Your Manchester Impact 2009

Your Manchester Impact Newsletter for donors

Manchester joins the Research Premier League - with alumni support at its heart The University of Manchester has smashed the “Golden Triangle” of research universities traditionally dominated by Oxford, Cambridge and London, according to the results of the recently published 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE).

Based on any analysis of the results, Manchester emerges amongst the country’s top five major research universities and is proving competitive with the University College London and Imperial College, just behind Oxford and Cambridge.

The amount of data included in the RAE results mean that there are a number of different ways of analysing the results, but in each case Manchester ranks amongst the country’s top performing universities.

65% of research staff (amounting to

1,193 full-time equivalent staff) at the University of Manchester are judged to be carrying out work which is “world-leading” (4*) or “internationally excellent” (3*).

Professor Alan Gilbert, President and Vice Chancellor of the University, said: “These results vindicate the decision to merge UMIST and the Victoria University of Manchester in 2004 and justifies our massive investment in new staff and facilities since then.”

Outstanding results were attained in key disciplines including Cancer Studies, Biology, Dentistry, Engineering, Sociology, Development Studies, Music and Drama - major areas, in which donations to Your Manchester Fund help to support hundreds of students with scholarships.

Article continues overleaf

A ranking which looks at the volume of research activity judged to be ‘World-Leading’ (4*) and ‘Internationally Excellent’ (3*) shows Manchester in third position, behind Cambridge and Oxford.

Ranking

Institution

1

University of Oxford

2

University of Cambridge

3

The University of Manchester

4

University College London

5

University of Edinburgh

6

Imperial College London

Laura Hewitt Research Impact Scholar Cancer 2015 - Translating leading research into life-saving realities

Fund Together we’re shaping the world of tomorrow

“My work benefits the scientific community by furthering the understanding of an important cellular process. Each time a cell divides, it must divide its DNA between the two new cells. Errors in this process can lead to the development of cancer. The Spindle Assembly Checkpoint prevents such errors. Since deregulation of the spindle checkpoint can lead to cancer, it is important to understand the exact mechanisms involved.

This knowledge may one day lead to the development of new anti-cancer therapies that could benefit cancer patients.”

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Your Manchester Support

Manchester joins the Research Premier League Continued from page one Your Manchester Fund supports hundreds of students in key areas such as Cancer Studies, Biology, Dentistry, Engineering, Development Studies, Music and Drama with one of a variety of scholarships. Each of these areas attained outstanding results.

To give an example in just one area, Your Manchester Fund currently supports 4 PhD students who are undertaking ground-breaking work under the research priority/theme Cancer 2015.

Your Manchester Fund Research Impact Scholar Rob Ahearne, carrying out PhD research in Tanzania aiming to alleviate poverty, is delighted with the outstanding results in his area of research; Development Studies: “The recent RAE results largely confirmed my opinion that I am studying at one of the very best Higher Education Institutions in the UK. Furthermore, conducting my doctoral research at one of the top two development studies research departments in the UK fills me with optimism concerning the quality of support I receive from academic staff and the exceptional research environment in which I am working.

I believe that the RAE results will have a positive impact on my continuing research, since I can only see the view of Development Studies at The University of Manchester being enhanced.”

Professor Alan Gilbert commented: “These results are good news for our students. The very best international teaching and learning universities are great research institutions, where successive generations of students and staff can mix with, and learn from, many of the best and brightest people in the world. That is what makes research-led higher learning a rich and exciting intellectual environment for scholars and students alike.”

Paula Hawkins Opportunity Manchester Scholar BMidwif (Hons) Midwifery Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences

I first became interested in midwifery when I became pregnant. I wanted to give something back and to care for people and fulfil my interest in the fascinating subject.

Receiving an Opportunity Manchester scholarship has enabled me to carry on with the course, and I am able to purchase books in order to help me with my studies. I have also been able to access the internet from home – this was important as there are some parts of my course which are online learning, so I am able to access these once my little girl is tucked up in bed.

