Celebrations at the WMG MSc Student's End of Year Ball

Writing about web page http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/wmg/education/wmgmasters/

Last Friday was an evening of celebration at the WMG Student's end of year ball! The ball was a great event organised by the WMG student society as it was felt by a number of students that a get together and celebration was deserved.

Over the past 9 months, students have been exposed to interesting new ideas and theories during the teaching of their modules and their thought provoked minds have been working hard as they read and write for their post module assignments. But the end of June signifies the end of modules and as the last few months of intensive project work is upon them, a night off was due!

The ball was a great occasion held in the beautiful setting of the Jephson Gardens in Leamington Spa. As we sat down to our three course meal, conversation ran, new friends were made and the art of origami was practiced!

At WMG, the student and staff team form a really international community and it was delight to be in the midst of just a small part of the community on that Friday evening.

There were tuxes and ties giving James Bond a run for his money. And the array of dresses long and short and styles that filled the room were a delight.

As I sat down at my table, I was impressed with the thought and detail that had gone into the occasion. Each person had favours, sweets, bubbles and games. It wasn't long before our highly motivated (!) table started on the Origami boats, frogs and flowers! My persistence on that darn flower earned me some respect on that night!

After dinner, we enjoyed some interactive games: heads and tails, loudest table (well done table 7 for the initiative on the popper usage! You were winners in my eyes) and of course the origami competition - well done team! Our motivation paid off as we were announced winners on that one!

Then brains had been challenged enough, we were left to dance the night away in the tropical garden surroundings!

A big well done to all the WMG students for their hard work so far this year and the over the coming months and loads of luck to you all the in future!

To see more pictures from the ball, check out us out on Flickr or if you were at the ball, leave us a comment and tell us about the night!

Julia Fan : 20 Jul 2012 10:52 |  Tags: Leamington Masters Msc Social Society Students Warwick Wmg |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Dr Hadi Abulrub Inspires Success in Jordan

Writing about web page http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/wmg/education/wmgmasters/newsandevents/

I recently had the pleasure to meet with WMG Research Fellow Dr Hadi Abulrub- 'Hadi' about his recent trip to Jordan to meet with young motivated individuals who wanted to learn more about how to succeed in their future careers. Hadi has worked hard and gained an array of experience to be in a great position to share his knowledge with others. Prior to his current research in 3D Visualisation at WMG, Hadi completed a PhD in Engineering and a Chartered Management Institute (CMI) Diploma in Management and Leadership and so benefits from both academic and business skills. He has also done previous recruitment trips to the Middle East and even initiated a scholarship scheme for Jordanian students coming to study in the UK.

As a proud representative of WMG, by his own initiative and organisation and supported and sponsored by WMG, Hadi wanted to visit home country to share his knowlege.

On Saturday 12th May, Hadi hosted 'Uncover the Ingredients for Success' a full day of workshops and presentations to an audience of prospective students and motivated young individuals. The day proved popular with over 145 people registering to attend.

During the day, Hadi gave a number of presentations about WMG and the Masters programmes available. He also spoke about Innovation in WMG and the Visualisation and Metrology Centre in which he performs his research. A very important topic to prospective students is also scholarships and Hadi gave great advice on where to find scholarships in the UK, how to prepare a good scholarship application and writing a good CV.

But Hadi's main aim of the visit was to teach key skills to succeed. With this in mind he gave a presentation on 'Leadership: The Tool for Successful Entrepreneurship' and set the attendees to work on interative tasks including working on case studies, group discussions and question and answer sessions on Leadership and Management skills and success in business. There were also fun drawing activities to demonstrate perception, essential communication skills and writing SMART objectives to apply to goals, measure success and re-evaluation and self development in life and in business.

I spoke to Hadi before his visit and I remember him telling me that he not only want to share his knowledge and teach skills, he wanted "to get into the hearts of people" so they can understand and share his passion.
He wanted the day to not only be about teaching but for people to enjoy interative activities and learn through experimental learning which is a belief shared throughout WMG and the teachings on the MSc courses.

After the event, I asked Hadi to summarise for me how he felt about the day; “For me, the best thing about hosting this event was transferring knowledge to the young generation to help them to excel in life and achieve their dreams”

There were al so several positive comments from attendees including Lina from Jordan University of Science and Technology who said

"Many thanks for the amazing workshop , Dr. Hadi
It was a unique engaging presentation in all different sessions , one that made me stay and listen even for the parts that i wasn't planning to attend earlier . Warwick University seems like a wonderful place anyone would dream of being a part of , and any dream is a plan for reality"

or Ayman who said that "Dr. Hadi inspired us to be the "BEST". Extremely powerful workshop, Thanks is not enough for you Dr. Hadi."

