ac.uk/go/immigration/
responsibilities
Tier 4 visa holders may also wish to read
the UK Council for International Student
Affairs’ (UKCISA) helpful guidance:
www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/info_sheets/
protect_t4_status.php
The University’s Immigration Service is
happy to advise students on any student
immigration issue and in the month of
October, we helped 227 students to apply for
an extension of their Tier 4 visas.
See the sights
Warwick International Development Society
is organising the UK’s largest Development
Summit on 18 to 20 November here on
campus in the Maths and Stats Building.
This is your opportunity
to interact and
network with globally
distinguished speakers
from institutions like
the BBC, the World
Bank, Transparency
International, War on
Want and UNFPA, with
intellectual debates
and discussions spread across themes
of humanitarian aid, green economics,
happiness and development and people
power.
Tickets can be purchased at
www.warwicksu.com/ents/event/7889
or outside the library where you can
meet the team and learn more about the
summit. Numbers are limited so if you’re
interested you should buy your ticket
soon. They cost £6 for a Saturday ticket,
£6 for a Sunday ticket or £8 for a weekend
ticket covering both days. To find out more
about this chance to inspire new thoughts,
engage in vital causes and inform others
by learning yourself, visit the website
at www.wids.org.uk and the facebook
page at www.facebook.com/group.
php?gid=119052708128173
This term’s coach trips are on sale now. So if you want a Saturday away from
campus or the local area this is your chance to see other towns in Britain.
Now that the International Office has got a new website we’re using a
different page for the trips: www.warwick.ac.uk/go/international/events
There are three more trips this term. On November 19th it’s Bristol, which
surely must be the city with the most buzz in the South-West of England
(price £13). After that it’s the historical architecture of Lincoln on November
26th (price £11). To round things off, on December 3rd there’s a trip to Chester,
known for its Roman heritage (price £12). What you do in these towns is up to
you but there’s plenty to see in each one.
Places have to be booked and tickets purchased online, at the address
above. Current Warwick students and family members who live with them
permanently while they are here are welcome to come. If you’re interested
book soon, as places sometimes sell out fast.
03
Welcome to the Chaplaincy
As Warwick increasingly sees itself as an international
institution and community, where ‘every student is an
international student’, there is a resulting plurality and
diversity of faiths and cultures on campus.
University of Warwick Chaplains from left: Revd Dr Alastair Kirk – Anglican Chaplain, Rabbi Fishel
Cohen – Jewish Chaplain, Shaykh Imran Suleman – Muslim Chaplain, Revd Dr Stuart Jennings –
Free Church Chaplain
The Chaplaincy, which lies at the heart of
the campus, seeks to be a safe place where
students of faith and of no faith can meet,
discuss and encounter each other and
have the opportunity to share their faith
worldview as well as to listen to those
who are different. In a plural society it is
a vital part of University education in the
broadest sense to encourage discussion and
understanding around issues of faith and
religious identity.
The Chaplaincy, which has dedicated
space for those of the Abrahamic religious
traditions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam,
also offers space for Buddhists, Hindus,
Sikhs and others. For the betterment
of our world we need to learn to live
peacefully together. The Chaplaincy has
been designated a place of peace and
reconciliation. Where better to learn to love
your neighbour than here at the Warwick
Chaplaincy?
Come and find out more. Look out for details
of Inter-Faith week (19th – 26th November)
Your next
career step...
If you are intending to apply for a Tier 1 Post
Study Work visa before the scheme closes
in April 2012, you will require a letter from
the International Office once your degree
has been conferred confirming your award,
to enclose with your application. You can
request this letter online at www.warwick.
ac.uk/go/international/immigration/
statusletter. Please be aware that we will
be unable to produce these letters on 16 and
17 November 2011 due to the student records
system being unavailable. For further details
about the Post Study Work category you
may refer to our website at www.warwick.
ac.uk/go/international/immigration/
employment/after
Help and
support
is just a
phone call
away
Being an International Student and
with friends and family hundreds
or even thousands of miles away,
you might feel alone and lacking
support. Nightline is here to help
you cope with any problems you
might have with life at Warwick
– exam stress, relationship issues,
homesickness etc. Nightline is
a phone line you can call to talk
about anything; we won’t judge
you or tell you what to do – we
are just here to listen. Our service
is 100% confidential and open to
everyone. If you’re running out of
credit we can call you back, so it
won’t cost you a thing! You can
also drop in to the Nightline block
– located between Old and New
Rootes accommodation – for a chat.