In my situation there will always be financial concerns whilst I am training. As I am living on my own with my little girl and running a house, there is always a fear I may not be able to pay the mortgage, or may not be able to pay nursery fees or even be able to provide for my little girl. However this is my ambition and I am not one to give up without a fight, so for the next three years I will do everything I can within my power to ensure that this opportunity of a life time to study at the University of Manchester and become a qualified midwife is not wasted.

I am extremely grateful for receiving this scholarship and it has helped me in so many ways - not only with my studying but also within my private life. I would just like to say to my donor a huge thank you for sponsoring me. Without your generosity I would not be able to fulfill my ambition to become a midwife. Not only have you had an effect on my life, but also my little girl to who I am still able to provide for throughout my training. Although she is only 4 years old she is already telling her nursery teachers that she wants to be a midwife when she gets older, just like her mummy, and for her to want to aspire to be just like me is one of the most amazing things in the world. THANK YOU.

Opportunity Manchester Opportunity Manchester inspires deserving students to raise their aspirations and to realise their potential at Manchester.

3 Opportunity Manchester Scholarships are offered to high achieving undergraduate students joining the university who come from backgrounds which are under-represented in higher education, especially those from the Greater Manchester area. They are currently aimed at supporting students during their first year of study and are valued at £1,000.

All Your Manchester Fund scholarships complement the University funded scholarships programme, allowing Manchester to offer one of the most generous needs-based scholarships programmes in the UK. Thanks to Your Manchester Fund, 209 students have benefited since 2005.

Maimoona Khan BA (Hons) English Language Faculty of Humanities “Thank you! The scholarship helps me in many ways, too many to even list. Coming from a family with a low income this opportunity will help me afford university and get me by – travel expenses, books, maybe a laptop. Essential things I wouldn’t be able to afford without the scholarship. It’s a head start to life and definitely motivates and encourages people. I would feel empty and behind without it but with the scholarship I feel independent and worthy. It is much appreciated.”

Muhammad Jafree

Hayley Hepworth

BAEcon (Hons) Economics Faculty of Humanities

MBCHB Medicine Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences

“Having to work part time through college and now through university has been and continues to be a huge burden on my shoulders. The workload at university is immense and I believe that receiving this scholarship will enable me to concentrate fully on my education, which is the most important aspect of my life. I sincerely thank you for your generosity and hope that alumni continue donating as it helps to make life that little bit easier at university”.

“Scholarships such as this are of immeasurable value to students such as myself who come from less affluent families. Without this financial aid, studying for a degree in medicine (or any degree at all) may have proved difficult, if not impossible for me.

I would like to thank those who have donated money towards these scholarships as they have enabled me to prioritise my academic concerns and as a result I hope that I will experience more success academically. I have already spent a large amount on books and resources related to my course and knowing that I have extra money available for this is extremely helpful. I also anticipate that my future travel costs to reach clinical placements may be high and hopefully the scholarship should cover some of this expense.”

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Research Impact - Your First Year PhD Scholars

Research Impact supports Manchester’s most talented students as they undertake solutions-driven research into issues of national and international importance.

Research Impact Scholarships encourage final year Manchester undergraduates, and recent graduates, to join top-quality research teams in seeking to solve some of the most challenging problems we face today – from poverty and cancer through to global warming and debilitating medical conditions. Opening up these research opportunities benefits the students themselves, the University, and more importantly society at large – they are a direct form of investment in all of our futures.

To date, donors such as yourself, have funded 28 students over three academic years. This means that the first Research Impact Scholars supported by Your Manchester Fund will be graduating in 2009.

Jie Gao Research Impact Scholar Regenerative Medicine - Advancing our human potential “The University of Manchester is an excellent centre of education. Its prestigious reputation has not only inspired students in the UK, but also world wide.

This project enabled me to appreciate working with people from different cities, ethnic groups and of different ages. Doing research in this world class University also provides me the chance to be well trained and easily access a large amount of useful research resources. I want to utilise the knowledge and experience gained in the challenging world of industry as a scientist in the research and development sector. I believe after studying at the University of Manchester, I will possess the technical ability and confidence to achieve a good academic performance in the future.”

Thank You “Thank you very much for you support. Your donation does not only show your appreciation for you previous study experience at this university but also helps outstanding students stay at university. All the efforts given by staff, students and alumni make the university top in the world.