To see more information, photos and comments about the event, please visit the event's page on facebook.

If you attended the event, we would love to hear your thoughts about the day so please feel free to leave us your comments!

Julia Fan : 07 Jun 2012 13:29 |  Tags: Business Innovation Jordan Leadership Management Masters Msc Scholarships Trips |  Comments (12) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Educational days and Arabian nights in Morocco

It's the evening of the 7th May. As I write this, I'm watching the beautiful blue skies display an array of pinks, reds and oranges as the dimming daylight sun begins to set over the bustling Medina of Marrakech; monkeys, snake charmers, the smells of the sweet spices of arabic food, and the many wares on offer surround me, as I drink my mint tea and feel the warm sun as I absorb the culture. Hello Morocco!

But no I'm not on holiday, just grabbing a spare hour in my busy schedule! it's been a busy few days here in Morocco. This is WMG's and Warwick's first visit to Morroco and we're delighted to be here this May to talk to and welcome prospectives students at the A2 Education fairs in Casablanca and Marrakech. It is great to see so many Moroccon students looking to broaden their horizons through education in the UK. In addition to counselling students, my colleaue Emily Lim and I also gave a presentation about 'Study in the UK'. If you missed it, you can view it here.

Education is becoming increasingly important as competition in the working world increases, and an education in the UK can really give you edge, whether you want to start your career back in Morocco or even abroad. WMG offer one year Masters courses in the UK and are ready to accept applications from students in Morocco completing their undergraduate degree. Our MSc's in Engineering Business Management , e-Business Management and Cyber Security proved to be particularly popular at the A2 fairs in Casablanca and Marrakech. But there are many more fascinating courses available so do look at your options.

There is so much to be gained from studying in the UK in addition to your degree. The lifestyle and the culture is a comfortable experience of the western world. So come try a sunday roast, smell the fresh air, marvel at the beauty of winter snow, experience the royals and increase your language skills to take you places in the future. Come meet us at WMG and experience what puts the 'Great' in 'Great Britain'.

If you have any questions or met me or Emily at the A2 exhibitions, leave us a comment and let us know your thoughts!

Julia Fan : 10 May 2012 11:59 |  Tags: Admissions Masters Morocco Msc Trips |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

A Student Perspective by WMG Graduate Surya Saha

Recently, at a WMG Open Day, I had the pleasure of meeting WMG Alumnus Surya Saha, a recent WMG MSc graduate from India. Surya was delighted to share his story and talk about his experiences at WMG...

"I would always say choosing WMG for my masters was the best intelligent decision I have ever made. The course that I enrolled on was the MSc in Management for Business Excellence, the reason behind this was my focus towards quality and excellence in business as a whole.

For me, my journey in WMG was extraordinary. The mixture of opportunities was too good to miss and most importantly I never felt isolated. Doing a Masters is hard work but there was always support. There are personal tutors who act as mentors, supervisors who are extremely helpful and supportive throughout one’s project and other staff who are there to listen. The most important thing that I want to highlight is every student is valued and recognized in WMG. Everyone’s ideas are heard and there is always someone to help share those ideas and knowledge further. According to me I would say that this is one of the greatest strengths of WMG - to share and support knowledge in its research and academic excellence.

Regarding academic teaching, the MSc course structure is designed with a combination of modules, simulations and a dissertation. It provides a very innovative and collaborative way of learning to develop one’s skills and competencies. The way of teaching is mostly based on a practical approach including giving presentations, working through case studies of real business scenarios and visiting companies to see first hand operations within industry. This gives a robust understanding of knowledge that is integrated with real life experience. I think it has given me a lot of scope to learn and be proactive in continuing to learn. This entire approach of teaching has lot to offer for the future.

The research work in WMG, I guess its self explanatory. It’s the only centre in the UK that has received recognition for its excellence and contribution towards various industries all over the globe. The department is full of talents and the main thing that I have learned from them is to continuously learn.

