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Mentoring Pathways: Reflection of a Mentor

Written by Anna Wesson (Occupational Psychology, 2012)

“Why do you want to be a mentor? Do you know what’s involved?”

These were the words that echoed in my head as I went into the training for the Mentoring Pathways programme. The blunt answer was no. I had some fuzzy ideas about making a difference, but beyond that, I wasn’t clear about what to expect.

As an alumnus of Birkbeck, I have first-hand experience of the magic of the place. The Master’s course I completed in 2012 overhauled my life, causing me to alter my perspective on myself and my career. For me, there was one piece missing. Going through the educational process, I wanted the opportunity to explore how to embed my learning into my life.

Fast forward six years, and I came across the mentoring programme by accident. I realised that this was my opportunity to support someone having an experience like mine all those years ago.

Mentoring was a fascinating experience and one with unexpected consequences. In working with my mentee, I was forced to get clear on my story, why I had made the choices I made, what served me, and what I would counsel against. It forced me to get under the skin of some of the commercial decisions I have made and justify them, which I really enjoyed.

My mentee and I spent time discussing her academic work, and in that, I discovered new writers and texts, and enriched my practice in unexpected ways.

I had expected to enjoy supporting a student in a way that allowed them to think about things differently. What I had not expected was the breadth of learning for me and the richness that it offered.

I can wholeheartedly recommend being part of the mentoring programme. As well as being run exceptionally smoothly, it offers a development opportunity for both mentors and mentees. I strongly encourage you to sign up next year.

–Anna Wesson is an executive coach, working with emerging leaders in professional services.

The Mentoring Pathways programme offers Birkbeck graduates and corporate partners the opportunity to mentor a current Birkbeck undergraduate or postgraduate finalist.

The programme aims to support students’ career aspirations and expose them to professional networks, by bridging the gap between academic learning and workplace practices.

Applications have opened for the Mentoring Pathways 2019/20 intake, find out more about becoming a mentor.

Birkbeck’s Telephone Fundraising Campaign – meet the 2019 student callers

The Birkbeck Summer Telephone Campaign 2019 has now begun. A team of passionate Birkbeck student fundraisers will be contacting alumni over the next five weeks to fundraise for College priorities.

Alumni gifts provide financial support to deserving students, and this support can often be the difference between being able to complete their studies, or not. Relieving some of the financial burden for a student enables them to perform to the best of their ability by minimising the stress induced by monetary pressures.

Not only do alumni gifts provide assistance to these deserving students but they can also have an impact on life at the College, ensuring that future generations of students have the best facilities, support, advice and career guidance during their time at Birkbeck.

Tara Millington, Regular Giving Officer at Birkbeck has said: “the telephone campaigns are a wonderful testament to the Birkbeck alumni community. Alumni often feedback about how much they enjoy speaking to a current student. Whether it’s financial support, providing work placements or volunteering to be a mentor, our alumni continue to contribute to make Birkbeck such special place to study.”

The Summer Campaign will run between 4 June and 6 July – if you’d like to receive a call from one of our students, please get in touch with Tara Millington (t.millington@bbk.ac.uk).

Birkbeck’s Telephone Fundraising Team:

Aaron, Msc Criminology

“I wanted to be part of the telephone campaign so I could contribute to Birkbeck’s ongoing success. I chose to study here because it was an evening course with a diverse range of students and interesting course content. I’m most looking forward to engaging with alumni and engaging with people outside of my department”.

Alex, MRes Comparative Literature

“I chose to study at Birkbeck as I believe it has a friendly and fair ethos. Fundraising for Birkbeck is important as it enables further research, and I’m really looking forward to engaging with alumni and learning more about how funding has an impact within academia”.

Alexander, BA Global Cinema

“During the campaign, I most look forward to the conversations I have – I enjoy hearing about difference courses that alumni studied. I’m passionate about raising money to support Birkbeck students, it is a unique place thanks to its range of courses and it’s flexibility with evening study”.

Ayelen, MPhil / PHD

“As a scholarship recipient myself, I like the idea of giving back some of my time to Birkbeck and being part of the Telephone Campaign team – plus I enjoy speaking to people! Fundraising for Birkbeck is important as it gives future generations of students the opportunity to pursue tertiary education. I chose to study at Birkbeck through my admiration for the lecturers here.”