Alumni funding is different from other funding because it is like help from family. I feel appreciated and warmly welcomed by being awarded Alumni Funding, and I believe I will have a better performance by being encouraged by this family support.”

Dan Calverley Research Impact Scholar Carbon Reduction - Putting our energies into the environment

“My research will fit within the climate change related research priorities of the MBS’s Technology and Entrepreneurship Management and Policy subject area (specifically including the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change, PREST/Manchester Institute of Innovation Research) and the newly founded Sustainable Consumption Institute. The research will complement ongoing Tyndall research on carbon reduction in the transport sector, which does not otherwise include a personal vehicular transport element and will build on the previous work of PREST’s environmental sustainability and technological change project.

The University of Manchester is an ideal environment in which to undertake this work, as it is fast becoming a centre of excellence for social change and policy innovation research, which is a key aspect of my research. The award money has granted me a degree of interdisciplinary freedom and independence not attainable under other funding programmes.

Thank you “Thank you very much for your donation. I will strive for a high standard of research which will do credit to Your Manchester Fund and the University. In the future, I hope to continue policy innovation research in a government agency or influential academic research institution.”

Research Impact - Your Second Year PhD Scholars

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Rob Ahearne Research Impact Scholar World Poverty - Creating and sharing knowledge to help end poverty My Research: “In my PhD I aim to challenge some of the mainstream theories and understandings in contemporary international development. In my fieldwork I will interview people in rural Tanzania of their experiences and opinions of ‘development’ in order to illustrate the diversity and complexity of views on offer. Overall, I hope to illustrate the importance of first-hand experiences of different forms of intervention, a point that is regularly overlooked with mainstream development.

Whilst undertaking research I have had to learn Swahili. I am often asked "unajua KiSwahili?""Do you know Swahili?"and I usually respond: "Ndiyo, ninajua kidogo lakini ninajaribu kujifunza Kiswahili kabisa, ninahitaji kuongea na kusikiliza sana."

"Yes, I know a little but I am trying to learn Swahili completely, I need to speak and listen a lot."

My Progress: Recently, I made a fieldwork trip to Tanzania in November 2008 as a pre-fieldwork study and to improve my Swahili, and I plan to spend a long period in Tanzania from March 2009, to undertake my primary research. I have presented my work in the form of a poster at the IDPM postgraduate conference in May 2008.

My Thanks: The funding has been extremely useful and has enabled me to work full time on my thesis. Without such a generous grant I may have had to supplement my income but this has not been necessary and helps to explain why I was able to pass my first year without any major problems. The funding has supported my everyday life and meant that I have been able to attend numerous relevant workshops and conferences. I have also managed to cover the majority of my flight to Tanzania with money I have saved over the past year.”

Swahili Phrases 1. Ninajaribu kufanya utafiti hapa. Ninahitaji kuhoji wazee kuhusu maendeleo na maendeleo endelevu na kadhalika.

I am trying to do research here. I need to interview older people about development, sustainable development and so on.

2. Sipendi hali ya hewa baridi.

I don't like cold weather.

3. Haraka haraka haina baraka.

(Roughly equals) More haste less speed.

Rob with Bwana Matunda (translates as “Mr Fruit”) who participated in an interview as part of his research fieldwork.

Justine Hall Research Impact Scholar Social Cohesion - Studying our communities to strengthen society (supporting Carbon Reduction - Putting our energies into the environment) My Research: ”My research looks at the distribution of green space, specifically trees, within high density urban housing areas. The quality and effectiveness of these areas are studied in order to determine their value to both the local people and as part of the natural environment. The main questions are 'what factors influence the distribution of trees?', 'what effects do trees have on residents' health and well being?', 'how will vegetation cover affect residents and areas as climate change increases?', 'why do some areas have more trees than others?'

My Research: In each area I have quantified the level of biodiversity; its ability to regulate the temperature of the surrounding area; its ability to withstand winter rainfall and summer drought; the level of use by local people; and its contribution to the local community. These results will be used to inform guidelines for local authorities and similar organizations about how best to improve and regenerate neighbourhoods and urban parks. My Results will help to inform two new initiatives: the Ecocities project, a partnership between the University and Bruntwood, which is intended to provide a blueprint for climate change in Greater Manchester and beyond, and the forthcoming Green Infrastructure Strategy for Manchester and its subregion.

