Frequently asked questions
What is Welcome Week?
Welcome Week otherwise known as orientation or induction is one of the most important weeks in the academic calendar. It is designed to give you the best possible start to your academic journey, providing you with information to help you navigate university life. Welcoming new and returning students, providing you with an opportunity to meet your fellow students as well as academic and support staff, and learn all about the activities that will be happening when you start your course. We’ll prepare you with the necessary information to hit the ground running when teaching starts and also how to access the information in the future.
Your academic induction explains the expectations and standards of your course, helping you become familiar with the requirements, as well as getting you used to using some of our key systems.
The week will include on-campus and virtual events and activities designed to help students familiarise themselves with the campus, online platforms and key staff as well as making connections with your new peers.
The sessions will cover introductions to your academic course leaders and provide you with an overview of what to expect from the coming academic year. You will be able to meet with our academic and support staff, take part in Society led events, Fairs, in-person activities and hear about the fantastic opportunities available to UCFB and GIS students.
From early September, your Welcome Week student timetable will be made available. You’ll be able to explore all of the induction activities and welcome events on offer to start your student journey.
Make sure you have completed your enrolment in full. You will receive a confirmation email from the institution upon successful completion of your enrolment. If you are struggling to enrol or need any additional support, you can contact the team on enrol@ucfb.com.
It is also useful to consider the below checklist to ensure you are prepared for your first days on campus:
- Check the Welcome Week timetable (available from the beginning of September) to know when and where your on-campus and virtual events and activities are taking place.
- If you are joining us on campus for Welcome Week, make sure to familiarise yourself with our campus facilities, locations, travel and transport information. You can find campus maps and travel information here: Wembley, Manchester. You will also need to ensure you bring photo ID with you to campus. This could be a drivers license, passport or valid ID card.
- Familiarise yourselves with the digital platforms we use, including the Online Hub, MS Teams and your Learner Portal. Once you have completed your enrolment, your university email will be created and you will be able to log in using your UCFB-GIS log-in details. There are support videos and guidance available on our Welcome Week homepage.
- Refreshments. Water machines are available across all our campus sites, so bring along a water bottle to top up when you need to. Catering outlets are available within, or in close proximity to, all our campus locations in order to purchase refreshments.
- If you wish to partake in any practical sessions, such as the football try-outs, please ensure you bring appropriate footwear and kit.
The key information you need to be aware of before starting the academic year will be recorded and made available for you to watch in your own time.
Links to these sessions will be made available at the end of Welcome Week on our webpage. We also encourage you to reach out to your course leader if you have any course related questions, and to introduce yourself. You can find your course leader contact details here.
Yes absolutely. All students, new and returning, in whichever mode of study you are enrolled on are welcome to join us on campus for Welcome Week; to meet your academic team and support staff in person and familiarise yourself with our campus facilities. If you are studying online, the campus facilities and staff are available to you to visit in person throughout your studies. If you are unable to come to campus, don’t worry! All content will be delivered virtually via Teams, and you can find a full schedule of events and activities in your schedule for the week. These will also be recorded and made available for the duration of your studies.
Your Welcome Week timetable will go live in September. It will be pre-populated with core events arranged to prepare you for the start of your degree programme. These events are compulsory, unless otherwise stated, and will give you the opportunity to find out more about your degree and to meet other people on your course.
A link to digital and on-demand content will be provided in the event information on the timetable. To join the event simply click on the link at the stated time. It’s a good idea to familiarise yourself with a few of the basic platforms we will be using, including Microsoft Teams and Online Hub. That way you’ll know your way around and feel more confident when taking part. Once you have set up an IT account and completed your enrolment, you will be able to log in to MS Teams and the Online Hub using your UCFB-GIS log-in details. There are support videos and guidance available on our Welcome Week homepage.
For all new and returning students, there are a number of compulsory informative sessions organised by the university to prepare you with the necessary information for the start of your course. All other events are optional although we very much encourage you to come along to make the most of meeting your fellow students, experiencing guest speakers and to get to know your campus. Please note that formal teaching commences from Monday 2nd October 2023.
