Working in Higher Education
A global sector with a huge range of opportunities
With over 300,000 people working in more than 170 higher education institutions across the UK alone, there are a huge and exciting range of opportunities. As the environment around us changes, Higher Education is becoming increasingly competitive and fast-moving, making it an exciting and dynamic sector in which to work.
The higher education sector
Part of the excitement of working in Higher Education is interacting daily with highly intelligent people, contributing to the education of future generations and engaging with cutting edge research. Universities are large and complex organisations and, working alongside academics, the most successful Universities need strong Professional Services - talented people working in all sorts of diverse and challenging roles.
The University of Birmingham
Our heritage as the UK’s first civic university – the original ‘redbrick’ – is combined with one of the most compelling and ambitious agendas in Higher Education. Birmingham is a leading member of the Russell Group and a founder member of the Universitas 21 global network of research universities. The University is the Times and Sunday Times University of the Year for Graduate Employment 2015/16, an impressive accolade coming just two years after being named The Times and Sunday Times University of the Year.
Being part of an academic, campus-based community is central to the attraction of working for the University of Birmingham, enabling shared learning, formal and informal interaction, social opportunities, creativity, and collaboration within and across disciplines and roles. These qualities contribute to a vibrant culture for research and education, stimulating interdisciplinary thinking, and supporting collaboration within the University and beyond.
Professional Services at the University of Birmingham
The University’s Professional Services consists of around 5000 people working across ten central areas: Academic Services, Development and Alumni Relations, Estates, External Relations, Finance, Hospitality and Accommodation Services, HR, IT Services, Legal Services and Executive Office, as well as in the University’s five academic Colleges. They are led by the Registrar - the University’s Chief Operating Officer - who is supported by the Registrar’s Leadership Group.
As a community of over 145 nationalities, the University is committed to equality and diversity and holds an Athena Swan Bronze Award. Our sector-leading Birmingham Professional Programme provides everyone in Professional Services with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full potential.