beyond b february 2016 - the university of … northampton, and as nene college. northampton is the...

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IN ISSUE ONE • Your Alumni Association Find out more about your community and what we can do for you • Exploring Antarctica Dr Nathan Smith’s research takes him to sub-zero conditions • Our Inspirational Campaign Find out about the alumni campaign that is inspiring future generations BEYOND T H E A L U M N I M A G A Z I N E What did you think of the first edition of Beyond? Let us know by going to www.northampton.ac.uk/Beyond and fill out our Beyond feedback survey. The University of Northampton Alumni Association Twitter: @AlumniUN Facebook: Alumni - University of Northampton LinkedIn: The University of Northampton Alumni Association +44 (0)1604 892518 www.northampton.ac.uk/alumni B FEBRUARY 2016 Waterside Campus The ground-breaking project that will transform lives

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IN ISSUE ONE

• Your Alumni Association Find out more about your community

and what we can do for you

• Exploring Antarctica Dr Nathan Smith’s research takes him

to sub-zero conditions

• Our Inspirational Campaign Find out about the alumni campaign

that is inspiring future generations

BEYONDT H E A L U M N I M A G A Z I N E

What did you think of the first edition of Beyond? Let us know by going to www.northampton.ac.uk/Beyond and fill out our Beyond feedback survey.

The University of Northampton Alumni Association Twitter: @AlumniUN

Facebook: Alumni - University of Northampton

LinkedIn: The University of Northampton Alumni Association

+44 (0)1604 892518

www.northampton.ac.uk/alumni

B F E BRUA RY 2 016

Waterside Campus

The ground-breaking project that will transform lives

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8Our Ancient University History

In honour of the 750th anniversary of the

dissolution of the ancient University of

Northampton, Dr Drew Gray explores our

ancient history.

4News in BriefCatch up on the latest University

of Northampton News

21Making a real impact

We catch up with students who were

awarded funds from our most accessible

scholarship: The Chancellor’s Fund.

10Postgraduate OpportunitiesExplore postgraduate opportunities

available at the University

26The Alumni Association

Find out what events happened this year

and what we offer our alumni.

Welcome to the 2016 edition

of ‘Beyond,’ the University of

Northampton’s new alumni magazine.

‘Beyond’ will be published annually

and will contain features, news items

and opportunities for you to keep in

touch - both with us, and with your

fellow alumni. It will also contain

details of opportunities and benefits

for you to take advantage of.

It is a very exciting time to be a student, a member of staff, or an

alumnus of Northampton. In the last 12 months we have committed

ourselves to being the leading university in the UK for social innovation

and social impact. This means that our degree programmes, our

research projects, and the way we run the University, are designed

to help us bring new and creative thinking to long-standing problems

affecting people and the environment (social innovation), and then

do something positive about them (social impact). This commitment

strengthens the exceptional work we have already carried out over

previous years, both as the University of Northampton, as University

College Northampton, and as Nene College. Northampton is the

university that aims to do ‘good stuff’, and you can read about

some of the great work we are doing in this edition of ‘Beyond’.

We are also building a new University! Work has started on our new

Waterside Campus, situated by the River Nene, just off the Bedford

Road in the centre of Northampton Town. In autumn 2018 we will leave,

not without many fond memories, both Park and Avenue campuses,

and move to our new University. The development of Waterside is the

biggest single Higher Education construction project in the UK at this

time, and we are the only university ever to move the whole institution

to a new site.

The Waterside Campus will be a fantastic place to study and to carry

out leading-edge research, and a great place for our alumni and

their families to visit. We are building a campus that will be open to

the local community and that will make a huge contribution to the

redevelopment of our home town, Northampton.

In future editions of ‘Beyond’ we will be keeping you up to date with

our building work and will be announcing details of how you can see

our new University as it grows.

We are proud of our students and our alumni. We have tried to reflect

this pride in ‘Beyond’. I hope you think we have succeeded and that

you enjoy reading it.

I look forward to hearing from you and meeting you at future alumni events.

Professor Simon DennyDirector of Advancement

Director of Research, Impact and Enterprise

Working on ‘Beyond’ has been a real

pleasure. Collecting all the wonderful

pieces from academics, alumni and

students has been an eye opening

and inspirational experience. I am so

pleased to be able to put them all in

one place and share it with you, the

alumni community. I just wish I could

have included more!

I hope you enjoy the first edition of

this dedicated alumni magazine and

learn things about your institution and your alumni community that you

didn’t know before.

It is your magazine and we want to know what you did and didn’t like

about this first edition, what you want more or less of, so please let us

know what you think about ‘Beyond’ by filling out a short survey, visit

www.northampton.ac.uk/Beyond.

Virginia GlitheroAlumni Officer and ‘Beyond’ Editor

WELCOME

9 22 Making the Difference

16 New beginnings 25 Inspiring Others 12 Off to the Antarctic

The University and Leather 20 How real is

social media?

Why Beyond? The name ‘Beyond’ signifies the connection

between the University and our alumni

beyond graduation. The connection we

have is beyond bricks and mortar, beyond

education and beyond the memories.

‘Beyond’ also signifies the work we do

beyond other institutions and what sets

us apart from the pack. It celebrates our

differences and successes beyond the

norm, both as an institution and the

individuals that make us what we are.

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We celebrate our 10th anniversary Higher Education in Northampton has a unique

history - you can read more about this history on

page eight. Ancient folklore states that King Henry III revoked the

town’s license to have a university, thus ensuring Northampton would

never be home to a university again. However, on 25 August 2005,

ancient folklore was proven wrong and the University of Northampton

was formally established and given full degree awarding powers. We

are extremely proud of all our achievements as an institution, and are

marking this landmark with various events throughout the year.

Our Global ImpactResearch Excellence The University of Northampton entered nine Units of Assessment

into the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF 2014).

The Research Excellence Framework is the system by which the

quality of research in UK Higher Education institutions is evaluated

and ranked.

Six of our nine entries featured ‘4 star research’ considered to

be ‘world leading in terms of originality, significance and rigour’.

The remaining three of our entries were rated as ‘internationally

excellent in terms of originality, significance and rigour’ (3 star).

In History, 22 per cent of research was rated as world-leading.

In Art and Design, 20 per cent of submissions were ranked as

‘world-leading’ for their impact.

Head to page 23 to read how the University of Northampton’s

Dr Machado is using the immune system to treat cancer.

You can also discover more about the research we do by visiting

us at www.northampton.ac.uk/research

NEWS IN BRIEF

We form new strategic partnership with FujitsuThe University of Northampton’s Business School is pleased to announce

that it has formed a strategic partnership with Fujitsu, the world renowned

IT company.

