WHAT THE HEC'S GOING ON AT HARPER?

Posted 14 April 2004

Higher Education Choices (HEC) Helps Students Choose

Universities and colleges from across the UK will be joining business and industry chiefs to help students enjoy a taste of higher education. They will be attending the Higher Education Choices (HEC) conference for students at Harper Adams University College, Shropshire, this summer.

The residential two-day conference is open to students aged 16 to 19, and this year’s event will take place on July 12 and 13. There are 300 places to be allocated but as students come from as far away as Cornwall and the Orkney Islands early applications are recommended.

So what can students expect from HEC? On the first day of the conference they will get the chance to meet a wide range of advisers such as The National Farmers Union, The National Federation of Young Farmers Clubs, The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, LANTRA and JCB. There will be representatives from universities including Nottingham, Liverpool, Reading, and Bangor, and specialist colleges such as Warwickshire College, Reaseheath, Bishop Burton and Writtle.

The two-day event kicks off with an opportunity to visit careers stands and talk to the many advisers present: a great way to network and gather information. On the first afternoon there will be chance to attend seminars, each geared towards a particular subject area, from Veterinary Science to Equine Studies, Animal Health to Land Estate Management, and Agriculture to Off Road Vehicle Design. Students can attend three seminars, from a range of more than 20, each of which will provide information and advice on courses and careers in that subject area.

Overnight accommodation is provided in Harper Adams’ own Halls of Residence and this will give youngsters their first real taste of what university life will be like. A programme of games and competitions will be hosted in the Students’ Union, then – if they have any energy left – there’s time to party the night away.

The second day continues the theme, offering a further taste of university life with a choice of subject-based activities. These activities offer real hands-on opportunities so that students can find out what Higher Education is all about.

The benefits of experiencing university life before finally deciding where to go and what to do, and the importance of making sure students have all the facts before deciding what direction to take their career in, should not be under-estimated. Best of all, the experience will not make too large a dent in pockets, either. The conference fee, which includes all meals, accommodation, entertainment and a conference pack stuffed full of freebies (including the exclusive Question Mark t-shirt) is just £25. When two people apply together, the total fee is just £35. You can’t get better value than that!

For further information and an application pack, please ring +44(0)1952 815265, Email sbishop@harper-adams.ac.uk or log on to the Website; www.thequestionmark.co.uk

Students from Scotland and South West England should also request a booking form for a place on the free coach, which will provide transport to and from the conference.