My Thanks: I used the funding to pay my university fees, rent and living expenses. I have also bought data and computer equipment.

The money has meant that I do not need to work or teach to supplement my income, so I have been able to concentrate solely on my PhD. Thank you so much for supporting this scheme - it enables me to explore how we can make Manchester, and the wider world, greener, more sustainable and more resistant to climate change.”

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Research Impact - Your Third Year PhD Scholars

Jordan Rouse Research Impact Scholar Science and Society - Promoting science and technology for the public good My Research: “I acquired industrial sponsorship at the beginning of my second year which has been a great opportunity.

I’m working with Hyde Group Engineering and am now able to apply my research in a real industrial setting. My research group (North West Composites Centre) has a global network of partner research groups in places such as the US and Australia. This has given me several opportunities to travel and meet people working in similar areas, exchanging ideas and improving my understanding of the subject area.

My Progress: My research is looking into general aspects of composite design, materials and manufacturing as well as business implications for a company moving into this area. Hopefully my work can be applied within the sponsor company to improve product design, and improve understanding of material behaviour and manufacture.

My Impact: Over the past year we have designed and manufactured some novel composite components using new technologies. By the end of my research I hope to achieve a sound understanding of the design and manufacture of aerospace components.

By working with Hyde Group I am also getting an appreciation of the business impact of research and development.

My Thanks: The money awarded to me from the Research Impact Scholarship has allowed me to continue studying in an area which I have a passion for.”

Did you know...

• The EU, in collaboration with aerospace manufacturers such as Airbus, are aiming for a 50% reduction of fuel burn and noise levels by 2020. Proliferation of the use of lightweight composite materials is a major component of achieving these targets.

Sadia Mohammed Research Impact Scholar World Poverty - Creating and sharing knowledge to help end poverty

My Research: “My research aims to identify appropriate ways of offsetting poverty in Ghana’s artisanal and smallscale mining communities. A main objective of the work is to analyze the efficacy of existing projects introduced into the country’s rural regions to reduce the expansion of such illegal mining activity, a sector associated with environmental degradation and social ills like HIV/AIDS. My Progress: A major part of my third year has been spent in the field in the western region of Ghana, where data was collected for my research. The impact of my research on the participants (community members, mining communities, mining company officials, mining industry government officials and members of non-governmental organisations) cannot be overemphasised. Both the government of Ghana and large-scale mining companies are currently experimenting with ways to effectively address community development issues in smallscale mining communities. My research could not be more timely.

All

Photo taken during a recent fieldwork trip

participating agencies contributed diligently in the course of my data gathering with a hope to use my work to inform policy decisions.

However, perhaps a greater impact of my research has been on community members who have never been afforded a neutral listening ear. My research, therefore, was viewed as a long awaited platform to voice their concerns to both the government of Ghana and multinational mining companies.

Evidence of this was observed when nonparticipating communities called on me to include their communities in my research.

My Impact: It is expected that my research will benefit the wider community by helping re-shape, streamline or possibly redesign community development programmes in mining communities not only in Ghana, but in the sub-Saharan African region as a whole.

From the scholarship funds I was able to purchase a return flight ticket to Ghana and internal travels, accommodation and subsistence. I am very fortunate to have received support to carry out my PhD project and I will channel all my energies into producing a high quality and creative dissertation.

The scholarship fund really is a complete research package (for individuals with the requisite academic and research abilities).”

Did you know...

• Ghana is Africa’s second largest Gold producer (after South America).

• The location of my research, which is the Western region of Ghana has one-third of its total land area allocated to large-scale mining companies.

7 Jayne Fitzsimmons Research Impact Scholar Regenerative Medicine - Advancing our human potential

My Research: “My area of research is based at the Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre in St. Mary’s maternity hospital. My project investigates specifically how the placental blood vessels are formed from stem cells, through the actions of various factors that are produced by the specialized outer cells of the placenta.

