40% of UG acceptors from 2023 who didn’t originally have us as their first choice told us it was an Open Day and/or AVD that changed their mind about Salford.
The Recruitment Team run many events throughout the academic year with the main aim of these events being to recruit students to our courses. Open Days are typically the first opportunity enquirers have the chance to visit our campus. As we move through the year and our enquirers become applicants and receive offers, we run Offer Holder Days.
These offer prospective students the chance for a more in depth look at their course and the chance to meet their future course mates. As the cycle continues we have lots of keep warm events such as campus tours and online Q&As for visitors to visit campus and ask lots of questions. We also manage clearing where we host a Clearing Visit Day and lots of Q&As as students get ready for September. The volunteers offering their time and support are what makes these possible. This handbook provides information about our events and the roles required.
Please note you will also receive a bespoke briefing session as well as access to our event webpages and any event guides ahead of each event you support.
NUMBER OF EVENTS: 4
DATES: JUNE, OCTOBER, NOVEMBER AND JANUARY TIMES: SATURDAY, 10AM-4PM
We typically run four undergraduate Open Days throughout the academic year. The first will be in June (15 months or so ahead of the September intake). This is usually a mix of late comers for the upcoming September and those starting the process early. We then usually run these again in October, November, and January with January one just before the UCAS equal opportunities deadline. These will be in person events, across all three campuses (Peel Park, Frederick Road and Media City).
Open Days are often the first opportunity prospective students have had to visit the University so a good first impression is vital.
Visitors are expected to book onto an Open Day which means we can keep in touch with them ahead of the event. We send regular comms which include a link to our event webpages and information on:
/ Subject session timings and campus
/ How to find us
/ Where to check-in
/ What to expect on the day
/ The Open Day guide
All visitors will be expected to check-in when they arrive on campus. At check-in visitors will have their QR code scanned, will be given a copy of the Open Day guide, as well as some freebies and can ask any questions they have about the day. Visitors will have been told in advance which check-in point to use.
/ Peel Park Check in A - Outside Maxwell Building
/ Peel Park Check-in B - Chapman Square
/ Frederick Road Check-in A - Allerton Building reception
/ Frederick Road Check-in B - Outside Mary Seacole Building
/ MediaCity - MediaCity reception
An Open Day would usually start with a welcome talk where we can introduce visitors to the University. These would run at the start of the day and again at the start of the afternoon and will be delivered by a senior member of staff. They are 20 minutes in length and will leave plenty of time for visitor to head to their next session.
The main draw for these events is the subject session. Each subject will have two one-hour sessions, one in the morning and another in the afternoon, where visitors can come along to a presentation delivered by our academic staff. Content would include entry requirements, course modules and selling points for the course. There are two of these in case visitors haven’t yet decided on a course so can attend multiple ones throughout the day. Some of the busier courses may have three presentations.
All of our Open Days include presentations that cover topics outside of academic study, such as:
/ Student finance
/ Student support, wellbeing and disability at Salford
/ How to apply
These talks cover how to apply for funding, the UCAS process, and also offer advice on personal statements, interviews and portfolios. Depending on the time of year, we may also run bespoke sessions on certain student groups such as mature learners or care experienced.
All this information will be included in our Open Day guide which will be distributed ahead of each event to staff and visitors.
Campus tours run throughout the day are usually bookable from a point on each campus.
/ Chapman Square gazebo – Peel Park
/ Mary Seacole Building reception – Frederick Road
/ MediaCity reception - MediaCity
They are delivered by our Student Ambassadors and usually last between 30-45 minutes dependant on campus.
Our accommodation sites, Peel Park Quarter and John Lester/Eddie Colman are open for tours on the day. They usually open from 9.30am and run through to 4pm to allow as many visitors to take a tour. Our accommodation team also have a stand on Frederick Road and MediaCity campuses for visitors to chat with the staff as well.