As a proud alumnus, I would always tell people that I was and I am being valued by WMG throughout. As a graduate I still receive support and guidance from WMG. For example, I initiated a business quiz social event in 2012 after I became an alumni and I am really thankful to the management in supporting me to conduct this event which was successfully received and I am looking forward to continue this so that I can keep myself involved with WMG to help spread knowledge and encourage students to create a better future.

For students considering coming to WMG, I would say ‘go for it’. There are so many opportunities. It’s a place of innovation, ideas and encouragement."

If you have any questions for Surya or you are also a MSc graduate, feel free to leave us a comment to ask your question or share your experience.

Julia Fan : 12 Apr 2012 13:52 |  Tags: Alumni Business Management Msc |  Comments (1) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

A Day of Celebration for WMG Masters Graduates!

Writing about web page http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/wmg/education/wmgmasters/newsandevents/graduation_january_2012/

The date was the 17th January 2012 and a happy day for many people. It was winter graduation day for our WMG MSc students and a memorable occasion signifying and acknowledging the hard work that our students have put in over the past year in achieving their MSc. I remember my graduation day. It was a great day, full of satisfaction, relief and accomplishment. It felt so good to have the hard work and experience of my degree celebrated and I remember thinking that although studying was hard work, I'd do it all again for my graduation day.
I'm sure that many of our graduating students also enjoyed their 'moment in the sun'. It really is such a great feeling to have achieved a Masters degree and be walking away with that certificate from the University of Warwick to show to future employers!

I was able to talk to a number of students on the evening of the 17th when I joined in the celebrations for graduation and felt 'buzz' in the atmosphere between graduates, happy parents and proud tutors and lecturers.

I was able to speak to some of our graduates to hear what some of them have been up to since completing their Masters in September. Many of them have gone onto to find great jobs in big companies such as IBM in Bangkok, The Motorsport Industry Association, Icona Solutions and Matcon Group Ltd to name but a few. Others are going onto do PhDs and some have been busy setting up their own business! The Management focus of our MSc's really does help elevate students into senior positions after graduation. We will soon have some of the success stories added to our current Alumni profiles page for you to read about and you can see pictures from the evening on our website now.

If you attended the WMG graduation day recently, tell us about it!

Julia Fan : 01 Feb 2012 09:46 |  Tags: Alumni Graduation Msc |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

WMG 2012 Open Days Begin!

Writing about web page http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/wmg/education/wmgmasters/open_days/

Last Thursday I was very excited to be welcoming prospective students onto the Warwick Campus for the first WMG Open Day of 2012. As a relevatively newbie to WMG myself, this was also my first opportunity to be a part of the WMG full-time Masters Open Day.

The day started at 10.45 when the first visitors began to arrive. The Course Office ladies Amy and Anna and I were on hand to welcome and assist guests as they arrived and enjoyed a chat with our guests over coffee. I always love talking to prospective students and find it so interesting to hear of the many different backgrounds where people come from. A few of our visitors were entrepreneurs running their own business, some in full-time work and others still completing their undergraduate degree. I believe that the diversity of students across the WMG courses really does add to the learning environment and student experience.

After an initial welcome, the all important 'detailed bit' began. Cathy Fawcett, the Recruitment and Marketing Manager gave a lovely visual presentation about the different courses that are taught through WMG, our unique teaching styles, application process and how we work with industries worldwide to develop our courses inline with current industry practice which is important in ensuring that our course content is always up to date.

Following the presentation, just in time for the campus tour, the sun began to shine so to show the Warwick campus in it's full glory! The tour was led by two of our Alumni - Nkoyo Essien, former MSc Process Business Management student, Antrix Kumar, former MSc Engineering Business Management student and current MSc Programme and Project Management student Samantha Chen. Our WMG students also took our guests to lunch where there was plenty of opportunity for questions. There really is no better way to find out what it's like to study at WMG than to speak to our students who have completed or are in the process of completing their MSc and they are happy to answer any question you have!

At an open day, we will give you the facts, but we also want you to see the campus and speak to the people 'living the Warwick life' so you have an accurate picture of what studying with us is like because the choice on your higher education is a big decision!

Finally after lunch, the Course Leaders for each course were available to speak to visitors one to one about their course of interest. The Course Leaders really are the 'experts' and can provide information on specific details of each course, the modules, the assignments or anything else you may think of!

I would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to all those involved in making our first WMG Open day a success!

Comment!