The partnership will offer both undergraduate and postgraduate students

the opportunity to work closely with Fujitsu, with mentoring, site visits and

guest lectures planned for the future. The two organisations will also work

collaboratively on both academic and commercial research.

We expand our engineering partnership in ChinaThe University of Northampton’s partnership with China’s Nanyang Institute

of Technology (NIT) recently expanded with its first intake of students on to

the BEng Electromechanical Engineering programme.

During a visit in late April 2015 (arranged and supported by Senior Lecturer

and Partnership Manager, Dr Huijuan Su), the inaugural intake of 120

students were taught by staff from the University’s department of

Engineering and Technology.

The partnership involves regular visits to develop and support the students’

transition to studying at the University of Northampton.

Giving our time to refugees Students and staff from the University of

Northampton are continuing with their

efforts to support refugees in Calais and

across Europe. Over 2,600 essential items

have been donated, sorted and boxed

up by our staff and students, ready to be

distributed across the Channel.

Father Timothy Curtis, Senior Lecturer in

the School of Health, leads the project,

with assistance from Executive Officer,

Nick Allen. Tim comments; “Our work will continue, with plans to take our students to Calais, and in the longer term, as a community we will be helping refugees if they arrive in Northampton, helping them to settle.”

A Facebook group has been set up to

allow people to follow the initiative and get

involved: www.facebook.com/groups/refugeeswelcomenorthampton

Our 2015-2020 Strategic Plan‘Transforming Lives and Inspiring Change’ is the University’s 2015-2020 strategic plan. It states what we are and what we stand for. All that we do links back to this strategy and our alumni play a crucial part. The plan outlines our Vision, Mission and Values, you can read the plan by heading to bit.ly/2015-2020StrategicPlan or you can hear it by visiting our YouTube channel: ‘UniNorthants’.

University researcher volunteers with refugees Dr Saneeya Qureshi, PhD, a Researcher in the Institute for Social Innovation

and Impact, says she has been profoundly affected by the plight of

refugees after volunteering in Budapest in September 2015. Whilst

attending a conference in the Hungarian capital, Saneeya found some spare

time to help refugees who were camped at Keleti Palyaudvar in the city.

She said: “These refugees have so much dignity. They’re so brave and positive. I’ll never forget them as long as I live. I think something inside me has changed forever.”

You can read Saneeya’s full account of her experience by visiting

her blog: www.saneeya.wordpress.com

Our Alumni go above and beyondSarah Canning, 1980’s

alumna, was recently

named Solicitor of the Year

by the Northamptonshire

Law Society. Alongside her

day job as the Head of

Litigation at Franklins,

Sarah is also the Chair

of the Northamptonshire

branch of the Institute of Directors and was responsible for the

development of the East Midlands Young Directors Forum.

2009 English alumna, Sam Wilson, dedicates her time at Elsie’s Café in

Charles Street, Northampton. Elsie’s is a ‘Real Junk Food Project’ Cafe,

that serves nutritious meals, made entirely from rescued food, to the

public on a ‘pay as you feel’ basis. They never turn anyone away

and those that can afford to pay are asked to make a donation.

2010 alumna and current University employee, Fiona Maclellan and

her colleague were awarded the St. John’s Ambulance Everyday Hero

‘Workplace Hero’ Award in July. Their bravery, quick thinking and medical

assistance helped a colleague when he suffered a heart attack at work.

Sophie Gresswell, (pictured in image 2) 2012 Fine Art alumna has used

her painting talent to raise £500 for The National Hospital of Neurology and

Neuroscience’s National Brain Appeal, which raises money to treat people

with everything from migraines to brain tumours. Sophie suffered back

pain for about two years before an MRI scan found her benign tumour at

the end of July 2014.

Guy Batchelor, (pictured in image 1) 2015 MBA alumnus, has recently

completed a mammoth 22.5 mile, 15 hour swim across the English

Channel for charity. Guy undertook the challenge to raise money for The

Clock Tower Fund and Birmingham Children’s Hospital.

2015 alumna, Katy Bolas’ research has found evidence that pets

can have a positive effect on the behaviour of young people with Autism

Spectrum Disorder. Katy hopes her findings will help parents of ASD

children who are considering getting a pet to make a more informed

decision, based on their children’s characteristics.

Kirsty Wilkins, a Law alumna, won 2015 Volunteer of the Year for

Pride in London. The award, as voted by the thousand Pride in London

volunteers, was for her work as the Parade Route Manager. The event

saw 30,000 people parade through the streets of London.

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Making an Impact in NorthamptonshireVice Chancellor named as Patron of Northampton Hope CentreIn November 2015, Professor Nick Petford, Vice

Chancellor, was named as a new Patron of the

Northampton Hope Centre - a charity for the

homeless, vulnerable and disadvantaged in

Northamptonshire.

Professor Petford commented: “I am really excited to become a Patron

of such an important local charity. The Northampton Hope Centre is a

great example of how social impact brings communities together, to help

tackle society’s most important issues. I am proud that the University of

Northampton is leading the way in making a difference to the community

we live in.”

Music makers get the chance to get their material releasedYoung Northamptonshire musicians are being offered the chance to have

their material professionally produced and released thanks to a project

supported by the University of Northampton. The Best of Northants project

aims to instigate creative collaborations between local musicians,

producers and artists – and will see a series of albums and EPs featuring

different genres of original music being released on the University’s own

record label, Avenue Music, and other professional outlets.

The project is a collaboration with InMusicInMedia, a social enterprise

company dedicated to supporting young people and their musical

development, set up by University alumnus, Daniel Johnson.

Story Seekers project goes from strength to strength Bringing back the joy of reading to Northampton since 2007, our Library

and Learning Services team have engaged with the local community by

establishing a number of reading groups. The scheme encourages a love

of reading, increasing participants’ confidence and self-esteem and

enhancing skills including literacy, debating and group discussion.

Since the project began, we have partnered with various local charities

and organisations to bring the project to a variety of groups, including;

disadvantaged young women, those with mental health issues and young

adults with learning difficulties and disabilities. Groups meet once a month

to discuss their current reading material.

To find out more about these groups,

contact: [email protected]

Celebrating Northampton’s heritage with a modern app Dr Drew Gray, Senior Lecturer in History leads on the successful Follow

Northampton project, which seeks to celebrate the culture and heritage

of Northamptonshire. Funded by two successful bids to the Teaching and

Learning Enhancement Fund, Follow Northampton has brought together

students and staff from history, architectural technology, education and

graphic design to create an iOS mobile app that ‘maps’ sites of cultural

and historical interest within Northampton.