Members of our askUS team will be available all day where visitors can drop-in and chat about the support we offer at Salford. This can include finance, wellbeing, disability support, career development and more. Visitors can also have a 1-1 disability appointment on the day.
We have general drop-ins taking place on each campus throughout the event. These are typically based in the Library Hub on Peel Park campus, the ground floor of Allerton Building on Frederick Road and the ground floor of MediaCity. This includes accommodation and askUS but also languages, sports, SU and can also include international opportunities and degree apprenticeships, but this can depend on the event and the campus.
NUMBER OF EVENTS: 3
DATES: JUNE, NOVEMBER AND FEBRUARY TIMES: WEDNESDAY, 3PM-6PM
OUR POSTGRADUATE OPEN DAYS ARE ALWAYS AIMED AT POSTGRADUATE TAUGHT COURSES. THOSE INTERESTED IN POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH COURSES SUCH AS PHDS ARE ONLY INVITED TO THE NOVEMBER AND FEBRUARY OPEN DAYS.
Our Postgraduate Open Days take place in November, February and June. Due to some of our courses having multiple intakes, visitors at these events could be a different stages of the application process.
Open Days are often the first opportunity prospective students have had to visit the University so a good first impression is vital.
Visitors are expected to book onto an Open Day which means we can keep in touch with
them ahead of the event. We send regular comms which include a link to our event webpages and information on:
/ Subject session timings and campus
/ How to find us
/ Where to check-in
/ What to expect on the day
/ Copy of the Open Day guide
Our Postgraduate Open Days take place on a Wednesday afternoon to allow anyone working during the day to attend later on. The format is different from that of an undergraduate Open Day with more focus is on the course session. As we have multiple intakes for our Postgraduate courses, the types of visitors may differ; some may have visited before and want to speak with a specific tutor, whereas some just want a first look to see what courses we offer.
All visitors will be expected to check-in when they arrive on campus. At check-in visitors will have their QR code scanned, will be given a copy of the Open Day guide, as well as some freebies and can ask any questions they have about the day. Visitors will have been told in advance which check-in point to use.
/ Check-in locations:
/ Peel Park - Chapman Square
/ Frederick Road - Allerton Building reception
/ MediaCity - MediaCity reception
All Postgraduate Taught courses will have a drop-in from 4pm-6pm. This is where visitors can come along and chat with a course tutor. Some courses may also deliver a presentation but this will be included in the Open Day guide.
Campus tours run throughout the day are usually bookable from a point on each campus.
/ New Adelphi foyer – Peel Park
/ Allerton Building reception – Frederick Road
/ MediaCity reception - MediaCity
They are delivered by our Student Ambassadors and usually last between 30-45 minutes dependant on campus.
Our Open Days include a number of presentations delivered by the recruitment team. These typically include:
/ Welcome
/ Fees and funding
/ Applying for a Masters’
/ Take a different path
Our accommodation sites John Lester/Eddie Colman are open for tours on the day. Peel Park Quarter is for first year students only so is not available at a PG Open Day They usually open from 3pm-6pm to drop in for a tour. Our accommodation team usually have a stand on Frederick Road and MediaCity campuses for visitors to chat with the staff as well.
Members of our askUS team will be available all day where visitors can drop-in and chat about the support we offer at Salford. This can include finance, wellbeing, disability support, career development and more. Visitors can also have a 1-1 disability appointment on the day.
We have general drop-ins taking place on each campus throughout the event. These are typically based in New Adelphi on Peel Park campus, Allerton Building on Frederick Road and then at MediaCity. This includes accommodation and askUS but also languages, Sports, and the Students’ Union but this can depend on the event and the campus.