If you attended the open day and would like to tell us about your experience of the event, we would love to hear from you! Or if you are considering attending one of our future open days in March, April or June and have any questions, just ask or sign up now!

Julia Fan : 17 Jan 2012 12:16 |  Tags: Days Open |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

WMG's Masters of Administration

Behind everything about our masters degrees at WMG, from the time you think about the opportunities WMG can offer, the excitement of making your application, the anticipation of your first day and the satisfaction that you feel as you progress through your Masters, there is a supportive team helping us all make this happen
'Well' I thought, this team need shouting about, not hiding away in the office in which they make the magic happen. So please allow me to introduce you to...

Left to Right: Amy, Nicola, Anna

'The Course Office'

So firstly, who are they and what do they really do? I met with three members of the course office; Anna, Amy and Nicola.

It all starts with Anna and the admissions team. They will initially answer any questions you have in the early days of your decision making, they will process your application, help generate visa application numbers and give you the support and advice you need in making your application to WMG.

Then there are programme co-ordinators Nicola and Amy. These two ladies will look after you and all the organisation that makes your lectures, seminars, group work and all that learning fun! They have key roles in helping academics prepare your workshops, update the student intranet so you know where and when to attend your lectures. They are the friendly faces to whom you can hand in your assignments and who'll return them to you freshly marked from your lecturers. They also answer any questions or concerns you have during your studies.
And of course we are all there to show you around on open days, welcome you on that exciting day of enrolment and congratulate you on the fantastic celebration of success that graduation day brings!

The Course Office including the Admissions team and Programme Co-ordinators

The course office is a small team looking after a big operation. They are always busy balancing the many tasks of which I have touched on just a few. But they love their job, the admissions team love hearing about the diversity of students through the personal statements they read, the programme co-ordinators love problem solving some of the challenges they face. But most of all they love working with such a variety of people, their team members, the academics, other university departments and of course our students. It all part of being WMG people in the Warwick community.

So you can be sure, whatever stage you are at in becoming one the WMG student body, you will be well looked after!

Comment!

If you’d had dealings with our course office team whether it is as a prospective student or a current student, we’d love to hear from you. Feel free to comment and tell us about your experiences.

Julia Fan : 16 Dec 2011 11:57 |  Tags: Admissions Msc |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Personal Statements

Admissions can be a very rewarding job; we deal with students all the way from initial enquiries about the courses through to meeting at the start of term. Finally seeing those same students Graduate a year or so later makes all the hard work (which is mostly theirs) worthwhile.

There are frustrations however and we see it too often: we're going through the student's application and everything is looking good for an MSc offer: an appropriate degree, glowing references and a good IELTS score, and then we read the Personal Statement...

We've seen everything from one-line "I want to do this course so I can get a better job", to "It's been my life-long ambition to study at University College London". We've had ten page rambles about the meaning of life, but nothing about the course applied for, as well as material shamelessly ripped-off from "perfect personal statement" websites which are, ironically, usually badly written. Some applicants even lift the copy directly from our own website.

So what does make an acceptable personal statement? UCAS gives some good advice here, which although aimed primarily at UK 6th-formers, applies in large part at taught postgrad level too. Ultimately we want to know why you want to do the course and why you think you'd be good at it.

We also want to be reassured that you can write a short, coherent statement. I asked the admissions team to identify the best and worst statements they'd seen over the past few months; the best was barely a page long, the worst nearly three pages (sourced in large part from a website for a motivational speaker in the US). Write it yourself and don't go nuts with the wordcount, it doesn't have to be long.

Demonstrate that you understand what you've applied for. We do expect you to know the name of the course, so it would be a good idea to mention it and show you appreciate what it's about. Statements like "I am applying for a course at your esteemed University because I have a passion for learning" smacks of a generic statement that's being sent to many institutions. We know you're applying elsewhere too, but you still need to tailor it.

Flattery doesn't get you anywhere. Telling us how marvellous Warwick is really doesn't help, neither does telling us about Warwick's long and illustrious history. Keep the focus on yourself: the fact that your mum or dad is a surgeon, international banker or head of state is not something that will affect our decision.

Finally, take some time and carefully check what you have written. If you've gone to the trouble of submitting an application, you must want to come to WMG; spending a few hours honing a statement really does make a difference.

John Waller : 14 Nov 2011 19:01 |  Tags: Admissions |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Delights of Kazakhstan

The day had finally come, I was off on my maiden voyage to Kazakhstan. I have been working with Kazakh students for the past year and so I was so excited to be going to the country itself and seeing where our Kazakh students at Warwick come from.