Charles, MA Text and Performance

“I wanted to join the fundraising team so that I could be part of something that was a fulfilling and meaningful way to make a difference at Birkbeck. Fundraising is important to continue the support and services that Birkbeck offers to students and stay true to its original vision. I’m most looking forward to hearing interesting stories from alumni and seeing what they’ve been up to since graduating.”

Edwin, MA Text and Performance

“I wanted to participate in the Telephone Campaign because Birkbeck has contributed significantly to advancing my knowledge and skills in my chosen field (Theatre & Politics). Bursaries are immeasurably useful to me, and so I believe fundraising is crucial. I enjoy having a chat with alumni who have shared my experience, and hearing their stories”.

Fran, MA Museum Cultures

“Birkbeck is known for its amazing support, and I want to be part of that by fundraising to help students achieve great things! My favourite part of being a student fundraiser is having nice conversations and hearing alumni’s motivations to give back.”

Janelle, MSc Public Policy and Management

“I chose to study at Birkbeck as I wanted to learn alongside fellow mature students who have had work experience. I want to reach out to alumni in the campaign and strengthen their relationship with Birkbeck.”

Jed, BSc Biomedicine

“I’m looking forward to having interesting conversations with alumni, and seeing if they have any advice for me as a current Birkbeck student. My course is of great teaching quality and I’m looking forward to raising money to help support future students.”

Joseph, MSc International Development

“I am developing my career in the 3rd sector and wanted to gain some fresh and relevant experience. Raising funds for Birkbeck is important as it is becoming increasingly difficult for universities to access government funding. I’m looking forwards to having some lovely conversations with Birkbeck alumni!”.

Luke, BA English

“I like the fact that Birkbeck offers evening study, which worked better for me. I am looking forward to being part of the call team so that I am to learn about the experiences of previous students. It is great to be able to support Birkbeck and connect with a wide range of alumni.”

Natalie, BA Linguistics

“I applied to be part of the call team as I found the nature of the job interesting, I like conversing with people. What I enjoy the most about the role is the sense of personal achievement and growth, raising money to contribute to future developments at Birkbeck” .

Oliver, Certificate of Education, Economics

“Fundraising is important as it gives students who may not be in a fortunate financial situation an opportunity to fulfill their dreams. Being part of the telephone campaign will be a good experience to improve my communication skills, which I will be able to apply in my future career.”

Shakeela, BSc Social Sciences

“I wanted to take part in the Telephone Campaign as I like to speak to alumni and find out about their experiences. It was also a way to meet a variety of students I wouldn’t have met before. I feel fundraising for Birkbeck is important as it encourages continued support for the projects here, some of which I’ve benefited from myself.”

Shuvashish, BSc. Social Sciences

“Working as part of the Telephone Campaign team is a step towards fulfilling my long-term career goal to work within the charity sector. I’m looking forward to interacting with alumni and having the satisfaction of raising crucial funds for Birkbeck.”

Alumni Help to Secure Birkbeck’s Future

Many alumni and supporters choose to help secure Birkbeck’s future by remembering the College in their wills. No matter their size, gifts in wills make an enormous difference to the College and to students who may otherwise be unable to continue their studies. Every year, more than 2,000 deserving students receive bursaries to help pay for books, travel, childcare and other study expenses. Much of this support comes from gifts in wills.

This spring, Birkbeck students spoke to more than 300 alumni about the positive impact that gifts in wills have on the College. The students had the opportunity to thank alumni who have already remembered Birkbeck in their wills and to share information with those who are considering giving in this way. The callers shared stories of students like Helen Dunbar and Željka Oparnica who both received financial assistance to study at Birkbeck from gifts in wills. This support made a huge difference to both Helen and Željka.

Helen Dunbar and her son Max enjoying Graduation 2018

As Helen shares, ‘Without the scholarship, it would have been impossible for me to finance my studies. The Scholarship enabled me to achieve my goal of postgraduate study and push myself to a higher level of academic study’.

Kara McMahon, Trusts & Legacies Officer at Birkbeck, was delighted by the success of the campaign. ‘Gifts in will make a tremendous difference to individual students here at Birkbeck, and it is a pleasure to work with growing numbers of alumni who choose to support Birkbeck with gifts in their wills. I often speak with alumni who tell me how Birkbeck changed their lives, and they want to make sure that future generations of students have these same opportunities and experiences. The telephone campaign has been a wonderful chance for our current Birkbeck students to hear these stories and say thank you’.