NUMBER OF EVENTS: 6-8
DATES:
FEBRUARY - MAY
DAYS: SATURDAY IN FEBRUARY AND MAY, WEDNESDAYS IN MARCH, TUESDAY IN APRIL
FORMAT: ON-CAMPUS
Offer Holder Days are for undergraduate offer-holders only. The February event tends to be only Peel Park and Frederick Road non-interviewing courses. The March events tend to be one per school with Health and Arts and Media courses being slightly later as some of these courses interview so there are less offer-holders earlier in the cycle. The final event in May is for all courses.
Offer Holder Days are invite only and visitors must book onto the event. When they book onto the weekday events, they are offered a series of general sessions they plan on attending whereas the weekend events work more like an Open Day in terms of offering drop-in sessions.
Ahead of each event e send regular comms which include a link to our event
webpages and information on:
/ Course session timings and campus
/ How to find us
/ Where to check-in
/ What to expect on the day
/ Copy of the Offer Holder Day schedule
Offer Holder Days provide offer-holders the chance to get a more in depth look at their chosen course. It also offers another chance to visit campus and meet their future classmates.
The structure of our Offer Holder Days differs depending on whether it takes place on a weekday or at the weekend. Our weekday events are far more structured, and visitors are expected to book onto the sessions they want to attend in advance. For our weekend events, whilst the course sessions will be at a set time, a lot of the other activities will take place throughout the day.
Optional sessions take place in the morning at 9.45am, 10.30am, 11.15pm and 12noon. The options visitors can book onto include:
/ Campus tour
/ Accommodation tour – Peel Park and John Lester/Eddie Colman
/ Student finance talk
/ Student support, wellbeing and disability talk
/ Life outside the classroom talk
/ Disability appointment
Following the optional sessions, we provide visitors with lunch before our Life at Salford talk. This is similar to a welcome talk at an Open Day but offers a more in depth look into studying at the University of Salford and is typically co-delivered by one of our current students. The course session starts at 2pm and is usually two hours long.
The weekend OHD is more like an Open Day in structure. While it offers all the same options as the weekday, visitors don’t have to book onto these in advance. The course session is still two hours in length and takes place either in the morning or afternoon. The optional sessions then take place throughout the day so visitors who attend a course session in the morning and do these activities in the afternoon, and vice versa.
All visitors will be expected to check-in when they arrive on campus. At check-in visitors will have their QR code scanned, will be given a copy of the general schedule, as well as some freebies and can ask any questions they have about the day. For an OHD visitors will also be given a course schedule, this is a detailed look at what the course session will entail. Visitors will have been told in advance which check-in point to use. On a weekday event this is typically the SEE building but for the weekend events these will be on each campus.
A Life at Salford talk is like a welcome talk but will be delivered by one of our current students to provide their perspective and experiences of studying at Salford. They are 20 minutes in length and will leave plenty of time for visitor to head to their next session.
The main draw for these events is the course session. Each course will have one two-hour session delivered by course tutors. The course sessions offer a more in depth look at the course and are often more interactive and hands on. They can include a taster lecture, a chance to use the facilities and the opportunity to meet their future classmates.
Campus tours are available at our OHDs. They are delivered by our Student Ambassadors and usually last between 30-45 minutes dependant on campus.
Our accommodation sites, Peel Park Quarter and John Lester/Eddie Colman are open for tours on the day. For a weekday event they would run at set times in the morning, whereas a weekend event they would be open throughout the day.
Members of our askUS team will be available where visitors can drop-in and chat about the support we offer at Salford. This can include finance, wellbeing, disability support, career development and more. Visitors can also have a 1-1 disability appointment on the day.
We have general drop-ins taking place on each campus throughout the event. This includes accommodation and askUS but also languages, sports, SU and can also include international opportunities and degree apprenticeships but this can depend on the event and the campus.
This means welcoming people to the university, checking them in and providing support within the area you are in, including:
/ Welcome, welcome, welcome
/ Checking visitors in using tablets and scanning QR codes
/ Providing information at check in – e.g. guide, map, general information
/ ‘Supporting’ a check in space – highlighting stock levels, general tidiness of the check in desk, and supporting the flow of visitors
/ Knowing where the nearest a) toilet, b) car park and c) other check-in is
/ Knowing where the nearest Welcome/academic talks are (use your guide/check in pack if unsure!)