Follow Northampton has allowed us to explore new ways of thinking

about heritage, and provided ‘live’ workplace experience opportunities

for undergraduate students. It has also linked with external partners such

as the Spring Borough community, schools and the local councils.

Find out more: follownorthampton.co.uk

Shining a light on Northamptonshire’s Police and Fire servicesThe University of Northampton’s Institute for

Public Safety, Crime and Justice (IPSCJ) is

undertaking a project to research the daily

challenges members of the Police and Fire

services experience in their roles. The IPSCJ is

a joint venture between the Northamptonshire

Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner

and the University of Northampton.

The Institute is working on a variety of different

research projects, and aims to facilitate the

delivery of evidence-based policy and practice

across public safety services.

Find out more: bit.ly/IPSCJ

Getting our schools moving! The University of Northampton’s Institute of Health and Wellbeing

has won a £75,000 research bid to evaluate a groundbreaking new

project which aims to change physical activity in secondary

schools. The evaluation will research the PE2020 Active Healthy

Minds programme.

The programme will run over three academic years (starting

September 2015), involving all secondary schools in the county.

Led by Northamptonshire County Council, Northamptonshire

Sport and charity the Youth Sport Trust, the programme aims

to deliver PE and sport in secondary schools in a new way;

considering pupils’ mental and physical wellbeing in order to have

a positive impact on both student achievement and attainment.

Find out more: www.institute-of-health-and-wellbeing.org.uk

@IoHWNorthampton

Have you or a fellow alumnus gone above and beyond? Let us know! We love to hear inspirational stories, simply email

[email protected] with your story.

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2015 was a momentous year for us and represented multiple landmarks in our history. It was the year that we began work on our new Waterside Campus (read more on page 16) and marked our 10th Anniversary since we were awarded full university status. Furthermore, 2015 marked the 750th anniversary of the dissolution of ancient University of Northampton which had been established (and then dissolved) in the reign of King Henry III.

Dr Drew Gray, (pictured) alumnus and current

Senior Lecturer in History at the University of

Northampton, tells the tale of our ancient history.

According to one historian, between 1176 and

1193 the studium at Northampton ‘rivalled or

even eclipsed the Oxford schools’ 1. But when

Richard went off on crusade (and ended up

getting captured) the focus shifted to Oxford. The

schools at Northampton continued however and

under the patronage of Simon de Montfort and

Henry III it looked possible that Northampton

would be recognised as a studium generale (or a

fully-fledged university).

By the mid-13th century, England had two

universities, Oxford and Cambridge but scholars

from both of these travelled to Northampton

and some settled here. In Cambridge fights

between ‘town’ and ‘gown’ in 1249 led some

students to decamp to Oxford and in 1260

there was a major outbreak of rioting in

Cambridge which resulted in the execution of

16 townsmen and the severe punishment of

many more; in the aftermath several scholars

fled seeking sanctuary, some of whom arrived

in Northampton. In 1261 Henry III granted

permission for the settlement of a university in

the town.

Henry III and Simon de Montfort (the King’s

brother-in-law and Earl of Leicester) started off

as best of friends but the relationship soured.

More importantly perhaps, de Montfort and

many of the king’s barons were unhappy that

Henry seemed to be riding roughshod over the

tenets of Magna Carta and the more recently

agreed Provisions of Oxford. It led to a civil

war and on 5 April 1264 King Henry III won

a major battle at Northampton ‘taking the

town and castle and capturing the entire

Montfordian garrison’ 2.

During the siege of Northampton the scholars

resisted the King’s forces and so the angry

monarch supposedly eked revenge by revoking

the town’s license to have a university. But an

interesting proclamation from Henry III suggests

a more parochial and self-interested reason for

the folding of the town’s 13th century university.

On 1 February 1265, Henry wrote to the mayors

and burgesses of Northampton: “We acceded

to their request [to establish a university in

1261] because we believed then that this would

benefit your town and that advantage would

accrue to us; but now we have learned on the

testimony of men worthy of belief that, if the

university remains at Northampton, no small

damage would be incurred by our borough of

Oxford, which is of ancient creation, confirmed

by our ancestors, and is generally approved

as a convenience to students. We should on

no grounds be willing that this should happen,

especially as all the bishops agree that for the

honour of God, the advantage of the Church

of England and the well-being of the students,

the university should be removed from

Northampton”.3

As F.M.Powicke noted,‘one feels that it was the

borough of Oxford that really mattered; it had

got the better of Northampton’. It wasn’t just the

siege and the opposition to the King, it was the

vested interest of Oxford University in preserving

its status as the primary studium generale in

central England that persuaded the King to

revoke our license.

The capture of Northampton by Henry III, marked

the end of an attempt to launch a university.

Finally, in 2005, the University of Northampton

was established, 750 years later.

Education has an extensive history in Northampton dating back to the 13th Century while the University of Northampton has evolved from the beginning of the 20th Century:

1924-1937

Northampton Technical College was established. The St George’s Avenue building was opened by the Duke and Duchess of York in 1932. The School of Art opened in 1937.

1975

Nene College was formed from the amalgamation of the College of Education, College of Technology and College of Art.

1992

Nene College transferred its Further Education provision to Further Education colleges in Northamptonshire and focused on Higher Education.

1997

Sir Gordon Roberts College of Nursing and Midwifery was incorporated into Nene College.

2005

The University of Northampton was established, having been awarded full university status and research degree awarding powers.

1972

Margaret Thatcher opened the College of Education at Park Campus in 1972.

1978

The Leathersellers’ College in London was integrated into Nene College.

1993

Nene College incorporated St Andrew’s School of Occupational Therapy and was granted undergraduate degree awarding powers.

1999

Nene College became University College Northampton.

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1 Alan B Cobban, The Medieval English Universities 2 J.R. Maddicott, Simon de Montfort 3 F.M.Powicke, Ways of Medieval Life and Thought 4 Alan B Cobban, The Medieval English Universities: Oxford and Cambridge to c.1500

OUR HISTORY

Rachel Garwood,

Director of The Institute

for Creative Leather

Technologies tells

us more about the

unique relationship

the University of

Northampton has with

the leather industry.

“The Institute for Creative Leather Technologies

(ICLT) is a globally-unique research centre

based here at the University of Northampton.

ICLT engages in cross-disciplinary research that

responds to the scientific and technological

needs of the leather, automotive, fashion,

footwear and allied industries.

“ICLT has traditionally taught the science and

technology of leather making, but over recent

years we have increasingly attracted students

from fashion and design backgrounds as

well as science. The close integration of ICLT

with the University’s own fashion and design

departments allows our courses to cover all

aspects of the leather supply chain, from the

live animal through to the bespoke end product.