My Progress: I have been fortunate to present my work at two international conferences this year; the Anatomical Society for Great Britain Annual Meeting and the International Federation for Placental Associations meeting in Graz, where I received much interest regarding my findings and their implications for the wider study of placentology, fetal growth restriction and regenerative medicine.

My Impact: My work has applications both in improving the placental blood supply to an undergrown fetus improving our understanding of normal placental development and identification of therapeutic targets for treating complicated pregnancies.

Working in an environment shared by clinicians and scientists at St. Mary’s Hospital we are in the unique position that important findings can be implicated more quickly into the hospital’s clinics. Further afield,

the successful identification and manipulation of placentally derived stem cells may have important therapeutic applications in adult cardiovascular diseases.

My Thanks: My scholarship has allowed me concentrate fully on my research, and without it, it would not be possible to complete my PhD. In addition to the funding allowing me to carry out research into Maternal and Fetal Health, I have gained confidence in public speaking having given presentations at an international conference as well as a university PhD showcase. I am also currently supervising an MRes student which is helping to improve my managerial and project design skills.”

Did you know...

• 1 in 5 pregnancies experience complications including: Spontaneous Preterm Birth (8%), Preeclampsia (5%), Fetal Growth Restriction (6%) • In the UK, a baby is lost every two minutes as a result of miscarriage, stillbirth or premature birth • 40,000 maternal deaths occur worldwide due to Pre-eclampsia

Daniel Roberts Research Impact Scholar Science and Society - Promoting science and technology for the public good My Research: “I am investigating how the brain supports the visual aspects of reading and how these underlying systems, when impaired produce a partial type of reading disorder (Pure Alexia). Patients read single words by identifying the individual letters and mentally piecing them together to reform a whole word; a condition known as letter-by-letter (LBL) reading. Recent experimental manipulations in our research group have revealed that, if appropriately investigated, the impairment is also known to impact on non-reading tasks that use visual processing similarly to those of written word-identification tasks.

My Progress: Testing has shown that when visual properties of complex stimuli are manipulated the deficit in reading is mimicked in non-reading tasks ie. time taken to read/identify objects and discriminate pattern correlates, confirming the hypothesis that Pure Alexia is not a reading specific disorder. I am now testing more subtle aspects of object recognition.

My work is beginning to suggest that Pure Alexia is more of a general visual problem, though not specific to reading, does affect the word reading process. This will undoubtedly have implications for major theories of how we read, but also for patients themselves in the form of speech and language therapy.

In one of our patients, not only her reading but also her performance on object recognition and discrimination tasks improved after reading therapy also supporting the hypothesis of a generalized visual impairment.

My Impact: My work is currently being used as patient data to build upon a major model of reading in neuropsychological literature and I am collaborating with key researchers in Wisconsin, Arizona and Carnegie Mellon University in the US, who are stimulating our patient data in a computational

model of the brain and running our experiments. I am positive it will have an impact on interventions and theory of stroke related impairments.

It is hoped that acquiring understanding of these conditions will help us explain the individual processes in normal reading, which has a whole host of benefits for the scientific community. Our strong collaboration with the NHS and speech and language therapists will advance therapy which is used to help patients recover after brain injury. My research guarantees transfer or knowledge to service the wider community by enhancing and implementing the new therapy for patients after stroke.

My Thanks: This funding has allowed me the opportunity to present at The British Neuropsychological Society and meet key people in my field. Thank you to all

who have donated and opened a window not only for me, but for other scholarship recipients too.”

Did you know...

• Did you know that 150,000 people in the UK have had a stroke?

• 250,000 are living with a long term disability, 25% of which usually involves reading problems.

For more information on these and other PhDs. email alumnifund@manchester.ac.uk www.yourmanchester.manchester.ac.uk

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Global Outreach

Global Outreach enables students from the delevoping world to study beyond borders and fulfil their potential whilst diversifying the talent pool at Manchester.

Equity and Merit Scholarships help talented students from developing countries by providing funds to cover their living costs during their studies here, whilst the university waives the tuition fee in full.

Students supported by these scholarships are studying on courses that are likely to be of greatest benefit to their home country.

