Concord College has recently welcomed Julie Kaul as its new Summer School Director.
Julie joins the Concord Summer School team direct from The University of Birmingham where, for the last 7 years, she managed its International Summer School for undergraduate students.
After graduating with a degree in History from the University of Manchester, Julie joined the University of Birmingham, where she discovered an interest in working in the education sector.
“I found I really enjoyed working with the students. The institution also focused on giving the best student experience which resonated with me and was a big draw.
Her roles expanded into International Recruitment and International Development and Partnerships. She’s delivered University based Summer Schools for over ten years, having first developed short-term summer programmes in 2011 for Aston University.
Working in a Summer School demands a special set of skills, with the focus on delivering an extremely varied and engaging curriculum within a relatively short space of time.
Julie sums it up nicely; “Summer School staff need to be operationally confident and able to handle complex logistics as well as being adaptable and flexible. It’s also really important to believe in your course and what you are representing.”
Working in rural Shropshire is very different to being in a bustling city, but Julie is not fazed by the change of scene.
“Concord is a new location for me, and the age groups are younger, but students are still at the heart of everything. I joined just before Concord’s July Summer School started and I received such a warm, and friendly welcome from everyone!”
Summer School at Concord has been established for many years and the short-course sector has been growing.
“I’m really pleased to be part of the team here to help shape and grow Concord College Summer School, seeing even more students benefit from a fantastic range of subjects and activities and make friends for life.
“It’s important to me to ensure that Summer School maintains the special Concord feel and core values and I’m already looking forward to summer 2023.”
