Current student and graduate case studies

We've been gathering case studies for use in promoting our courses and now have quite a collection along with some great photos. Excerpts from some were used in the 2011 undergraduate prospectus and the rest are being published on the website.

Survey of postgrad pre-application info sources

We asked our postgraduate students how they found out about us and the courses we offer, resulting in an impressive 16% response rate. One of the clear messages underlined the continuing need for a printed prospectus alongside the website. For a copy of the full survey results contact julie.ratcliffe@cumbria.ac.uk

Extra push on undergraduate

We're giving an extra push to our undergraduate recruitment for Septmber 2010 by using UCAS's email marketing facility. Students without an offer in subjects where we still have some places will be receive our communication.

Picture yourself here...!

The UCAS Fairs season is under way across the country, with thousands of prospective students coming through the doors. We have launched the design of innovative new stands and promotional materials, directly targeted at this audience. They've already proved hugely popular with the students and have ensured a busy and inviting stand. And they will continue to be used throughout the year for school visits, career events and open days.

To give you a flavour of what we've devised...

• large 'fairground-style' stands featuring cartoon characters from different career paths with appropriate 'head-holes'. Students can't wait to take photos of their friends on their mobile phones - guaranteeing continuing publicity for the university as they show them around


• postcards encouraging the students to sign up as VIPs on our website and upload their photos to Facebook - more publicity! The postcards again feature the same cartoon characters but this time there are holes for fingers - which become legs - great fun!


• A1-size foamboards - again with a head-hole - showing a graduate in a photo frame, encouraging students to 'Picture yourself here...'

But you really need to see it to appreciate it. Have a look at our Facebook page to get in on the action, or look at the fairs page on our website to see some of the characters.

Short business courses campaign

A campaign has been launched to promote our short business courses, being offered in Carlisle and Lancaster, designed to bring local business people up-to-date with the latest thinking and techniques to help their business grow in these competitive times.

Starting mid-April, the courses are Developing Websites, E-business and Professional Skills in ICT with ECDL. A variety of different methods have been employed to get the message across, including:

• eZines to local businesses, which include feedback from an existing student, David Mulgrew and a video of tutor Toby Weymouth explaining the benefits of the courses
• a direct mail-out to 4,000 businesses across our region
• adverts for two weeks in the Lancaster Guardian and Cumberland News
• prominent featuring of the courses on the homepage of our website.

The Face of 2011

Our student, Max Fox, who appears on the cover of the new 2011 undergraduate prospectus, is helping us to promote the university far and wide. A poster featuring Max has been produced and will soon be placed in libraries and secondary schools across our area. It encourages people thinking of applying to university to check out our website, become one of our VIPs, come to an open day - and have a look at a video of Max telling them about life at the University of Cumbria.

New undergraduate prospectus

Our latest undergraduate prospectus, for 2011 entry, is now available. A new size and shape, and courses arranged in 'family' groupings, heralds a move towards a more student-friendly format. Course descriptions are kept short and sweet to encourage prospective students to log on to our website for further information - and hopefully sign up as one of our VIPs at the same time! As an added benefit, this has reduced the publication from a weighty 300 pages to a sprightly 104, saving a few thousand trees in the process. An electronic version of the prospectus has also been produced and is available to view on our website.

Invitations to attend an HE Careers Advisers' Information Day at the Lancaster campus have been sent to all those in the education sector who advise, guide and support students towards higher education. Designed to inform about the latest developments, courses and services at the University of Cumbria, the free event is on Wednesday 12 May from and will offer a range of activities including:

• a programme of talks/workshops from course and faculty staff
• sessions on student finance, personal statements and interview techniques
• campus tours led by our student ambassadors
• latest developments and changes
• student Q&A panel.

Head Start event gives taste of uni life

Potential undergraduate students can get a taste of university life with our Head Start day at our Fusehill Street campus in Carlisle on 24 March 2010. Students who have expressed an interest in studying with us can talk to staff and students and find out why we are the number one new university in the North west for graduate prospects. Students were invited by personalised eZine.

More great value web courses for business launch

Short courses to help business exploit the power of the web continue in West Cumbria this Spring. The University of Cumbria Business School has just published details of it's great value, business focused courses all delivered at the Energus building at Lillyhall near Workington.

Students targeted through Extra

We still have some undergraduate course vacancies for September 2010 and we are using the UCAS Extra service to contact students nationwide. The communication is through email and means we can "talk" directly to over 5,000 students seeking that right university place. We will track the responses to evaluate the performance of the activity.