The first thing I notice as I sit by the gate waiting to board my flight is the many Kazakh families around me. So many are so well dressed, the ladies with their beautiful nails and glamorous high heels, putting me with my plain, make-up free face to shame. Once I landed in Kazakhstan, as the pilot landed the plane successfully, the plane was filled with clapping for the pilot’s success. It did make me smile to see this good old tradition of appreciation back in action. Then of course upon entering the airport I was surrounding by a new language and a new alphabet, different to our Latin letters. I find these little cultural differences in other countries to be always so fascinating and in visiting and learning about Kazakh culture, can perhaps better appreciate some of the cultural differences Kazakh students may experience when they come to study at the University of Warwick.

So why am I in Kazakhstan? I am visiting on a recruitment visit to speak to prospective students who may be interested in studying with us at WMG. The Masters courses we offer here at WMG focussed on business, engineering and technical industries are relevant and popular for the industries in Kazakhstan. Our MSc in Process Business Management proved to be particularly popular for the Oil and Gas industry in Kazakhstan.

During my trip I was also accompanied by Nadia Golenischeva, the universities representative for Russia and Kazakhstan. Nadia can assist students with advice and guidance on studying at Warwick in English or Russian.

Firstly we attended some recruitment fairs in both Astana and Almaty. The first fair in Astana was held at the Radisson Hotel. There were a number of universities exhibiting at the fair. It gives prospective students in Kazakhstan looking to study in the UK, the opportunity to come and talk to different universities about their options. It was great to speak to students about WMG and we were also very fortunate to be joined by three of our Warwick Alumni; Azat Sembayev studied his Bachelors in Economics and former President of Warwick’s Kazakh Society, Saken Akhmetov, WMG International Technology Management graduate and former Vice President of Warwick’s Kazakh Society and Marat Karabayev, WMG Manufacturing Systems Engineering graduate.

In Almaty, we were also joined by Gulnissa Makhanova, graduate in linguistics at Warwick and now working at the Kazakh-British Technical University in Almaty.

It was great having our Alumni there. Whilst I can advise on the courses WMG can offer, our Alumni could tell prospective students first hand about their experiences and what it is like to study at Warwick.

After the fairs, the universities joined together to celebrate the fairs with food and dancing. I experienced traditional Kazakh food whilst listening and watching the live Kazakh folk band. Whilst my trip was always busy, where I could, I loved immersing myself in Kazakh culture and meeting new people. I also went on a brief city tour of Astana to try and get out and see the relatively new capital. I love the different shapes and styles of the buildings and the colours of city lit up at night, and of course in Almaty, the beautiful snow-capped mountains.

Following on from the fairs, we also spent some time meeting with Education agents in Almaty. There are a number of agents who are happy to counsel prospective students in studying abroad and learning English. Information on just some of the agents can be found at http://www.kaea.kz/. I spent time meeting with the agents and telling them about WMG so they can pass this information onto their enquirers.

My time in Kazakhstan was non-stop but thoroughly enjoyable. Seeing Kazakhstan and where our Kazakh community at Warwick come from was brilliant and meeting prospective students at the fairs and keeping in touch with them, helping wherever I can as they start the exciting journey in their plans to come to Warwick gives me great satisfaction. I look forward to my future visits to Kazakhstan and if you would like to come and talk to me or Nadia, please do! Watch here for updates on when Warwick will be visiting again.

 

Julia Fan : 10 Oct 2011 09:25 |  Tags: Trips |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Welcome to the WMG MSc blog

WMG have been running MSc courses for over 30 years. Back in the 1980s we offered just a handful of courses, could fit the entire annual intake into one lecture theatre and gave lessons on basic IT using BBC Micros.

We now have 650 students a year across eleven courses and consume all the teaching facilities in two buildings for nine months of the year. This expansion has brought a necessary growth in support staff who are responsible for recruitment, admissions and course admin. Bolstered during peak times by temporary and teaching staff, we support our current students, attend overseas recruitment events, deal with MSc applications and try to steer overseas students through the ever-more-complicated Tier 4 visa arrangements.

So we've decided to start a collaborative blog about some of the things we do.

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John Waller : 25 Sep 2011 16:01 |  Tags: Msc |  Comments (3) |  Close comments |  Report a problem