Professional Services team

Find out more about the Professional Services team of UCAE.

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  Rachael Fairburn - IELTS Officer

  Rachael completed her undergraduate degree in French and German at The University of Salford, followed by a PGCE from The University of Cumbria.

  Rachael is responsible for providing customer service and general advice to prospective test takers, as well as completing pre- and post-test administrative tasks and ensuring smooth test day operation.

  Having gained experience in a variety of roles, including sales, customer service, technical support and PA to restaurant directors, Rachael has found her place within Professional Services at The University of Manchester. Initially joining UCAE on an agency contract, Rachael became a substantive staff member after one year and is looking forward to a long tenure with the university.

  Rachael has a passion for languages and enjoys learning about different cultures both in and out of work.

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  Angie Farrand - UCAE Resources Coordinator

  Angela is an English and Politics graduate and has worked in various roles in the FE and HE sectors for over 35 years.

  As Resources Co-ordinator, Angela is primarily responsible for the Open Learning Centre for Languages & Academic English (OLCLAE), working to provide a welcoming and adaptable environment across its reception, multimedia areas and libraries; and ensuring that staff and students have access to the equipment and library resources they need to support their teaching and learning.

  Angela's remit extends to many languages beyond English, and her interest in film (and in particular the role it can play in language learning) has done much to influence her curation of the Open Learning Centre library's extensive and ever-expanding international cinema collection.

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  Cynthia Fernandes - Student Fees Officer

  Cynthia has a Bachelor of Commerce degree. Her experience in UCAE lies in processing applications for in-house courses and provides information and guidance to prospective students and stakeholders. She supports student admissions processes and ensures that applicants have a positive experience and introduction to the University.

  Cynthia is passionate about guiding prospective students through the application process.

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  Ali Jones - Programme Support Officer (Pre-sessional Courses)

  Ali has a BA in the History of Art and Design from The University of Staffordshire and later completed courses in Film and Digital Media at the WFA in Manchester. She has worked in digital media in Secondary and Further Education, prior to working in Higher Education.

  Ali has worked at The University of Manchester since 2014 and joined the UCAE to support the Pre-sessional courses in 2021, bringing with her a broad experience of programme support for several programmes.

  Ali’s particular interests are in digital learning environments and internationalisation. She is passionate about developing easily navigable designs and layouts for learning materials and in cultivating a supportive learning environment for UCAE students.

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  Cole O'Connor - Programme Support Officer (Academic Success Programme)

  Cole completed her undergraduate degree in German at The University of Exeter, which included an Erasmus year studying Linguistics at The Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg in Germany.

  Prior to joining UCAE in October 2024, Cole worked in Digital Learning at The University of Exeter, assisting with the maintenance of their Virtual Learning Environment and redevelopment of course pages and resources to maximise accessibility, engagement, and student experience.

  In her current role, Cole is responsible for all administrative tasks which enable the smooth running of all Academic Success Programme courses, including data analysis to inform the continuous improvement and development of the ASP offering. In addition to this, Cole provides support in the planning and implementation of timetabling for all programmes and courses within the Centre.

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  Karan O'Hagan - Programme Support Officer (English Language and CertPT)

  Karan has an undergraduate degree in History from the Open University which she completed in 2014.  Outside of UCAE, she is an IELTS Invigilator for the British Council.

  Karan joined the Centre in 2011, but previously worked in the Radiology Department in the Stopford Medical School where she was the Administrator for the Manchester Radiology Training Scheme. 

  Karan’s role involves setting up class documents, monitoring attendance, updating handbooks, uploading student materials to the University’s central learning environment and booking teaching rooms.  She supports the Course Co-ordinators  to ensure a positive experience for our students.  

  Outside of UCAE, Karan is an IELTS Invigilator for the British Council.

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  Zoe Papageorgiou - UCAE Marketing and Recruitment Coordinator

  Zoe completed her undergraduate degree in Modern Greek Studies at The University of Birmingham, which included an Erasmus year in Athens.

  Zoe’s experience lies in international student recruitment and relationship management. Before joining the University Centre for Academic English, she worked in international student recruitment and managed recruitment Agent and sponsor networks.

  Zoe’s interests lie in internationalisation, social responsibility and community engagement and the student experience.

  Zoe is a member of the University’s General Assembly and also sits on the Faculty’s wellbeing working group.

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  Francesca Pickard - UCAE Student Support and Experience Coordinator

  Francesca completed her undergraduate degree in History at Manchester Metropolitan University.

  Francesca’s experience is within student support in higher education. Before joining the University Centre for Academic English, Francesca worked at The University of Huddersfield for 5 years, most recently as a Student Support and Guidance Officer in the Business school and in another student experience role. In this role, Francesca became a Mental Health First Aider with MHFA England and has attended many courses. 

  Francesca is a also a staff wellbeing champion at the University and is passionate about student wellbeing, disability support, mental health and the student experience. Francesca also has a TEFL certificate and is planning to gain a counselling skills qualification outside of work.

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  Roberta Rye - IELTS Centre Manager

  Roberta has a master's degree in Pharmacy from Aston University. After completing pre-registration training in Sheffield, she worked as a pharmacist before moving into managerial positions within the NHS, secondary education and the retail sector.

  Roberta joined The University of Manchester as an IELTS Officer in July 2022 providing administrative support to the IELTS test centre. She is currently acting as the IELTS Manager role and is responsible for the operational needs of the test centre, ensuring successful test day delivery and providing strategic future planning for the centre.

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  Ghada Soliman - IELTS Officer

  I have worked at the University Centre for Academic English since 2016 as an IELTS Officer. My main duties include organising pre-and post-test documentation; liaising with examiners, invigilators and markers; and overseeing test days as required. Prior to my current role, I worked as a teaching assistant at Alliance Manchester Business School.

  Outside of work, I enjoy cooking, reading and travelling.