JUNE 2014 Volume 20 No. 4 Students At the heart of our work Following an international path Open for international business INTRODUCTION NEWS Introduction Open for A university based in Wales, for Wales: international that’s what we are, that’s what we are proud to say we are. But our business commitment to Wales does not, and should not stop at Offa’s Dyke, far from it... As part of the University’s commitment to be a global university, promote our research and share best practice, the University has established offices in China and India. Here, we introduce the two Office Managers whose job it is to promote Cardiff University. “I worked with the NCUK “It is already an international since 2006 with much of my university, but in order to achieve work setting up programmes, its ambitious target of being among student recruitment, university the top 100 universities in the world administration and other key it is important that it seeks more tasks,” she adds. international collaborations with academic and industry partners "...we must do more to ensure our Her experience of being in charge overseas to enhance its reputation,” students take advantage of an of an office operation which he added. includes finance and day-to-day international experience and help operations will, she believes, put On taking the role, he’s also very clear her in a good position to build about some of the challenges he faces. them succeed in an increasingly Cardiff University’s reputation in “The key aspect of my job, I global environment.” China. believe, is to facilitate dialogue Somnath Nandy, between Cardiff University and Krintina Qiu, “Cardiff is a beautiful daffodil, India Office Manager Indian institutions for developing Professor Hywel Thomas China Country Manager ready to bloom internationally. partnerships as well as playing a Setting up an India Office based public relations role and liaising with City University, London graduate “I like Cardiff’s innovation in in New Delhi for Manchester key stakeholders. and former Asia Pacific Operations research which will bring benefit Metropolitan University to build We are proud of our unique university has developed greatly In this edition, you’ll hear from our students with the opportunity to Manager for the UK Northern into society and will become a profile, recruit students and build “Cardiff’s reputation in India is place in Wales but equally proud to over the last decade, as has our International Deans and gain an gain free language skills during their Consortium University (NCUK), driving force behind technology collaborations is all good experience limited to Business and Law and “look beyond our borders and aspire global reach and reputation for exclusive insight into their work. studies. Kristina Qiu is the University’s first and finance progress in China. It for Somnath Nandy as he takes up you must take into account the wider to be a global University. teaching. Country Manager for China. also matches China’s international his role as the University’s Office policy agenda that has created a You’ll meet the University’s new Finally, you’ll also hear from our wider international strategy,” she Manager based in India. situation where the UK is no longer We attract a geographically diverse But, if our objective is to be Office Managers in China and students on how an international Experienced in understanding and added. perceived as an exciting study range of staff and students. We consistently among the top 100 India – who, since setting up offices experience has helped shape building relationships between UK Somnath brings with him a wealth destination.” collaborate with institutions, universities in the world we must there, have been helping build our their personal and academic and Chinese universities, Kristina In terms of the key challenges she of experience working in education governments and businesses strive to do much more. reputation in these countries. development. hopes her experience will help her faces, she realises they are big but consultancy as well as working for This is why, over the next three worldwide. build Cardiff’s reputation in her home well worth the effort. more than 10 years as Marketing years, he hopes to be able to report We must do more to ensure our You’ll also learn about new and This is an extremely exciting time country. Manager for the British Council. substantial progress. We conduct research, proven students take advantage of an existing measures we have in place to be the University’s Pro Vice- Kristina adds: “Not everyone Somnath adds: “There’s a great deal to have global significance and international experience and help to help our students – whether it’s Chancellor for International, a role I “As the former Asia Specific likes change; therefore trying to For Somnath the appeal of working of work to be done. impact. them succeed in an increasingly our new Global Opportunity Centre am privileged to hold. Operations Manager for NCUK influence people will be difficult. for a UK Russell Group University, global environment. (GOC) providing a one-stop-shop – a Northern Consortium of the However, by developing ranked highly in the UK, was one of “We want to stabilise student We host international conferences for advice on opportunities to study, I hope you enjoy the edition. Universities of Manchester, Leeds, partnerships, promoting the main attractions and convinced recruitment numbers by 2015 and then and have academics who win major More fundamentally, we need work and volunteer abroad or; Sheffield and others – it was my role exchanges and mutual learning him to apply for the post. strive to achieve a year on year growth international prizes. We support to maximise the impact of our working closely with colleagues in Professor Hywel Thomas . to help Chinese students proceed among each other, we have a real as well as develop a sustainable communities across the globe, using research for society throughout the our Students’ Union to offer advice Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research” into undergraduate and postgraduate opportunity to take this beautiful “Cardiff is a leading University in network of academic and industry and sharing our knowledge. world. That’s why this edition of and support to our international and International programmes in the UK,” insists daffodil and help it bloom in Wales and has invested in many partners in India and strengthen our Cardiff News is dedicated to our students coming to Cardiff for the Kristina, who is also known by her China for the benefit of both socially useful and innovative research alumni network in India.” Our international reputation as a International agenda. first time or; our new Languages Chinese name, Yanqiong. countries.” in the UK and globally,” according to high quality research intensive for All programme providing our Somnath. 2 3 IN FOCUS IN FOCUS Professor Kenneth Hamilton Thus, the post of International Dean The Deans’ View Professor Kenneth Hamilton has beckoned. been described as “an outstanding virtuoso - one of the finest players As for the role itself: we are The title of ‘International Dean’ may conjure up an image of an international jet setter of his generation” by Moscow’s mostly, I think, facilitators, Kommersant Daily. A graduate whether of international research but the day-to-day reality is very different. With it comes a heavy and demanding of the University of Glasgow and collaborations, student recruitment, of Balliol College, Oxford, his mobility or transnational teaching. workload. Here, we catch-up with the University’s three International Deans and gain doctoral dissertation at Balliol We are also vitally concerned with a unique insight into their work… was a critical study of the opera joining up the dots among all four in fantasias and transcriptions order to help push Cardiff back into of Franz Liszt. He joined the the top 100 global Universities in University in 2012 as Professor the QS Rankings. and most successful transnational would not damage the reputation of of Music. educational programme delivered Cardiff University. We support Schools in their overseas by Cardiff University. Colleagues do occasionally international initiatives, liaise Endless emails are received from ask me what exactly an between the Colleges and the We therefore devised a mobility Despite the daily torrent of The VC and I are due to visit Oman Universities abroad wishing to ““International Dean” is, and how International Office, and report both survey for Schools, collated and overly detailed emails, there in January 2015 to build on this establish partnerships and Skype a mere musician ended up being to our College PVCs and to the analysed the ensuing information, is, ultimately, no substitute success and discuss opportunities calls to check out understanding one. PVC International. and on that basis worked out the for getting out there and for further collaboration across regarding various opportunities details of an International Mobility actively building institutional the University. I have also just comprise part of the role. It’s true that I did rather In addition to our College Bursary Scheme that was approved relationships face to face. I really developed a University Strategy for unsuspectingly drift into responsibilities, we each have by University Executive Board. wish I could say that the travel is Transnational Education. Some result in Cardiff hosting visits international work in my previous general university-wide remits. of the James Bond sitting-by-the- from potential collaborators, such post at Birmingham University. We’re also developing new pool-while sipping-your-third- Two visits to China have resulted as a delegation from Hong Kong, a My own is student international exchange links with Universities Martini type, but alas it’s more of in a collaboration with Capitol pending visit of a Vice-Chancellor The Birmingham International mobility.