You may also want to hear from alumnus Malcolm on his decision to remember Birkbeck in his will:

If you would like to know more about leaving a gift in your will to Birkbeck, please get in touch with our team by calling Kara McMahon on 020 7380 3187 or emailing k.mcmahon@bbk.ac.uk.

Refugees at Home

 “How can I learn or study when I don’t know where I will sleep tonight?” It’s not a question many Birkbeck students and alumni have to ask themselves, but for one group, it’s a reality.

Students accepted onto The Compass Project for asylum-seekers and refugees face a real challenge in finding somewhere to stay in London while they attend classes. Many of the students are “dispersed” – sent by the Home Office out of London and they can’t afford to pay for somewhere to sleep.

This is where Refugees At Home plays an important role. This small charity matches asylum-seekers and refugees with generous hosts who provide accommodation at their homes.

Compass Project student Alaa explains:

“I received a scholarship from The Compass Project to study at Birkbeck for a full year. I was extremely glad to have this opportunity to get back into higher education. Unfortunately, after failing to get into Home-Office accommodation in London, I didn’t have anywhere to live. I was very sad and disappointed as I thought I had lost the chance to study again, until I was saved by Refugees At Home.

Naureen, the Compass Project coordinator, introduced me to Refugees At Home who, in a very short period of time, connected me with a lovely lady who was willing to host me in her home. She was very welcoming and understanding, and it was a real pleasure to know her. I am now studying my course whilst feeling safe and confident, thanks to the lovely hosts who are offering their help to people in challenging circumstances.”

Refugees At Home has a particular link with Birkbeck through the longest-serving member of the placement team, Rachel Davenport.  Rachel is a Birkbeck alumna and says:

“To me Birkbeck has always been an institution that has offered people the opportunity to study where they might not otherwise have been able to do so. The students on my course were made up of a wide range of backgrounds, which made discussion insightful and varied – it was one of the best parts of my studies.

Being surrounded by a range of perspectives different from your own is invaluable, and something that drew me to working at Refugees a Home. I think that hosting offers the same potential – it opens up new ways of thinking, while at the same time making a profound difference in someone’s life. The Compass Project is a great reflection of these values and I’m really proud that we are able to contribute to it in some way. Many people would not be able to study without the help of hosting along the way, and to lose those voices at Birkbeck would be a great shame.”

Sara Nathan OBE, who is the Co-founder and trustee of Refugees at Home says:

“I’ve hosted about 15 young men in west London so far – from Syria, Sudan, Ethiopia, Iran, Pakistan, Nigeria, Afghanistan and Libya. It’s a life-enhancing experience. They have shared their lives, their stories, their cooking – and some are very good cooks, the others get coached on-line by sisters in Saudi Arabia or mum in Syria. Hosting brings me at least as much as I contribute to my guests’ lives. It’s never dull.”

The charity is a huge support for Birkbeck’s Compass Project. If you’d like to learn more, or find out about becoming a host, visit their website: www.refugeesathome.org

 

International Alumni Profile: Rebecca Rellstab (MSc Occupational Psychology)

Rebecca studied for an MSc Occupational Psychology at Birkbeck.  She was born in Toronto, Canada, but grew up in Switzerland. She was living in Italy at the time of applying to Birkbeck. She spoke to us about her time at Birkbeck and what she’s up to now…

Rebecca studied the course via network learning, which allowed her to continue to work and live in Rome. “It was a really fantastic way to study. I found it just as engaging, if not more engaging than a face-to-face class or seminar as lessons were open for two weeks and allowed the seminar group to read each other’s contributions and reflect upon them before replying. This resulted in a deeply engaging and reflective learning process and which to this day, is one of the most personally and professionally enriching experiences I have had.”

Studying and working at the same time was hard work, Rebecca acknowledges, but she made as efficient use of her time as possible. “I remember my commute on a busy bus through Rome, passing the Colosseum, along the Tiber, all with a pile of reading materials on my lap!”

Rebecca looks back at her Birkbeck degree with fond memories. “The staff were very accessible and worked hard to make our experience a good one.” She would come to London every so often as part of her course to participate in weekend seminars and study with fellow students in person; they developed a tight-knit study group, and even to this day she is still in touch with several of them.

Rebecca is now working for the United Nations in Geneva, where she leads the Diplomatic and Client Services Team. She says that her degree most certainly helped her with her career progression. “It developed my curiosity and strengthened my ability to withstand and work under pressure.”