/ Planning the day – what and where should visitors do/go?
/ Provide friendly, welcoming advice
You will be giving a presentation to prospective students and their supporters, usually on one of the following topics.
/ Welcome to Salford
/ Applying for Student Finance
/ Student support, wellbeing and disability at Salford
/ The application process
/ This will involve liaising with the Events Team in advance on the creation and tailoring of a presentation
You will be supervising a check in desk, ensuring there are enough materials, staff are trained and comfortable and keeping an eye on the surrounding area for issues (e.g. fallen signage, etc). You will flag issues as necessary to relevant contacts from Estates, DIT, etc as well as your Campus manager.
Your role is to manage the event on your campus in its entirety. You will be checking in on the check in staff, managing any problems that arise and liaising with other managers throughout the day.
Your role is to oversee school-specific activity; liaising with and supporting academic staff (including providing them with lunch vouchers). You will capture feedback to discuss post-event and flag any immediate issues as necessary to relevant contacts from Estates, DIT, etc as well as your Campus manager. Additionally, you will check that you rooms are set up appropriately and that they are accessible to guests.
Open Days (UG)
/ Cover key course information – entry requirements, modules, assessment, opportunities (e.g. placement, field trips etc.)
/ If grouping courses together, ensure all courses are covered during session.
/ Make it interactive/involve attendees where possible (e.g. mix up with small activities, ask attendees questions etc.)
/ Active involvement of current students where possible (e.g. Q&A, present part of talk)
/ Show facilities where possible.
/ Keep to time, sessions are sometimes described as too long and there’s plenty more attendees want to see and do during the day (get straight into course, don’t repeat general content from Welcome Talk)
Offer Holder Days (UG)
/ Keep the following in mind: inspire, excite, reassure and inform.
/ Make session interactive e.g. group activities and incorporate use/ demonstration of facilities where possible.
/ Have key course information available for those who didn’t attend Open Day (e.g. handouts)
/ If grouping courses together, ensure all courses are covered/referred to during session.
/ Timing less of an issue compared to Open Days, but keep in mind there are other things attendees will want to see and do during the day.
/ Don’t make a ‘lesser’ event than UG.
/ Ensure attendees have opportunity to hear from/speak to academic staff and current students where possible (this is more important for PG than UG)
/ Ensure there is opportunity to hear about specific courses of interest.
/ Outline course content and structure –these are key drivers in attendance.
/ Highlight career prospects and industry links.
/ Showcase facilities were possible/ applicable (these are still important in the decision making of PG considerers!)
For Open Days, we do not ask visitors to book onto specific levels/modes of study, rather we do ask them to indicate the general course they are interested in. If one of these options, such Foundation Years/Professional Experience/Integrated Master’s/part time is an option for your course, please ensure you include and refer to this as an alternative entry options
For the majority of our on-campus events, visitors are expected to book in advance which means we can keep in touch with them ahead of the event. We send regular comms reminding them to book and attend the events. A day or so ahead of the event we would then also send out the QR code which they bring to check-in on the day. Each large event will then have a further information page where we provide information on:
/ Subject session timings and campus
/ How to find us
/ Where to check-in
/ What to expect on the day
/ Copy of the Open Day guide
These pages are bespoke per event so we will also share this with staff volunteers ahead of each event.
All visitors will be given information on public transport options, car parks and a suggested check-in point based on their chosen course and proximity of the check-in to the building in which they will be based. This is typically based on their course of study and where this will be taking place on the day.
For any event where we are based on multiple campuses, we typically have coaches available to take visitors between campuses or over to John Lester/Eddie Colman for tours.
Coaches will run New Adelphi roundabout but the frequency will depend on the event.
