During the summer of 2013 I have taken on the role of Student Communications Intern. Working for Richard Sandford, Student Communications Officer, and alongside UROP student, Jodie Hitch, I am beginning to find my way around the rather complex world of student services, communications and policies.

 

I have now completed two weeks of my internship, in which I have managed to meet a wide variety on interesting people from across the university. Having met with staff from Admissions, Communications, International Marketing, Accommodation, Student Welfare, Academic departments and many more, I am beginning to grasp the vast range of communication tools (and sometimes problems) that these different departments face.

  

The main outcome of my six week internship is to help develop an initial framework for a student communication strategy. Currently a lot of effort goes in to communicating with prospective and brand new students but I am focusing specifically on what happens when the students have settled into university life and have begun their courses. 

 

 Which are the best communication channels to be using? Should we be moving away from print communications? Should ‘communication’ be something that is considered to be coming from a central place? Or are individual academic and professional departments responsible for their own style and methods of communication?

 

 As you can see there are endless questions to be asked on the subject. Part of my task is to refine my own project while trying to take in as much information and as many opinions as possible; it is very much ‘work in progress’.

 

 Should you have any opinions on my project or on communications in general I would love to hear from you, feel free to email me at zf014520@reading.ac.uk