This places us in a unique position, since no

other university can offer this balance.

Rachel continues: “The ICLT’s reputation, as the

world’s leading institution for leather education

and academic research, has attracted visits from

both Boris Johnson (Mayor of London) and Liam

Byrne (Shadow Minister for Business, Innovation

and Skills) in the past.

“Such visits are extremely effective in raising the

profile of leather as a potential career option.

ICLT also has a high level of engagement with

industry, which enhances the whole student

experience as well as helping produce industry-

ready graduates. Significant representatives from

the world of industry regularly come to ICLT to

deliver guest lectures and student workshops.

“Our annual Leather Industry Engagement Day

in February was attended by companies from

across the leather supply chain, including Aston

Martin, who provided the speaker for the key

note lecture. Such events help ICLT maintain its

impressive 100 per cent graduate employability

record — now for the fifth year running.

Rachel added: “Exciting times lie ahead. A

new collaborative partnership between the

International Museum of Leathercraft, the

Leather Conservation Centre and ICLT has

proposed the creation of an International

Centre for Leather, based in Northampton’s

cultural quarter. As a global centre of

excellence, the International Centre for

Leather would provide a unique opportunity

for Northamptonshire to demonstrate an

ongoing commitment to the leather industry,

bringing together not only education, research,

development and innovation, but also

conservation and heritage, alongside creative

fashion and design.

The proposed Centre will become the world’s

‘one stop shop’ and make Northamptonshire

the most important global source for leather

and leather-related information. This project is

a bold vision of linking academia with industry,

the environment, fashion and cultural heritage:

there will be nothing like this anywhere else in

the world.”

To find out more about leather

at the University, head to www.northampton.ac.uk/ICLT

HIDE TO HIGH STREET AND EVERYTHING INBETWEEN

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Whether you are from the class of 2015 or

1970, the opportunity to study beyond your

undergraduate qualification at the University

is available to you. The University provides

courses at all levels, from Continual

Professional Development short courses

through to Research PHDs.

The choice of doing a postgraduate degree

is not an easy decision for anyone to make,

financial and time reasons are often cited

as reasons against further study after an

undergraduate degree. We find out why students

choose to partake in postgraduate study and

why academics recommend studying beyond

undergraduate level.

Stephanie Nixon chose to study a Master’s in

International Criminal Law and Security and

began her course in September 2015. She

believes that postgraduate study is essential

for her future career and comments:

“A postgraduate course enables students to look

at something that they love in a lot of depth, and

in that way, they can explore all the avenues to

go into a career. It opens up more career options

in the future as well. You have more of a step up

from an undergraduate degree because it shows

your commitment to that field.”

John Sinclair, Dean of the School of Science

and Technology also believes that postgraduate

qualifications can help future careers of

students: “Master’s level study is a really

important aspect of students’ employability.

Master’s study is all about criticality,

independence and communication, so an

employer can be assured that if they are

interviewing a candidate with a master’s

qualification, that individual will be able

to research in depth and report their findings

with criticality.”

But taking the leap and entering postgraduate

study when you have other responsibilities isn’t

the easiest decision to make, Fatimo Mumini , a current International Relations master’s

student said: “Being a mum of three young kids,

it’s a challenge for me... but I think postgraduate

studies give you the edge over other applicants

when it comes to your career.”

If you are thinking about participating in

postgraduate study and want to find out

more about the courses we offer, head to

www.northampton.ac.uk/postgradcpd.

You can also email [email protected]

or call 01604 735500, and our team will

answer any questions you may have.

TO POSTGRAD OR NOT TO POSTGRAD, THAT IS THE QUESTION…

John Sinclair, Dean of the School of Science and Technology

MASTER’S STUDY IS ALL ABOUT CRITICALITY, INDEPENDENCE AND COMMUNICATION.

“Once you have completed an undergraduate degree, you have demonstrated that you are skilled up to a certain level, which is fantastic,

but there is always more to learn.

“So, if you can get an extra qualification under your belt in a very competitive jobs market, it can only further support your application. A brilliant place to further your skills would be to look at postgraduate qualifications.

“Gaining a qualification such as a Master’s degree enhances your employability because you learn more about the subject of your choice, more in depth knowledge which is really important. Above and beyond that, you will have the opportunity to do research, combined with placement opportunities, and that really enhances your employability beyond what you would get from an undergraduate degree.”

Professor Nick Petford, Vice Chancellor

There is no ‘typical’ Postgraduate student,

each one is different and postgraduate study is

perfect for catering to students’ individual needs.

We have 1,562 students studying various

postgraduate qualifications in the 2015-2016

year. 178 of these are research students,

and 1,384 are taught students.

Our postgraduate portfolio is extensive, with

courses in a variety of disciplines. The number

of students studying each discipline this year

is as follows:

520 Education-related subjects

372 Business-related subjects

151 Health-related subjects

135 Education with others

125 Social Sciences-related subjects

50 Science and Technology-related subjects

31 Arts-related subjects

We think everyone should have the right

to study postgraduate qualifications.

*Terms and conditions apply.

Alumni receive a discount off

ALL postgraduate courses*

Jargon Buster Box

Research Degree Independent study plays a huge part in these

degrees, and they generally focus on one topic

in depth.

Taught Degree These degrees are more structured, with a set

programme of study. The intention of a taught

degree is to develop knowledge or skills in a

specific area of study.

Full time Learning You do your studies full time with a full schedule

during the working week, which could be

9am-5pm daily.

Part time LearningFixed hours during the week, not as intense as

Full Time learning. It will take longer to complete

than a Full Time course.

Blended Learning Study is a mixture of learning in lectures,

seminars and classrooms and then other

time spent learning online. The length of the

course varies.

Sandwich Postgraduate DegreeTaken typically as a five year undergraduate

and postgraduate course, with one year

in industry.

A free taste of postgraduate StudyOur Gateway MBA MOOC (Massive Open

Online Course) is an opportunity to try

out studying on our Postgraduate

MBA programme, completely free

of charge. Find out more by visiting

www.northampton.ac.uk/mba-mooc

Of our Postgraduate students:

64% are female, 36% are male

1,081 are home students, 431 are overseas students, 27 are European students

54 were awarded full scholarships for their Master’s degree this year

At the University of Northampton, we believe

in providing flexible study opportunities for

our students, ensuring our students study

the way that works best for them. Of our

postgraduate students:

668 are studying Part time

517 are studying Full time

191 are studying via distance learning

186 are studying via blending learning

3 are doing a ‘Sandwich’ degree

Postgraduate Stats 2015-2016

Lecturer in Sport Psychology, Dr Nathan Smith’s research interests centre on the motivational processes that underpin sport and physical activity participation, the promotion of psychological health and the development of resiliency and coping.

