The Beginning of a New Academic Year in Higher Education Uk
by A new academic year starts. It’s full of go, but the students look scared.
Image by anyjazz65 via Flickr
It will all really take off tomorrow when we meet our new students over a breakfast meeting. This is usually a very pleasant occasion. We can talk informally with them. The food is usually quite good too. There are further meetings during the week. I shall be attending the main programme one and explaining to students how I actually want them all to go away again next year – by taking part on an exchange for one or two semesters. Later tomorrow I shall be meeting our new MA students and we shall all be meeting our new personal tutees later in the week.
As staff we also have several meetings – this week one for the BA programme and one for the MA programme. There is a lot to talk about. Tomorrow is quite a fraught day with four meetings one after the other. Still, I expect it will get us all back into routine.
Not as fraught, though, it seems, as it is for the new students coming in. I have never seen them look quite as worried as this year’s new intake. Have our admissions procedures become even more complex? I don’t think so. Surely not?
I wonder how it will all pan out this year? We seem to be about on target with our recruitment. Neither over nor under. That should mean sensible-sized classes. What will it be like for them? Will we be able to give them more attention than in previous years or will they be even more nervous about joining in the writing workshop?
Ah, we’ll see, as the semester progresses.
Meanwhile, today I have to listen to drumming from the other side of the A6 – some sort of Induction Week entertainment I expect. More locally I hear a drill. Last minute repairs, perhaps?
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