For most of our weekend events, parking is free for visitors on the day. For our weekday events this can differ. In some cases we have provided visitors with a parking permit, for others we have allocated specific car parks for them. Ahead of each event we will confirm with visitors and staff of the parking options.
Depending on the size and time of the event, we will have some outlets open for visitors. For a weekend event we will have outlets open on every campus but depending on the size of the event it may not be every one so please check this in the guide before advising visitors.
For a weekend event, if you work the full day, you will typically be provided with a lunch voucher to spend in one of our outlets. For a weekday event, we typically provide lunch.
When booking onto an event, visitors can provide us with any support requirements they have. Every one of these is responded to in advance and measures are put into place where required. This may be getting a BSL interpreter for the day, offering advice on wheelchair accessibility, printing handouts in a different size or on coloured paper, or general support and guidance to visitors who may suffer with anxiety joining us for a busy event.
We will have a dedicated contact at each check-in location for these visitors to speak to should they require and we will make all staff aware of who this is.
When our events span multiple campuses, we typically have coaches looping between campuses and our accommodation sites. We therefore ensure one of these coaches is accessible for visitors who may be in a wheelchair, have a pram or are unable to access a regular coach.
At each event we have quiet rooms. These are dedicated spaces where visitors and staff if required, can take time out if they feel overwhelmed. We have included these at the start of the Open Day guide and will make staff aware of the specific locations ahead of each event.
Every check-in desk will have a dedicated check-in pack. This will have lots of information included for anyone supporting check-in to use. Some of the keys documents include:
/ Key contacts – phone numbers for campus managers, estates, DIT
/ Staff and ambassador rotas
/ Room lists
/ Incident report forms
On the day you will be expected to answer general questions about the event. If you receive a question you are unable to answer, it is important to know who is best to contact. Please use the different roles section above for information on who can support with different queries.
If you need to escalate a complaint and are on a check-in point, you can do with with you check-in supervisor. If you are anywhere else you can find your campus manager.
At most of our events, we have collateral to hand out to visitors. These are typically on the check-in desks for when visitors arrive. The standard handouts include branded pens and bags but also include bottles and coffee mugs. For Offer Holder Days, we also provide prospective students with a Salford branded hoody.
Your health & safety duties as an employee are:
/ To take reasonable care of yourself and others
/ To co-operate with instructions from the employer re health & safety
/ Not to interfere with or misuse safety equipment
/ To report any health & safety problems or hazards
In the event of an emergency which requires support of the emergency services, please dial 53333 to speak to security in the first instance and then call 999. Please try to also contact any of our team in the above ‘Key contacts’ section, but getting help is the primary focus so concentrate on that first. Please be pragmatic and use your common sense – it is unlikely that you will be on your own so ask another person to call security while you contact an ambulance if it is a genuine emergency situation.
Estates don’t typically do fire drills in any of the buildings we’re using on the day, so please treat any alarms as actual emergencies. Security are always in charge in the event of an out of hours alarm.
Guidance from our Health & Safety department in the event of a fire is:
/ Raise the alarm via a manual break glass point;
/ Dial 0161 29 (53333) to contact security to advise of the emergency;
/ Dial 999 to alert the fire brigade;
/ During an alarm in a building, evacuate immediately, do not stop to collect your belongings;
/ Do not use the lift to leave the building;
/ Disabled persons to make their way to designated refuge and alert security either using the intercom provided or the above number.
In the event of an accident, please contact security as above and the relevant campus contact from the recruitment team. Every accident, however small, needs to be reported.
Thank for any support you can offer at our events, we could not do these event without volunteers from across the University. Please do send through any feedback to us post event, we’re keen to work with you to develop any new ideas and keep the events fresh and exciting.
The University of Salford is situated just a mile and a half from Manchester city centre and we have excellent transport links, with Salford Crescent train station on campus and regular bus services stopping along the Crescent.
