Birmingham City University organises guidance programme on career opportunities available for students globally

New Delhi: Birmingham City University (BCU), a large and diverse institution in Birmingham, UK, organised a guidance programme on career opportunities available globally for students in various fields in New Delhi on Friday, June 7. The university’s professors and faculty shared information about the various courses offered by the institute and the opportunities for career advancement.

The session aimed to empower and equip students with the global standards of education and related opportunities. It was immensely useful for prospective Management students, as the top brass, including the Pro-Vice Chancellor Professor Eileen McAuliffe, guided the students with their global experience.

Introducing the university, Professor McAuliffe said the BCU is a large and diverse institution, home to around 31,000 from over 100 countries. She said that their student-centric approach ensures that they place students at the heart of everything they do, providing them with the best opportunities for future success.

“We are immensely proud of our inspiring alumni community, whose members are making significant impacts across various industries. At BCU, our Faculty of Business, Law, and Social Sciences is at the forefront of innovative thinking and practice. We specialize in business, law, criminology, sociology, and psychology, and maintain a strong track record in teaching, research, and consultancy.,” she said.

Speaking about the opportunities at BCU Business School, Professor McAuliffe said that it offers over 1,000 contemporary and flexible courses at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. More than £400 million have been invested in facilities to ensure industry-relevant learning experiences. The institute has 2,300 teaching staff with strong industry connections and offers 50 courses accredited by respected professional bodies.

She further said that Employability and Entrepreneurship is central to all its courses, which extend beyond the classroom through industry connections, career support, and practice-based learning. For aspiring entrepreneurs, BCU boasts the highest number of student and graduate business start-ups of any university in the West Midlands (HESA, 2022), she said.

Why Indian Students Are Important to BCU?

BCU has a long and warm association with India and it eagerly welcomes Indian students to the UK. The university has an active Indian Society through its Students’ Union, along with a Sikh Society, ensuring that Indian students feel at home. Birmingham, known as one of Europe’s most diverse cities, is home to nearly 65,000 residents of Indian ethnic origin. Indian students can enjoy the vibrant Balti Triangle, famous for Asian cuisine, shopping, jewellers, and sweet shops, creating a comforting and familiar environment away from home.

Why consider BCU specifically for Management?

Everybody presents at the event appreciated the fact that Birmingham City University works closely with local, national and international businesses to enhance student learning through placements, workshops, live briefs and guest lectures from industry professionals.

Another most loved aspect by the audience was stress on Learning in a hands-on environment and professionals that have a wealth of knowledge allows students to be as prepared as possible once they leave the University.

All future entrepreneurs were hooked by the opportunities like – Birmingham Skills for Enterprise and Employability Network (BSEEN), STEAMhouse Pre-Incubator, STEAMhouse Hatchery to get funds and hone their skills as a budding entrepreneur.

The core team who looks after the Management courses in totality candidly shared their experience and the university’s vision for students across the globe.  Here is a brief about the core team:

Professor Eileen McAuliffe, Pro Vice-Chancellor Executive Dean for the Faculty of Business, Law and Social Sciences, who obtained her PhD in International Taxation has been the guiding light behind the university’s rapid growth. In November 2018, she was recognised as a BBC Expert Woman for her contributions to the narrative around tax morale and corruption. She is a sought-after guest in esteemed global organisations like the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the World Economic Forum (WEF). She is also a member of the prestigious United Nations for the collaboration of Tax Policies. Professor McAuliffe is a member of the United Nations Platform for the Collaboration on Tax. She was awarded Professor of International Taxation in 2020 and is currently engaged with Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) and Association to Advance Collegiate School of Businesses (AACSB) on a World Economic Forum project to develop Business Education Driving Societal Impact.

Introduction of other key speakers:

Prof Vikas Kumar is an Associate Dean for Research Innovation and Enterprise at the Faculty of Business, Law and Social Sciences, BCU. He is also a Professor of Operations and Supply Chain Management. Prof Kumar has over a decade of teaching and research experience.

Prof Kumar holds the title of Chartered Management Business Educator (CMBE) and is a fellow of HEA. He has also worked in India, Ireland and Hong Kong.

Dr Bruce Philp who heads the Graduate School of Management, shared how he was able to combine the practical experience he had with the industry, with the Management courses he teaches at the university. Dr Philp’s has applied the techniques of game theory to study work time and distribution. His research continues to contribute in this area, as well as examining business and societal sustainability, productivity and distribution of income.

Robert Hurlbutt, the Head of International Recruitment at BCU, supports recruitment and diversity from across the globe. Robert's tremendous efforts in guiding the students and guardians about the swift procedures of migration and upkeeping his team to cater to the ever-evolving geopolitical scenario, has made BIRMINGHAM City Univeristy, the largest Univeristy in terms of qualitative strength.

Ms Disha Gupta, Head of Operations & Recruitment - India, UAE, Nepal & Sri Lanka, BCU, is the pivot who has successfully been able to cater to students across Asia and the world with a world-class institution like Birmingham City University.

BCU’s Vision:

• To create a culture of social justice through an inclusive, diverse, and challenging learning environment.
• To be a change agent in people’s lives, impacting professionals and their organisations.
• To be a leading centre in education and social work, inspiring students, staff, and partners to be active agents of change locally, nationally, and globally.
• To change lives, inform practice, and challenge perceptions through world-leading research and critical thinking.

BCU’s Mission:

We commit to learning with enthusiasm and passion through relevant and responsive curricula, developing resilience, confidence, and risk-taking in our staff, students, and partners.

We offer learning spaces that promote and nurture positive attitudes toward equality, inclusion, and diversity, celebrating uniqueness, individuality, and community.

We are change agents working in partnership through leading near-to-practice research, knowledge production, and transfer. We connect diverse individuals and communities, actively promoting leading research and critical thinking in our fields.

Ms Disha Gupta, Head of Operations & Recruitment - India, UAE, Nepal & Sri Lanka, BCU, presented the vote of thanks. The session was an excellent opportunity for academics, students and other stakeholders.