Her advice to prospective students thinking of studying at Birkbeck: “Develop a strategy which will allow you to work alongside studying for a degree. Be creative and tap into your support networks when needed.”

If you would like to provide an alumni profile and be featured in our e-newsletter and blog email alumni@bbk.ac.uk. 

An Afternoon Tea at Birkbeck

Many Birkbeck alumni, supporters and their families have generously decided to remember the College in their wills. In November 2018, the Master of Birkbeck Professor David Latchman CBE invited the College’s alumni to Birkbeck to tell them more about the positive impact that gifts in wills have on the College community.  The Master hosted alumni and supporters for Afternoon Tea at Malet Street where guests had the opportunity to hear from faculty and students.

Guests enjoy the cakes and a hot drink while chatting.

From 2016-2018, Birkbeck received £2.5m from gifts in wills. Such kind gifts have enabled Birkbeck to continue its mission: to provide further education that is high-quality and flexible for working Londoners.

‘It is so important that people like myself are given a chance to fulfil our potential and create value for society in the present and future. I believe Birkbeck stands alone in its mission to provide the highest quality education to everybody, regardless of age, background or gender’.

 

During the afternoon, Birkbeck student Christine Ozolins spoke to alumni about the difference that a bequest made to her student experience. After completing her BSc degree in Psychology at Birkbeck, Christine continued her studies by enrolling for the MSc in Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuropsychology at Birkbeck.

Halfway through her MSc, Christine’s marriage broke up, and she questioned whether she could afford to continue her studies. Christine said: ‘With the financial burden of having to support myself and also pay my fees I knew I would not be able to continue my studies. I had received a distinction for all my first year modules and I was heartbroken at the thought that I might not be able to continue’.

It was at this point that Christine was awarded the Constance Kenway Scholarship. The late Mrs Constance Kenway generously remembered Birkbeck in her will, and her gift now offers financial support for postgraduate psychology students facing financial hardship.

Christine will graduate from Birkbeck with her MSc Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuropsychology with Distinction. She plans to start a PhD.

Christine explained: ‘It is so important that people like myself are given a chance to fulfil our potential and create value for society in the present and future. I believe Birkbeck stands alone in its mission to provide the highest quality education to everybody, regardless of age, background or gender’.

Master of the College, Professor David Latchman (r) speaks with an alumnus over tea.

More than 200 alumni and supporters have informed us of their intent to remember Birkbeck in their wills, and many hundreds more have registered their interest to receive further information. Birkbeck is incredibly grateful to have such kind alumni who want to invest in Birkbeck students.

The Afternoon Tea was a wonderful opportunity for some of these supporters to find out more about how gifts in wills benefit students like Christine. Gifts of every size have a lasting impact and help to ensure that Birkbeck’s high-quality teaching and world-class research continue to serve future generations of students.

If you are curious about learning more about remembering Birkbeck with a gift in your will, please get in touch with the Development & Alumni Team by calling Kara McMahon on 020 7380 3187 or sending an email to k.mcmahon@bbk.ac.uk.

If you would like to read Christine Ozolins’ speech in its entirety, you may do so here.

 

Student Christine Ozolins speaks at the Legacy Afternoon Tea

Christine Ozolins who received a The Kenway scholarship spoke at The Legacy Afternoon Tea. Christine described how the studentship transformed her life and enabled her to undertake important research for the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease. Read the full speech below.

Good afternoon, my name is Christine Ozolins and I recently completed Birkbeck’s MSc in Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuropsychology.  Today I would like to share with you my experience of studying at Birkbeck and how the Kenway scholarship helped me at a crucial point in my studies.

As a child I had a difficult home life and was unable to finish my schooling.  I spent many years working in a variety of different jobs.  However, I always felt unfulfilled and longed to be in a career where I could help others and fulfil my potential.  It took me years to get the courage to change my life, but when I eventually did, I commenced a BSc in Psychology here at Birkbeck.  This degree transformed my life in ways I never could have imagined.  I fell in love with the brain and with cognitive neuroscience, something I was not expecting.

I graduated with a first class honours degree.  For my undergraduate project my supervisor and I used fMRI to functionally locate and retinotopically map human visual area V6 as it relates to relative motion perception, something that had not been done before.  For my dissertation I extrapolated this finding as a possible tool for the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease, and I won the Honorary Research Fellows prize and was nominated for the British Neuropsychological Society’s national award.

