Healthy lifestyle sessions to take centre stage at Freshers 2019

The University of Buckingham is increasing its focus on healthy lifestyle information sessions for students to underline its policy of encouraging young people to flourish personally as well as academically during their studies.

Interactive workshops, which take place during Freshers in January and September, include information on a broad spectrum of topics, such as academic achievement and success, student activities, societies and sports, as well as insight into the University’s policies on, for example, substance abuse, expectations about behaviour, including consent and sexual conduct, and personal safety.

Dr Jane Tapsell, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Student Experience, said: “We want to ensure that students are fully informed so that they make the right choices in terms of avoiding drugs and knowing about appropriate sexual conduct. We want them to enjoy their leisure time here at Buckingham as well as their studies.”

At registration all new students are provided with a handbook detailing policies and asked to sign to say they have read them.  At matriculation, the formal ceremony for new students at each entry point, the University’s values are outlined – which focus on academic achievement and emphasise the importance of healthy living in being successful.

The SU Executive team talk at matriculation about their roles and support for the student body across a range of areas. All new students are expected to attend matriculation and 90% of the latest intake did so. All new students are announced after the talks on positive education, our values and expectations, and then formally shake the VC and PVC’s hands as they ‘join’ the University.