News
International Recruitment and Collaboration at Aberyswtyth
Jonathan Richards has been appointed Head of the newly established section for International Recruitment and Collaboration at Aberystwyth University.
Prior to his appointment, Jonathan was a Senior Lecturer in English as a Foreign Language at Wolverhampton University where he was also responsible for establishing international links, principally with central European countries, but also with Japan, Taiwan, South Korea and India.
Jonathan, who is originally from Llanelli and a graduate of Cardiff University, heads a team of 7 at International Recruitment and Collaboration, which itself forms part of the Recruitment and Admissions department
Speaking of his appointment Jonathan said:
“Aberystwyth University is committed to the view that international collaborations, and the presence in Aberystwyth of a diverse range of international students, strengthens the University’s academic profile, enriches the student experience and makes a positive cultural and economic contribution to the broader community. Aberystwyth has a long history of international engagement. It has over many decades developed strong international links, both in research and teaching, across a wide span of the curriculum.”
International Recruitment and Collaboration aims to build on the successes of the University’s European recruitment work (120 new students recently arrived from Poland and 30 from Bulgaria) and focus initially on 3 other main geographical regions, China and South East Asia, South Asia - specifically India, and North America (USA and Canada).
In North America the emphasis will be on developing links that have been established by the President of the University and former UK Permanent Representative at United Nations, Sir Emyr Jones Parry.
The section will have responsibility for managing and developing the University’s network of educational advisors/agents overseas and also the University’s international institutional agreements.
“I look forward to the opportunity of working closely with academic departments to alert them to international recruitment and collaborative opportunities,” he added.
“The academic strength of the University in areas such as Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, International Politics, Management and Business (including the AMBA accredited post graduate degrees), and a broad curriculum in subjects such as Computing, Law and Theatre, Film and TV Studies are all areas which have great potential to be developed internationally.”
“In addition, and as an English as a Foreign Language specialist, the work of the University’s Language and Learning Centre with its British Council accredited English language courses will be of interest to international students, providing pathways and progression routes to full degrees at undergraduate and postgraduate level.”