The University is working closely with partner schools and agencies overseas, in Uganda and Malawi, to find students from the developing world with the academic potential to come to Manchester straight from school, or for postgraduate study. Due to the success of the pilot phase of this programme, it will be made available to students in Rwanda for the first time this year.

Since 2007, donors to Your Manchester Fund have contributed towards providing opportunities to 15 students from developing countries.

Global Outreach Scholars (l-r) Gordon Ariho, Ethel Nakakawa, Deo Mulindwa and Patricia Mugala

Ethel Nakakawa

Gordon Ariho

MSc Medical and Diagnostic Virology Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences

MSc Communications Engineering Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences

“I am truly grateful for this opportunity to study in Manchester; I count myself lucky. I would never have managed to do it on my own. I hope to have an impact, not only on an individual basis, but on the whole nation, and, you never know, the globe!

There are limited numbers of virologists in Uganda and outbreaks of viral diseases require importing expertise – I can help reduce this as I will be able to train people as a teaching assistant in Uganda. The scholarship will add value to my career and invaluable exposure to a number of cultures as the University has students from many countries.”

Gordon, from the Rukungiri District of Uganda, worked as a volunteer lecturer at Makerere University, Uganda, and at various communication companies such as Uganda Telecom and Gemtel before receiving the Global Outreach Scholarship to fulfil his ambition to study for an MSc at Manchester. Gordon is delighted to be studying at Manchester as many of his academic ‘heroes’, such as Ernest Rutherford, worked or studied here.

After attaining his MSc, Gordon hopes to return to Makerere University to lecture in the Faculty of Technology as a full time member of staff, where he believes his time at Manchester will allow him to utilise his talent effectively in the area of Rural Communication.

Gordon was a very popular guest speaker at the annual Alumni Dinner in London last year and even received an invitation to visit the Lake District.

Thank you “I really thank you and appreciate your effort in making it possible for me to realise my dream. The only thing remaining for me is to excel, and plough back the acquired knowledge into humanity and make life better. I will try to implement some of the principles that seem so basic in the UK but could greatly improve life in Uganda and to help my own country in furthering its development.”

Learning Enrichment

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Learning Enrichment comes in many forms – all positively enhancing the student experience at Manchester.

Your Manchester Fund supports a wide variety of projects and programmes across campus to enrich the academic and wider university experience for the student body as a whole.

To date, projects such as Manchester RAG, the University Counselling Service and Student Action have been funded to a total of £307,500. Most recently, the Library, Careers Service and Disability Support Office have benefited from your generosity.

Andrew Spinoza, Chairman of the Alumni Association and Your Manchester Fund Steering Group, made a special visit to the University in October 2008 to officially unveil the £160,000 Learning Enrichment package designed to enrich the learning experience for students across campus.

Andrew Spinoza with MLP students and Your Manchester Fund supported minibus

This year, Your Manchester Fund has provided support to the library to create a social learning environment serving refreshments to students studying throughout the day and on into the evening hours. The ‘Library Lounge’ is a very popular addition with students and has even facilitated a change in waste management policy for the library as a whole. As part of the changes in the library, a significant investment has been made in recycling facilities, replacing general litter bins with alternative, colour coded receptacles enabling library users to recycle paper, plastic bottles, glass and cans.

In addition to the library space, Your Manchester Fund has purchased a minibus to transport Manchester Leadership Programme students to and from volunteering projects in Manchester and surrounding areas, helping to extend the scope of projects that the MLP can offer.

The Fund has also equipped the Careers Service with a podcasting facility which allows students to visualise and experience potential employment environments and get first-hand advice from today’s

business leaders in order to support their employment applications and decisions on future careers.

Bridging Hardship Bridging Hardship offers a helping hand to hard-hit students in order to see them through their studies at Manchester.

Bridging Hardship can mean the difference between a student successfully completing a degree course and having to end it prematurely because of misfortune. Any student, like any one of us, can be hit by unexpected problems at any time, causing temporary, but often critical, financial difficulties.

Our experience tells us that there are many reasons for unforeseen loss of an income source: accident, illness or death in the family, a sponsoring company going out of business, or a natural disaster. Political, economic and environmental crises occur every day in the news and we can forget that this affects our individual students.