We offer free condoms and attack
alarms, a host of other information
like bus timetables, taxi numbers
and contact details for other helpful
organisations, and tea and biscuits.
We want you to be able to enjoy
your time at Warwick as much as
possible, so save our number to
your phone now in case you ever
want to talk: 024 7641 7668. You
can also email us on: nightline@
warwick.ac.uk
04
Inform Autumn 2011
A change
of address
A lot of new students arrived this
term, but there are also many of
you who have been at Warwick for
longer. If that’s you then you may
have moved to a new address for
the new academic year. You should
inform various people about this.
Your bank needs to know.
You don’t want them sending
information about your account to
your old address.
If your visa required you to
register with the police you will
need to let the correct police
team have your new address.
This page gives information on
how to do this: www.warwick.
ac.uk/go/international/guides/
offerholders/arriving/police
And if you are a Tier 4 visa
holder the UKBA needs to know
as well. You can notify them by
completing a migrant change of
circumstances form, found at
www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/
visas-immigration/studying/
adult-students/changes
You should also let your doctor
know, so that they don’t withdraw
you from their practice. This is
usually the Health Centre, even for
many students living off campus.
We strongly recommend that all
students register with a doctor
before they get ill. And if you get a
cold or flu it is usually better to see
a chemist/pharmacist than your
doctor.
There may be other
organisations you might want to
inform that you’ve moved e.g. your
mobile phone or internet provider
or if you paid any utility bills like
gas or electricity directly at your old
house. Please also let the university
have your new address if it’s in
private accommodation by using
my.warwick
Photo by Jan Adriaenssens
What are you doing
this Christmas?
Cumberland Lodge, Windsor Great Park is an educational charity and a unique conference centre. Its
Patron is The Queen, who has granted sole occupancy of a splendid seventeenth-century house for
discussions aimed at the betterment of society.
With Christmas just around the corner,
now is a perfect time to start planning how
you will be spending the festive period. The
campus is a lot quieter at this time of year,
so if you’re not going home this could be
a good opportunity for you to see another
part of the country. A HOST visit may be
the perfect opportunity to see the UK and
experience the festive traditions with a
British family. You can apply now at
www.hostuk.org, application fees are only
£10 although do be aware that HOST has
more demand than they can cater for at
this time of year, so Christmas visits are not
guaranteed.
Other opportunities include: Titicaca
– this independent company often has
Christmas trips for Chinese speakers. Find
out more at www.titicaca.co.uk
Cumberland Lodge – from 16 – 18
December, you could spend a weekend
at Cumberland Lodge for only £65. Places
are very limited but you can apply now at
www.cumberlandlodge.ac.uk
European travel – experience Christmas
markets, winter skiing or just a break in
a European city, with travel so easy and
direct, you can make the most of your
vacation. See STA Travel on campus for the
latest offers. If you need a Schengen visa to
look round Europe you will need to apply in
plenty of time. See www.warwick.ac.uk/
go/immigration/travelling/europe
UK breaks – travelling across the UK has
never been easier, with lots of opportunities
by rail, plane and coach so with a bit
of advance planning you can explore by
yourself.
‘Ignis’ – Orientation Reunion
If you enjoyed the evening events offered by the Students’ Union during our
Orientation Programme back in September, you’ll love ‘Ignis’ - the Orientation
Reunion social event. ‘Ignis’, which is organised jointly with One World Week, will
take place on the evening of Thursday 24 November from 10pm to 2am in the Copper
Rooms in Warwick SU and feature the finest global sounds around. Tickets are £5
and everyone is welcome, but Orientation 2011 attendees are eligible for discounted
tickets at only £3. There will also be an Orientation Reunion Intercultural Workshop
taking place the same evening from 6pm to 7:30pm to allow Orientation attendees
to meet up and reflect upon their intercultural experiences at Warwick so far.
For more details of the Intercultural Workshop as well as ‘Ignis’ visit:
www.warwick.ac.uk/go/international/events
The International Office
University House
University of Warwick
Coventry CV4 8UW
t+44 (0)24 7652 3706
wwww.warwick.ac.uk/go/international
einternationalsupport@warwick.ac.uk