In March 2016, Nathan will be embarking on the 2041 International Antarctic Expedition, which sets sail from the Argentinian port of Ushuaia – a town nicknamed ‘the end of the world’. Nathan shares with us some of his most recent research and explains what this incredible expedition will entail.

“‘Why Bother Leaving The House?’ was the title of a TED

talk given in 2012 by the polar explorer, Ben Saunders. In

the talk, Saunders tried to explain the benefits of spending

time outside of the house. It was this that first got me truly

interested in the psychological benefits of adventure

and exploration.

Colleagues and I have since been lucky enough to

collaborate with Ben Saunders on a research project

examining the psychological dynamics involved in his

most recent expedition, aptly named The Scott Expedition.

We are currently in the process of conducting a narrative

enquiry case study into Saunders’ successful attempt to

walk unaided from the edge of Antarctica and back again

(I stress the back again part!)

The Scott Expedition journey retraced the footsteps of

Captain Robert Falcon Scott, one of the eminent explorers

of the Edwardian era. The achievement of Saunders and his

compatriot Tarka L’Herpiniere rank amongst the greatest

feats of human endeavour ever recorded. In total, the pair

walked the equivalent of 70 marathons back-to-back pulling

their food and supplies in sledges (otherwise known as man-

hauling) that weighed over 200kg, in temperatures anywhere

in the region of -50 degrees Celsius. In the process they

were starving, lost a third of their body weight, and placed

themselves under incredible amounts of stress.

At first, it might seem counter-intuitive to suggest that this

type of extreme challenge could foster any type of health-

enhancing or psychological benefits. However, an article

written by Professor Peter Suedfeld entitled ‘Homo Invictus:

The Indomitable Species’ shines a light on the incredible

resilience of the human race. Over the years, Suedfeld and

colleagues have continuously shown that human beings can

endure and overcome the most extreme of circumstances,

and despite the challenges associated with such expeditions,

report an array of health-enhancing or adaptive

psychological responses.

In our current research and planned future studies,

we are exploring the impact of adventure and exploration

on a variety of thoughts, feelings and behaviours. There is

compelling evidence to suggest that venturing out of the

house, getting out of your comfort zone, and encountering

stressful situations such as those experienced by Ben

Saunders, can promote psychological health. Based on

our current lines of research, we should at the very

least be able to offer an answer to the question

‘why bother leaving the house?’

In March 2016, I will join a group of 24 others on the

Leadership on the Edge programme led by famous explorer

Robert Swan. The amateur expedition members and

I will spend more than two weeks together, in sub-zero

temperatures that can get as low as -25 degrees Celsius.

The group will sail across the Drake Passage and across to

the Antarctic Peninsula where we will disembark at several

points along the coast.

I will assess the international group on a number of

psychological factors. Prior to the expedition participants

will fill out surveys assessing personality, personal values,

motivations to participate and typical coping strategies

used in challenging situations.” (Article continued overleaf).

TO YOUR LIMITS AND BEYONDUniversity Lecturer researches psychological functioning in extreme conditions.

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To hear Nathan talk more in-depth about this exciting trip and his research head to our YouTube channel here: Youtube.com/UniNorthampton

Nathan Smith Currently a Lecturer in Sport Psychology at the University

of Northampton, Nathan completed a PhD at the University

of Birmingham in 2014, focusing on the motivational

environment created by coaches in sport.

Since then, Nathan has been researching psychological processes

in extreme and isolated environments and worked closely with

a variety of expedition-goers including world record breaking

polar explorers.

His interests are closely tied to promoting psychological health and

facilitating optimal functioning in sport and physical activity contexts.

As such, he has been involved in a variety of projects, including

a European FP7 funded project aimed at promoting adolescent

physical activity (www.projectpapa.org), an examination of

the role of professional sports teams in men’s health promotion

and the psychology of extreme and isolated environments.

Alongside his academic duties, Nathan is the director

of creative sport psychology journal Psyched for Sport

(www.psyched4sport.com).

You can find out more about Nathan here:

www.northampton.ac.uk/directories/ people/nathan-smith

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“There has been a good deal of research on personality in extreme

conditions. Professors Peter Suedfeld, Lawrence Palinkas, Gro Sandal

(who is involved in this project), and Gloria Leon among others,

have consistently examined personal factors in different types of

expedition groups.

This has led to a good understanding of the type of person who performs

well in such conditions. However, most of this research is conducted with

trained people such as full time expedition-goers, military personnel and

astronauts. In the present study, we are interested in the profile of a civilian

international expedition group, which includes members from all over

the world.

During the trip, participants will be asked to complete a brief daily

expedition diary and contribute to a video-diary at the end of each week.

I will use this to examine changes in emotions during the expedition,

how members have coped with the stressors faced and group interactions

and tensions during the trip.

Given the work that has come before, I would expect most participants

to provide a positive account of their experience during this short-duration

expedition and report growth on return to everyday life. I am particularly

looking forward to collecting data on how the group functioned during the

expedition to better understand how the diverse group members

operate when faced with challenging situations.

My research aims to educate future world leaders on the benefits of

protecting the natural world, and the importance of developing resilient

people and communities.

Feel free to contact me on [email protected]

if you have mutual interests or would like to discuss any of my

work further.”

Nathan is hoping to raise £5,000 to contribute to the cost of these

research activities while on the expedition. By pledging to support

his work, you can play a direct role in driving scientific knowledge.

There are also some other benefits; from receiving a hand-written

postcard from the most southern city on Earth, to having a private

presentation of the research findings.

To sponsor the expedition and directly contribute to research

on psychology in extremes, visit bit.ly/NathanSmith

MY RESEARCH AIMS TO EDUCATE FUTURE WORLD LEADERS ON THE BENEFITS OF PROTECTING THE NATURAL WORLD, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF DEVELOPING RESILIENT PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES.Nathan Smith

PsychEd4Sport

The modern university campus will be situated

in the town centre with vibrant commercial,

sporting and leisure areas designed to enhance

Northampton town and the university

experience of our students.

We are committed to creating a new campus for

our ever-widening community, in the heart of

Northampton. Our Waterside Campus, opening

in September 2018, will provide state-of-the-art

academic facilities for 15,000 students,

residential facilities for 1,198 students and

leisure and retail facilities which will be open

to the community.

We currently occupy two campuses (Park and

Avenue), and this relocation will amalgamate

the academic provision to one central location;

the Waterside Campus.

The innovative £330m Waterside Campus

will transform a 58 acre brownfield site in

Northampton’s Waterside Enterprise Zone.