In 2004 we supported students affected by the Boxing Day Tsunami; in 2005 those affected by the Kashmir earthquake and in 2007 we helped a student extend their studies due to kidney failure.

Khaqan Khan Bridging Hardship Recipient MSc Human Resource Development Faculty of Humanities “I really appreciate the support I have been granted by Your Manchester Fund, it means a lot to me in many ways. The Bridging Hardship award has strengthened me not only financially but it has also boosted my enthusiasm and dedication to complete my dissertation and my degree.”

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Your Callers

Each year the University selects a team of around 30 students from hundreds of applicants to engage in telephone calls with alumni. The aim of the programme is to increase alumni participation in the work of the University by inviting contributions to Your Manchester Fund, whilst updating alumni on current life on campus and seeking other ways to engage alumni in the University’s work. The students are able to answer any questions posed by alumni, or to research the answer and relay the information back.

Our callers enjoy every conversation, which is one of the reasons the jobs are so popular on campus.

Your feedback about the call “I really enjoyed my telephone conversation with Mark Webster. It was so refreshing to talk with such a polite, interested and informative young man. Please pass on my thanks to him and good wishes for success in his studies.”

Eleanor, Mathematics (1964).

James Campbell

Mark Yardley

MBCHB Medicine Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences

BSc Business Studies Faculty of Humanities

“Calling alumni has been a revelation for me. The people I have had the pleasure of speaking with have been varied and interesting. It is heartening to find that the majority of alumni support the work that we do.

Personally I was attracted to the position by the capacity for personal growth conferred by conversing with such experienced and successful people. I believe the project has a positive impact on everybody involved – alumni, Your Manchester Fund staff, callers and most expediently by the scholarship recipients themselves. Being part of a dynamic, progressive team of students, hand picked for their communication skills has been a joy to partake in and contribute to.

I particularly enjoyed speaking with our American alumni. Every single conversation was worthwhile, and the interest and support for the scholarship programme was admirable. Everybody was friendly; some even made the very generous offer

of accommodation over the summer. I hope to visit America this summer and if circumstances allow I look forward to meeting some of the people I had such an enjoyable time speaking with.”

Most memorable conversation: A woman who was happy to talk whilst running a bath!

BSc Mathematics Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences

My favourite aspect of the job is talking to alumni as they always have great stories about their time at university and interesting insight into the world of work.

I hope to continue to work as a student caller until I graduate, as it’s a really rewarding job.”

As The University of Manchester supports so many areas from providing scholarships to people from deprived areas, to medical and environmental research, I really do feel part of something phenomenal. It is not until you meet the people that have benefited from your efforts and the generous donations from graduates, that you realise just how important the work is.

It really gives me a huge ‘buzz’ to talk to people who are so passionate about their university even many years after they have graduated. Every conversation I have with an alumnus is totally unique and some are more unique than others!

As part of the student calling team at Manchester, I feel a part of something very special indeed.”

Sophie Backen

“I first started working for Your Manchester Fund as a student caller in 2006, so this is my third year working for the University. I’ve really enjoyed working as part of an evolving team of student callers. I’ve learned a lot from training; this job is great for getting experience of a wide range of skills.

“I believe becoming a student caller at the university is truly one of the most rewarding ways to spend your time. It not only offers the opportunity to talk to many graduates who provide a great deal of inspiration, but also to help raise money for something so important in society.

Most memorable conversation: My most memorable conversation was with an alumna who was doing my dream job working as a regional special needs co-ordinator in primary schools.

She gave me lots of tips and encouraged me to achieve my goals.

Matching Your Giving Add a match and deepen the impact of your giving

11 Gift value after Gift Aid and Government match is applied Donor

Number of donors

Net annual contribution from each donor

Net annual value of each donor’s gift to Your Manchester Fund

Combined annual value to Your Manchester Fund

New Scholarships/ Awards made possible

UK donors giving £10/month

2

£120 (£90 if higher rate tax payer)

£204

£408

A typical Bridging Hardship Award (see page 9)

UK donors giving £20/month

5

£240 (£180 if higher rate tax payer)

£408

£2,040

Two additional Opportunity Manchester Scholarships (see pages 2 & 3)

Single UK higher rate tax payer

1

£440

£1,000

£1,000

An additional Opportunity Manchester Scholarship (see pages 2 & 3)

Single UK higher rate tax payer

1

£3,525

£8,000

£8,000

An additional Research Impact Scholarship (see pages 4 & 7)

New Government matched funding programme for gifts to higher education – 2008 - 2011.