I knew that I wanted to take my studies further and apply psychology and neuroscience to helping people.  And so I commenced a part time MSc in Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuropsychology here at Birkbeck in 2016.  However, halfway through my MSc my marriage broke up and I had to move into rented accommodation.  With the financial burden of having to support myself and also pay my fees I knew I would not be able to continue my studies.  I had received a distinction for all my first year modules and I was heartbroken at the thought that I might not be able to continue.

It was at this point that I applied for the Kenway scholarship, which is available for postgraduate psychology students experiencing financial hardship.  I was delighted and very grateful when I was awarded the scholarship.

For my MSc project my supervisors and I devised an intervention to help people alleviate the symptoms of creative block.  I interviewed my participants and used qualitative analysis to understand how they experienced their creative block.  This was followed by an EEG neurofeedback intervention targeting brain activity known to be associated with creativity and relaxation.  This was then followed by another interview to see whether the intervention had been effective and whether they had experienced any changes in their creative process.

My participants were a musician, a composer, a writer and an artist.  The artist broke through her block of five years and my other participants experienced dramatic changes in their behavior, emotion and attention, which were all factors that had been contributing to their block.  Again, this is something that had not been done before.  I received a distinction for my coursework and my thesis.  My supervisors are currently helping me prepare to submit my thesis for publication.

For my undergraduate and postgraduate studies I have had the honour of working with excellent academics.  In particular, my MSc supervisors Dr Eddy Davelaar and Dr Virginia Eatough were wonderfully supportive of my desire to do something ambitious that had not been done before, while providing me with practical advice as to how to manage what was essentially three projects in one.  Studying at Birkbeck enabled me to realise my dream of going to university, and the Kenway Scholarship enabled me to take the dream further and finish my Masters.

During my research into creative block, the head of the reading rooms at The British Library told me that ‘if we could solve the problem of writer’s block we would be doing humanity a great service’.  I have since been asked to give a presentation about my project and the methods I used to undergraduate psychology students at the British Library, as part of their outreach program.   I believe we have made a start in understanding the underlying mechanisms of creative block.  I really want to stay at Birkbeck and continue this research by doing a PhD, however the financial obstacles to this are considerable.  As with most mature students I have to support myself, and so I would have to do a part-time PhD.   However, funded studentships for part-time PhD students are rare, and competition from across universities is fierce.

Nonetheless, I will continue to put all my efforts into finding a way to finance my PhD.  There are currently no bursaries or scholarships for PhD students in the Department of Psychological Sciences.  With this in mind, I plan to become successful enough that I can leave money in my will to support students like myself at PhD level, and make the path easier for those who will come after me.

As a mature student I believe I can combine my life experience and (hopefully) wisdom with the skills I have acquired to make a valuable contribution to science.  This is why I believe it is so important that people like myself are given a chance to fulfil our potential and create value for society in the present and the future.  I believe Birkbeck stands alone in its mission to provide the highest quality education to everybody, regardless of age, background or gender.

I would like to read a quote from Buddhist philosopher, Daisaku Ikeda – “Education is not simply the transmission of knowledge. It is not simply the development of talent.  Education is the great enterprise of steadily and surely passing on the fullness of humanity from the past to the future”.

Thank you all for coming today, and in that spirit I hope you will consider helping the students of the future.

If you are curious about learning more about remembering Birkbeck with a gift in your will, please get in touch with the Development & Alumni Team by calling Kara McMahon on 020 7380 3187 or sending an email to k.mcmahon@bbk.ac.uk.

Alumni Profile: Amer Anwar (MA, Creative Writing)

Amer Anwar graduated with an MA in Creative Writing from Birkbeck in 2010. His recent novel Brothers in Blood was featured in The Times Books of the Year 2018, Guardian Best Books of the Year 2018, Crime Time Best of the Year and was the winner of The CWA Debut Dagger award. We spoke to Amer about his time at Birkbeck and what he’s been up to since graduating…

Photo by Steven Joyce

Your time at Birkbeck…

I had a great experience at Birkbeck. I started out doing an Introduction to Writing Fiction course through Hammersmith & Fulham Adult Education. It was my first attempt at writing fiction since the beginning of high school and I really enjoyed it. The course was Birkbeck affiliated and the tutor said, if anyone wanted to pursue it further, to apply to Birkbeck, which offered a range of further Creative Writing courses. That’s exactly what I did, enrolling on a 2 year, Certificate in Creative Writing (which is now the BA Creative Writing, I believe) and then onto the MA Creative Writing too. It was in the second year of the Certificate Course, when I’d chosen to continue with Fiction, rather than the Poetry or Drama options that were also available, that I wrote and workshopped the first chapter of my novel – the chapter that would go on to win the CWA Debut Dagger and secure me a literary agent.