The area is close to the town centre, a short

walk to the town’s Cultural Quarter and past

our St John’s Halls of Residences, which opened

in 2014.

Building of the state-of-the-art Waterside

Campus commenced in 2015, and will open

for the first cohort of students in 2018.

WATERSIDE CAMPUS

INTRODUCING THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTHAMPTON’S WATERSIDE CAMPUS…

BRINGING THE UNIVERSITY INTO THE ENTERPRISE ZONE IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR STRATEGY TO ENSURE NORTHAMPTON’S FUTURE ECONOMIC PROSPERITY. IT WILL PROVIDE EMPLOYERS WITH A POOL OF TALENTED, SKILLED PEOPLE AND ENCOURAGE FURTHER INVESTMENT IN THE TOWN. THIS IS A REALLY EXCITING DEVELOPMENT AND WE STRONGLY SUPPORT IT.David Mackintosh, MP and former leader of Northampton Borough Council

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Autumn 2015Construction of two new bridges linking the Waterside Campus with Northampton town centre begins

September 2018Waterside Campus

open to students

Winter 2015Waterside Campus

construction begins with the Learning Hub, Design and

Creative Hub

Spring 2016Completion of pedestrian

bridge linking Beckett’s Park and the Waterside Campus

Spring 2016 Construction of the

Senate building begins. Refurbishment of the Grade II Engine Shed begins which will become the Students’

Union

Summer 2016 Construction of Student

Halls of Residences to begin

Autumn 2016All campus

infrastructure work complete

Spring 2017 Students’ Union,

Grade II Engine shed refurbishment complete

Winter 2017Completion of all

academic buildings and Student Halls of Residences

Spring 2018 Landscaping works –

tree planting and green spaces completed

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Where will it be?Located on the A428, the Waterside site is in the heart of Northampton.

The new Railway Station, the central Bus Station and Northampton’s

main shopping area are all within walking distance.

What will it be like?The purpose built, environmentally friendly, campus will house

state-of-the-art facilities. The site is surrounded by acres of beautiful

parkland; Midsummer Meadow, Beckett’s Park, Delapré Park and lake.

The campus will be community focused, ensuring the University

is in the heart of the town and their residents.

Campus redevelopmentsPark CampusThe Park Campus site will be sold to residential

developers who will develop the site within the

granted planning permission. We expect that a

detailed planning application will be submitted

to Northampton Borough Council’s planning

committee in the future. The phased

redevelopment of Park Campus will commence

in 2019, after the University has relocated to the

new Waterside Campus in 2018.

Avenue CampusAvenue Campus is approximately one mile

from Waterside Campus, opposite the historic

Racecourse Park. A recently restored school

building, the Newton building, will be retained for

use by non-student facing Professional Services.

In late 2015, we submitted an application to

Northampton Borough Council’s planning

department for a change of use for Avenue

Campus, allowing the site to be made available

for residential development. Success in this

application would see the development of the

site for housing by a private developer,

incorporating the restoration of historical

elements of the Avenue Campus frontage.

If you want to come back to your old campus

before the big move, don’t hesitate to contact

us, email: [email protected] and

arrange a tour.

There is extensive information about the

Waterside project on our website:

www.northampton.ac.uk/waterside

“The development of the Waterside Campus will deliver our aspiration that we will have transformed ourselves into an internationally facing University committed to delivering outstanding life-changing opportunities in education.”

Professor Nick Petford, Vice Chancellor

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THE STUDENTS’ UNION’S HUB ON CAMPUS WILL BE HOUSED IN THE GRADE II LISTED ENGINE SHED, CURRENTLY IN A DERELICT STATE.

The Senate building will be the public face of the University,

welcoming visitors on campus.

The purpose built student village will house 1,200 students

in modern accommodation. Being centrally located it will put

the students at the heart of the new campus community.

The Creative Hub will be a place for our students to be inspired,

with specialist facilities and equipment. Students studying creative

and scientific subjects will spend their time learning their craft here.

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“The money provided by the Chancellor’s Fund,

allowed me to go on a life changing trip to

Romania, where I volunteered in an orphanage

for two weeks. I coached badminton, and played

games with the children to enhance their English

skills through play. I also helped them with their

English during the afternoons where we did

work in the classrooms. This was the most

incredible experience and has allowed me to

have a positive influence on the lives of these

amazing children, as well as enhance my own

skills as I aim towards a career in teaching.

Working with children from such challenging

backgrounds, as well as overcoming a language

barrier, helped to develop my teaching and

leadership skills, through enhancing my

communication skills.” Grace Tidmarsh, 2015 recipient

“I have been researching the applications of

Novel Green Manure as a treatment for Specific

Replant Disease on Sorbus aucuparia, and it was

an honour to be able to share my findings in

September 2015 at the biennial Australasian

Plant Pathology Conference. The Chancellor’s

Fund allowed me to join researchers in

Fremantle, Western Australia, as an invited

speaker. The opportunity to travel and participate

in this experience has opened my eyes to new

possibilities and further raised my awareness of

the global importance of plant pathology. I would

like to thank the University of Northampton for

contributing funds and making this possible.”

Julia Lock, 2015 recipient

“I am truly grateful for being awarded the

Chancellor’s Fund. It covered the cost of flights

to New Zealand, which enabled me to study a

cryptic and nationally threatened species of bat.

The research has greatly improved my profile as

an ecologist and has resulted in getting my work

published, a BBC radio interview and future

prospects for working in New Zealand.”

George Rockell, 2014 recipient

Abby Cook3rd year BSc Psychology and Counselling student

“I don’t know if I fully agree with Essena’s public

slaying of social media, I follow many YouTubers

who are very honest and public about any

sponsors they have, they share most of their

lives with their online followers to a point where

you almost feel like you know them. If these

people are being honest and share almost all of

their lives with us, yet are happy in themselves

then maybe it was the way Essena approached

social media.

Don’t get me wrong, I think she’s extremely

brave for speaking out about her unhappiness,

but I think she should have gone about it in a

better way and reached out for help rather than

attack social media. For many people social

media is a platform for communication,

creativity and expressiveness, I just hope that

Essena’s actions don’t effect social media for

those it’s providing positive aspects for.”

Kayleigh Russell3rd year BSc Psychology and Sociology student

“This is something that I, as well as many other

people I’m sure, have mixed feelings about.

On the one hand I agree with everything that

Essena has done and said. It can be argued that

social media, can be quite damaging to young

people because they may look at ‘set up’

pictures and wonder ‘why is my life not like

that?’, in a similar way to how other media

makes young people feel insecure. Essena also

talks about how a lot of her pictures were paid

advertisements from companies and this I

definitely don’t agree with. As a sociology

student, it seems overtly clear that capitalism is

seeping in to every single thing that we do.

