Welcome Day, Friday 14 September 2012
A word from our Vice-Chancellor
As Vice-Chancellor I am delighted to extend a warm and sincere welcome to you on behalf of all the staff at Birmingham City University. We are very pleased that you have chosen to study at Birmingham City University, the region’s most innovative and exciting university.
Birmingham City University is committed to supporting you throughout your time with us and to helping you succeed in your studies. We understand that the first few weeks and months of being a student are exciting but also that you will be given lots of information, which can be a little overwhelming. If you have a disability, specific learning difficulty or health condition, you may also be concerned about what support will be available to you and how this will be organised for you. We hope our Welcome Day will give you the ideal opportunity to find out about the services and facilities which can help you in these early days and throughout your time here, before the excitement of Freshers’ Week begins.
I hope you will take this opportunity to meet our Disability Support Team, current students and students who, just like you, will be experiencing all this for the first time.
I look forward to welcoming you in the near future and wish you every success in your studies at the University.
Professor David Tidmarsh
Vice-Chancellor – Birmingham City University
Get a head start at university! 
Our annual Welcome Day, every September, is your opportunity find out all the crucial stuff that you’ll need to know for your first few weeks and months at university.
You’ll have the chance to meet other new students, as well as getting top tips from current students. You will also meet all members of the Disability Support Team, so you'll know exactly who to come to if you need any advice or assistance on disability-related matters throughout your time at the University. You’ll also have the chance to find out about a range of topics, including:
- Applying for Disabled Students’ Allowances – if you haven’t already done so, we can help you get that form filled in and out of the way!
- Dyslexia (or other SpLD) support – if you have dyslexia (or think you might have), find out how this support can help you
- Mentoring for students with mental health difficulties or Asperger’s / autism. How does it help and what is it??
- E-mentoring – find out about being mentored by an existing student, who’s been there, done it and got the T-shirt!
- Healthcare – the services on offer and the importance of registering with a doctor before you get ill
- Study skills – staff from the Academic Skills Centre will tell you what’s on offer to develop your study skills
- Moodle – the university’s Virtual Learning Environment. Find out about this vital tool for your studies
- Making the move to university and getting used to student life – finding ways of coping with the new challenges
- Assistive technology – our resident IT expert will show you how programs like mindmapping software can help you succeed in your studies
- Students’ Union – it’s not all about beer – find out everything the Students' Union offers
Also on offer will be:
- Free refreshments throughout the day, including a buffet lunch
- Our ‘Welcome Pack’ for those first few weeks and months at university
- Advice and information about local transport
Where will it happen?
At our City North campus, Perry Barr. Full directions will be supplied nearer to the day.
How long will the day be?
The day will start at 10am and finish at 3pm.
What students who came to last year's Welcome Day said about it:
"The friendliness of the staff organising the event, having such a welcoming glow on everyone's faces, really allowed the new students to feel relaxed. The goodie bags signified this was going to be a fun and informative day, I believe everyone felt the positive space that was created."
"It was a great day and long may those days continue in years to come."
"Thank you very much for such a fabulous day."
93% of new students, who came to last year's Welcome Day and completed our feedback survey, said they would recommend the event to other new students.
Still not sure about whether to come? Then why not check out our film all about our first Welcome Day.
If you have questions about the Welcome Day, or about disability support at Birmingham City University in general, please email disability@bcu.ac.uk or call us on +44 (0)121 331 5588.
OK, where do I sign up?
Registration for the Welcome Day 2012 is now open and you can register for the day here. We hope to see you soon!