Throughout my time at Birkbeck, I was working full-time, so there was no way I would’ve been able to do a normal full-time course or even a part-time one that required a full day or two at university, so the fact that Birkbeck offers such excellent courses that are available in the evenings, was essential for me to be able to fulfil my ambitions. And I really loved everything about it. The standard of teaching was second to none and the breadth of age and experience in the classes meant that there was a much more diverse range of fellow students to learn from and with. The whole atmosphere was informal and comfortable but everyone was there to learn and work, which was a very enriching experience. It was also fun and enlightening to socialise after class and talk about writing and books with everyone. All in all, it was a fantastic experience.

Your experience since leaving…

Life since graduating from Birkbeck with an MA in Creative Writing has been a bit of a rollercoaster. All through the MA, I was working full-time, studying part-time and also working on finishing a novel. As I was already working on the novel when I started on the MA, everything I learned was geared towards helping me write and complete it, so I was very focused on what I wanted from the course. Even after I graduated, I took everything I’d learned and applied it directly to my work. I continued to learn and tried to improve as a writer.

After I left Birkbeck, I was very focused on finishing the novel. It took 8 years, all told, to finally finish it, and then a further 2 years to land a publishing deal. My debut novel, Brothers in Blood, was published in September 2018 and I am currently working on a follow-up, which is due out at the end of 2019.

Brothers in Blood by Amer Anwar was published in September 2018 and is available to buy on Amazon.

Alumni wisdom…

General advice would be, if you’re thinking about undertaking a further course of study around a full-time job, seriously consider applying to Birkbeck. That’s exactly what it’s set up for and it will be such a rewarding experience – academically, personally and socially.

For Creative Writing students especially, I’d say, have an idea of what you want to get from the course when you go into it. That way you can gear your learning towards helping you realise your end goal. For myself, it was to write a crime thriller. I knew that from the outset and so I was able to use everything I learned on the course to further my progress with that novel. In the longer term, finish your first draft. It’ll be hard and a long slog at times, but once you finish it, whatever shape it’s in, you’ll have a complete draft of a novel. That’s a real accomplishment. Once you have that, you can edit and improve it. And, perhaps most importantly, if writing is what you really want to do, never give up. Keep working at it and you’ll get there. If I did, so can you.

If you would like to provide an alumni profile and be featured in our e-newsletter and blog email alumni@bbk.ac.uk. 

Knowledge Transfer Opportunities for recent graduates and business leads

If you’ve recently graduated you could kick start your career…

Or you could transform your business…

…by taking part in a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) managed by Innovate UK.

These partnerships connect recent graduates with academic or research institutions and a UK business or not-for-profit. The three-way collaboration aims to solve a real-world issue that the business is facing.

KTPs are designed to help UK business’ stay competitive by encouraging them employ talented graduates while also keeping up with the latest industry innovation by taking advantage of advice and support provided by the academic partner.

The academic or research organisation partner (knowledge base) will help to recruit a suitable graduate. They will also act as the employer of the graduate, who then works at the company for the duration of the placement.

The scheme can last between 12 and 36 months, depending on what the project is and the needs of the business.

Benefits…

Graduates:

  • Fast track your career.
  • Competitive salary.
  • Enhance your project management and business strategy skills.
  • Take part in one of the largest graduate schemes in the UK.

Business:

  • Develop your business.
  • Obtain academic expertise that you don’t have in-house.
  • Improve your business performance
  • Help you to become more competitive and productive.

Applying…

Graduate opportunities can be found at:

  • KTP vacancies online
  • an academic or research organisation’s dedicated KTP office
  • university departments
  • career offices
  • recruitment websites
  • local newspapers

If you are part of a business with a problem that you think the College could help you solve, use our expert database to find a possible academic partner for a KTP project.