In August 2008 the UK Government launched a programme to encourage gifts from alumni and others to support English higher education institutions. For you as a former Manchester student – wherever you are in the world - this means we can add at least a third to the value of any gift you make to Your Manchester Fund, and potentially much more. For UK donors this 33% bonus will be applied both to the gift level and to the value of Gift Aid that we can claim on your gift.

We will put the additional match to work in support of your preferred priority. So if you want your gift and the additional match to support the full range of outstanding students highlighted in these pages, simply make a gift to the overall Your Manchester Fund. You can also earmark your support for one or other of the different types of scholarship/award within the overall Your Manchester Fund.

There has never been a better time to start or to increase your support for outstanding students on campus.

Your Experience

Your Impact - The Stats

Simon Sadie BSc (Hons) Mathematics, 1990 Why I give “The University has a special place in my heart. In the late ‘80s I studied hard at Mathematics, which I loved, and played hard in the Union, in halls and around the city.

2630 donors last year 6902 donors since October 2004 35 students callers

Most of the time it felt to me to be the best place in the world. There were a few occasions when it was a tough place to be too, and I have never forgotten the support that was around me from the University.

512 applications per year for student caller jobs

I feel strongly that students should be inspired, challenged and supported at The University of Manchester, just as I was. As an Alumni Donor, I have the opportunity to help make that happen.

So I do.”

10 Research Impact scholars

6 Global Outreach scholars

79 Opportunity Manchester scholars

12

Your FAQs

What impact is my money having on my Department / Faculty?

The Your Manchester Fund aims to ensure all students from all backgrounds, ages and interests benefit in some way from the funds generated. Below is a breakdown of the types of scholars benefitting this academic year.

Scholarship Type

Humanities

Engineering and Medical and Physical Life Sciences Human Sciences Sciences

Research Impact

2

4

2

2

Opportunity Manchester

27

20

26

7

Global Outreach

0

6

2

0

Total

29

30

30

9

What changes are happening at Manchester/where is my department now?

follow up with our graduates once they have left to feedback to you in due course.

The University of Manchester has one of the largest estates in the country comprising;

What is happening in my department/ at the university?

Up to date information can be found via the University’s website at www.manchester.ac.uk, and by typing the faculty name in the searchbox.

Alternatively, request an information sheet from

15 sites Over 300 buildings 299 acres (120 hectares)

your caller or see the Your Manchester website. www.yourmancnhester.manchester.ac.uk. Here you will be able to find information about alumni activities relating to schools and subject areas and you will be able to register for events. The popular Cockroft Rutherford Lecture will be held on 28th April at the new University Place.

In excess of 3,000 parking spaces 9,400 student bedrooms The University is progressing its Capital programme to create new high quality facilities. This progression has involved the relocation of various departments and schools to congregate the work of faculties together at set points across campus.

The Sackville street or ‘UMIST’ area is now known as North Campus and the John Owens area as South Campus. More than half the Southern Campus has benefited from the landscape and public realm works on Oxford Road. The public realm is the work undertaken to advance footpaths, cycle routes, landscaping and lighting. These improvements aim to improve the relationships and linkages between new and existing University spaces and create more of a Campus like feel for the students. A new landmark University Square will be created outside the new University Place building where many alumni lectures and events will take place in the future.

What are our Opportunity Manchester scholars from previous years doing since leaving?

The Opportunity Manchester Programme was established in 2006 and continues to provide funding for students in their first years of study. This means 2009 is the first year of graduating Opportunity Manchester scholars and we aim to We will be looking to incorporate your comments and suggestions into our communications in the forthcoming year. Your views are very important to us.

If you have any suggestions or comments regarding this newsletter and what you would like to see in the future, please take the time to participate in our forthcoming survey, or get in touch with us direct.

Alternatively, please take time to share your opinions with your caller.

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