I guess my conclusion would be that we have to

somehow find a way to use social media but

also keep ourselves distant from it. It must be

possible to enjoy posting and looking at images

without getting too involved and letting

it take over our lives, because at the end of the

day we have to remember that it’s not real.”

Kardi SomerfieldSenior Lecturer in Marketing

Essena O’Neill’s decision to turn away from

social media is a laudable one. Not because

social media is inherently bad, but because

she had noticed a particularly vacuous and

potentially damaging aspect of it. A couple

of things struck me when reading her point

of view on this.

Firstly the way in which career Instagram stars

like her manipulate their look, and the danger

that the audience might believe it is all real and

feel inadequate as a result. This is very similar

to a much longer running criticism of fashion

magazines and their effect on young people

in particular.

Secondly the idea that young people can’t readily

distinguish between paid-for endorsement and

genuine brand advocacy from their idols.

The profile of the users on social media is

young – on TV and radio they are protected by

Broadcast Advertising Code. I think Essena has

shone a spotlight on the potential damage being

done to young people by social media…

THE CHANCELLOR’S FUND: MAKING THE DIFFERENCEThe University offers a range of scholarships and bursaries which assist students financially. Our most accessible scholarship, the Chancellor’s Fund, ensures that our students who wish to broaden their opportunities through education are not limited by their financial circumstances or background.

Three students who were awarded funds in 2015 share their story:

Essena O’Neill: The teen who sparked worldwide debate.

2015. There are more social media ‘stars’ than ever before, on social media platforms from Instagram to independent blogs. These platforms are only growing, and are celebrated for allowing free speech, and allowing people to express themselves freely. In November 2015, Essena O’Neill quit social media, and by the end of the day her emotion-filled video was circulated worldwide, discussed on major news networks and had sparked a debate about the reality of social media.

Two of our tech-savvy students and Kardi Somerfield, Senior Lecturer in Marketing, weigh in on the debate sparked by the Australian teenager’s actions.

Corinna Coleman, Scholarships Administrator, explains why this Fund is so important to our students: “The Chancellor’s Fund is a critical source of funding for students and this inclusive Fund is open to applications from students during any year of their studies, from all courses. We are very grateful to all those who support the Fund – and the stories from the students show the value of the financial support it provides.”

To make the difference, you can give to the Chancellor’s Fund by visiting invest.northampton.ac.uk or read more about our campaign overleaf.

HOW REAL IS SOCIAL MEDIA?

Where do you stand on this topic?

Join in the debate on Facebook: Alumni - University of Northampton

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INVEST has two main priorities, and there are many ways in which supporters can give to something which

matters to them. We do not believe in setting limits on generosity; a gift of any amount really does help and

we only ever ask our supporters to give as much as they want, as often as they want.

We are committed to investing in our people and our place and you can help make the difference.

Help us support the people who make us what

we are by giving them opportunities to flourish.

Creating limitless opportunities for our staff and

students are at the heart of this project.

Our 2015-2020 Strategic Plan highlights our dedication

to Social Impact and all that it encompasses: doing

things that help both people and the environment.

Our new state-of-the-art Waterside Campus will open

in 2018 and will revitalise the student experience.

Your support towards the delivery of our ground

breaking campus will unlock its full potential.

To find out more about Waterside and development

of the new campus turn to page 16.

Social Impact Case Study:Using the immune system to treat cancerEach year 14 million people worldwide are diagnosed with cancer, one person

every four seconds. The good news is that novel approaches to understanding

and treating cancer are being developed every day. The University of

Northampton’s Dr Lee Machado, working alongside various dedicated

professionals, has spent his career being intrigued by the prospect of

developing an immune-based therapy to treat cancer. He explains why:

“Conventional treatments for cancer are pretty toxic. There are often numerous and potent side effects because while most drugs or radiation kill cancer cells, they do not spare our healthy cells. Immunotherapy has the potential to be powerful by attacking the cancer throughout the body wherever it may hide.”

Immunotherapy has long represented the Cinderella of cancer treatment

strategies, but remarkable recent successes in the clinic have now thrust

immunotherapy back into the limelight. The aim now is to capitalise on these

recent successes to reduce the burden of cancer, improving the health and

wellbeing of the population.

We support life-changing research like the work of Dr Machado,

and you can too.

Find out more about Lee and his research

bit.ly/LeeMachado

@drleemachado

invest.northampton.ac.uk

How you can INVEST: visit our website invest.northampton.ac.uk T: 01604 892518 E: [email protected] us by post: INVEST, The University of Northampton, Thornby 1, Park Campus, Northampton, NN2 7AL

“With your help, we can continue to transform lives and inspire change among our current staff and students, and for those joining us in the future.” Professor Nick Petford DSc, Vice Chancellor and CEO

The University of Northampton’s Fundraising Campaign

This year we have launched our new fundraising campaign INVEST, with the aim of building upon our successes and achievements as a University and embracing our vision to become a world leading institution, providing the best possible life chances for those who study and work with us.

Be a part of our future: invest.northampton.ac.uk

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30,322

of our alumni have valid

email addresses

(our most popular way

of communication)

2014 graduates engage with

the monthly e-newsletter

the most.

25,942have a postcode starting with

‘NN’ (Northamptonshire)

5,956have a postcode starting

with ‘MK’ (Milton Keynes)

3,897have a postcode starting

with ‘LE’ (Leicestershire)

2,068have a postcode starting with

‘CV’ (Coventry)

1,543live in London

60,206

7,835Live outside of the UK

2,293Live in China

305Live in Pakistan

871Live in India

320Live in Nigeria

302Live in N. America

231Live in Hong Kong

W E H A V E

M E M B E R S

ON OUR ALUMNI DATABASE

78,641

OUR ALUMNI

OU

R A

GE

GRO

UPS 9,76218-25

26-35

36-45

46-55

56-65

66+

23,685

19,617

12,948

6,332

1,475

Our male/female split…

Female 61%Male 39%

Those graduated before/after 2005

215alumni are online mentors

to our students

Post 2005 56%

Pre 2005 44%

Alumni live in the UK

OU

R AL

UMNI SPAN ACROSS

. 164 COUNTRIES

.

209 follow us on Twitter

@AlumniUN (est. 2015)

329 are in our Facebook group ‘Alumni- University of

Northampton’ (est. 2015)

4,550 are in our LinkedIn group

‘The University of Northampton Alumni Association’ (est. 2008)

You, our alumni community, have a huge deal

to offer in terms of 'giving back' and supporting

our current students who are following in

your footsteps.