Costs…

A KTP is part-funded by a grant. You will need to contribute to the salary of the Associate who will work with your business, plus the cost of a supervisor who will oversee the scheme.

The amount you will need to contribute depends on the scale and length of the project. It will also depend on the size of your company. Typically:

  • small and medium-sized enterprises contribute around £35,000 per year, about one-third of the project costs
  • large businesses contribute around £55,000 per year, or half of the project costs

For more detailed information visit – http://ktp.innovateuk.org/

 

 

 

 

Sources:

https://www.manchester.ac.uk/collaborate/business-engagement/knowledge-exchange/transfer-partnerships/graduates/

http://www.ncub.co.uk

Information gathered from https://www.gov.uk/guidance/knowledge-transfer-partnerships-what-they-are-and-how-to-apply#lseans and used in accordance with the Open Governance License for Public Sector Information.

Kenway Legacy Scholar Graduates from Birkbeck

Helen Dunbar, recipient of the Kenway Legacy Scholarship, graduated with Distinction in April 2018 with her MSc Educational Neuroscience. The Kenway Scholarship, named for the late alumna Mrs Constance Kenway, was made possible through a generous gift in Mrs Kenway’s will.

Helen and her son Max enjoying the graduation ceremony back in April.

‘Without the scholarship, it would have been impossible for me to finance my studies. The Kenway Legacy Scholarship enabled me to achieve my goal of postgraduate study and push myself to a higher level of academic study.’ – Helen Dunbar

Mrs Constance Kenway studied Psychology and Social Anthropology at Birkbeck and graduated in 1962. Inspired to give back, Mrs Kenway remembered Birkbeck in her will with a pledge to provide scholarships for excellent MA/MSc psychology students who demonstrated financial need

Mrs Kenway’s generous gift has enabled postgraduate psychology students, including Helen Dunbar, to pursue higher study at Birkbeck.

Helen applied for postgraduate study at Birkbeck to boost her academic credentials and advance professionally. ‘After finishing my BSc in Psychology, it was always my ambition to take it further and study at postgraduate level.’

Helen faced a number of significant hurdles to study. As a single parent to her young son and as a full-time teaching assistant, Helen needed a postgraduate programme that could accommodate her work and family schedule. ‘I had to study whilst continuing working full-time. Being Max’s sole parent, I could not afford to give up work, nor would I have wanted to in all honesty’.

Several of Helen’s colleagues suggested that she look at Birkbeck’s postgraduate prospectus, given its flexible part-time and evening class schedule. ‘Once I came across the Educational Neuroscience course [at Birkbeck], I was set: it would build on my background in Psychology and my interest in Education and Child Development and would complement my job role perfectly’.

Max enjoying wearing his mum’s graduation cap!

Helen’s workplace provided partial sponsorship of her degree, but she still needed extra financial assistance to cover her remaining fees and travel costs. ‘I had reached the point where I had a confirmed place on the course but had now to solve the problem of trying to factor in the outstanding course fees… as well as organising after-school and evening childcare’.

Helen questioned her attendance on the course. ‘At this point, the worry over whether or not I could actually take up this opportunity to study at postgraduate level was almost overwhelming’.

Helen applied to the Kenway Legacy Scholarship with hopes of receiving this necessary extra financial support. ‘When I found out that I had been awarded the scholarship, the sense of relief was palpable. I knew I could make it work from there on in’.

Helen excelled in her studies at Birkbeck. Despite balancing study, looking after her son and full-time work, Helen graduated with Distinction. Helen is now looking toward the future, and her employer has encouraged her to pursue a higher level job. ‘The MSc has given me the confidence to pursue further study and training in Educational Psychology, which will ultimately enable me to better provide for my small family in the future. I could have never reached this point had it not been for the Kenway Legacy Scholarship’.

REMEMBERING BIRKBECK IN YOUR WILL

Many alumni and supporters have chosen to help secure Birkbeck’s future by leaving a gift in their wills.

These gifts fund a variety of research projects and support students in different ways. Whatever the amount, gifts in wills make an enormous difference to the College and to students who may otherwise be unable to continue in education.

Legacy gifts of every size have a lasting impact and help to ensure that Birkbeck, its high-quality teaching and its world-class research continue to serve future generations of students. If you would like to know more about leaving a gift in your will to Birkbeck, please get in touch with our team by calling Kara McMahon on 020 7380 3187 or sending an email to k.mcmahon@bbk.ac.uk.