Our ‘Share Your Story and Inspire Others’

campaign aims to encourage our alumni

community to share their experiences of

university life and the world of work, to help

inspire our current students. You each have a

unique story which could motivate and inspire

our students to achieve their best.

Alumni are the best advocates for what our University can offer.

Why this campaign is important…Current students can relate to you because

you have a shared experience: the University

of Northampton. There is nothing more

inspirational than hearing about someone’s

journey that started at our institution,

just like theirs has.

With our 'Share Your Story and Inspire Others'

campaign, we showcase the brilliant ways

graduates have become Alumni Ambassadors

and inspired future generations. Alumni

Ambassadors do all sorts of wonderful activities,

and you can share your story in a variety of ways.

Deliver inspirational talks to our students By coming back and delivering talks to our

students, you can help them to develop their

professional knowledge and skills by offering

an insight into your world. Many diverse alumni

have delivered talks to our students about

various subjects, from what it takes to become

a district judge, to how to become a successful

blogger… the possibilities are endless!

Third year Fashion Marketing student, Elizabeth

Jarvis, attended the talk presented by alumna

Lydia Millen (pictured) in 2015 and was inspired

by her words: "Lydia showed me what you can

do if you are really determined and I am really

grateful she came back to the University today.

It would be great if other alumni would come

back and share their experiences too, it is such

a beneficial thing for current students".

To register your interest in coming back to

deliver a talk to our students, simply email

[email protected]

Become an online mentor The Alumni Mentoring Scheme offers an online

platform for our graduates to connect with

current students and become mentors to them.

The system works similarly to LinkedIn where you

create a profile about yourself, your professional

expertise and areas where you can support

students. You can choose how much you are

willing to support students, from communicating

by email to offering job shadowing opportunities.

The scheme allows both our mentors and

mentees to take mentoring into their own hands.

To find out more about the scheme, visit:

www.northampton.ac.uk/MentorsMatter

Provide your inspirational storyWe encourage our alumni to share their

professional and/or personal story with us.

These stories provide valuable insight into what

our alumni can achieve after their time here.

They are inspirational case studies for potential

and current students, that are shared across

University literature and on various platforms.

Providing your story is easy to do,

simply email [email protected] with your interest. You can see some

previous alumni stories on our website:

www.northampton.ac.uk/OurGraduates

SHARE YOUR STORY AND INSPIRE OTHERS

EVENTS

Want to know what your old classmates are up to? Use our ‘Lost Alumni’ service; we can help you reunite with old friends and lecturers by using our extensive database. Contact us by emailing [email protected] to reconnect today.

Birthday wishes. Not received an email on your birthday? Make sure you are signed up to our email service and receive your special email.

Are you still with your partner that you met while studying during your time here? If so, we want to know! We want to celebrate your wonderful love stories in our series ‘We found love in Northampton’. Simply email [email protected] to share your love story.

For three years after you have graduated our careers service is still open to you! For CV advice, interview tips, job hunting and more get in touch with us: [email protected]

Send us your photos - we love to see old photos and always appreciate copies, originals or even uploads to our Facebook group!

Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey (DLHE): We may contact you asking you to take part in the national survey of everyone who has recently qualified from any university. The information you provide will also be very useful to us at the University of Northampton to advise our current students about the opportunities that might be available to them.

Make sure your details are up to date by visiting www.northampton.ac.uk/Reconnect

‘10 reunions for 10 years’ was launched in August 2015 to celebrate the University’s 10th anniversary since receiving degree awarding status. The alumni association has plans to host 10 events throughout the anniversary year, to end in August 2016.

2015 ALUMNI EVENTS 2015 has seen an increase in events for our

alumni community. With more focus being

placed on bringing the community together

and coming to you! Below are just a number

of events that we have hosted for our

alumni community:

London ReunionMonday 1 June

10th Anniversary CelebrationsTuesday 25 August

2015 University of Northampton Graduates Master’s Scholarship recipient eventMonday 2 November

Vietnamese Reunion in HanoiSaturday 7 December

2015 ON CAMPUS GROUP REUNIONSAs part of our alumni relations programme, we regularly welcome back alumni to campus

for private tours organised by their old classmates, it is always a wonderful experience,

enjoyed by all. This year we welcomed back the following groups:

1975 Nene ReunionSaturday 20 June

Attendees: Jo Chapman and Claudia Price

1974 Nene Reunion Saturday 19 September

Attendees: Barbara Wallace, Marian Burness,

Mary Wilkinson, Keith and Mary Sproxton,

Nigel and Janica Donovan, Mike Wilcox,

Martin Dempsey and Andy Limb

50 Year Occupational Therapy reunion Saturday 26 September

Attendees: Kari Opsahl, Penny Tilley, Pat Russell,

Brenda Wright, Kaye Saunders, Dee Vaughan,

Sue Duffy, Shelia George and Julia Combe

1989 Nene Reunion Saturday 10 October

Attendees: Tricia Goldsmith, Helen Green,

Gill Hodgesons, Sarah Occleston, Debbie

Suddaby, Tracy Williams, Julia Plumtree,

Samantha Chiddicks, Clare Baker,

Heather Stone, Julia Bull and Jacky Arnold

To view images from these events visit www.facebook.com/groups/ForeverNorthants

If you would like to reunite on campus or set

up a class reunion we can help you, simply

email [email protected] and

we can facilitate your visit and contact your

old classmates.

2016 PLANNED EVENTSWe have a variety of alumni events planned for 2016 as part of our ‘10 reunions for 10 years’ events programme. Pop the dates in your diary and

reconnect with the University community. More information about these events can be found online at www.northampton.ac.uk/reunite

Plans for these events may change and more events may be added. Keep up to date by visiting www.northampton.ac.uk/reunite,

where we will have the latest information on our alumni events.

Do you have an idea for a reunion? Email [email protected] to share your thoughts!

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To read our exclusive interview with Luther Burrell, Saints and England Rugby Union star, head to our website www.northampton.ac.uk/Beyond

What? Where? When?

Share Your Story and Inspire Others Panel Park Campus, Northampton Thursday 25 February 2016

Acting Preview Alumni Reception Hygge Bar, Northampton Wednesday 16 March 2016

Leather Fair Alumni Reunion Hong Kong Thursday 31 March 2016

Reunion in UK city TBC Saturday 21 May 2016

Annual London Reunion London Monday 6 June 2016

School of The Arts Degree Show Alumni Reunion Avenue Campus, Northampton Friday 10 June 2016

Class of 1980: Nene College Reunion Park Campus, Northampton Saturday 18 June 2016

Close of 10th Anniversary Year Event Northamptonshire Thursday 25 August 2016

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