Information for new starters

Advancement is responsible for securing support for Imperial through building and managing strong, mutually beneficial relationships with alumni and friends.

Imperial has more than 185k alumni, forming an international community of outstanding scientists, engineers, medical professionals and business leaders. A key objective of the Division is to build a more vibrant, engaged alumni community that is motivated to contribute to and participate in Imperial’s continuing success.

The team raises funds for scholarships, academic positions, research centres and capital projects, securing private financial support from those committed to our academic mission and building Imperial’s global reputation.

The Division comprises seven areas: Principal Gifts, Development, Global Development, Alumni Relations, Presidential and Institutional Events, Advancement Operations and Administration, and Prospect Development.

The team can provide advice and support with alumni relations and fundraising activities across Imperial.

Imperial boasts an arts scene befitting its status as one of the world's leading universities. Whether you're a performer, an audience member, an artist or an observer, there's something for you. You can join many orchestras, choirs, societies, and groups to make the most of your time at Imperial as a student or staff member.

Frequent art exhibitions and workshops take place, and there is also a fantastic lunchtime concert series featuring some of the world's finest soloists and ensembles.

The Blyth Centre has a suite of music practice rooms available for use, as well as in-house and visiting artist exhibitions in the Blyth Gallery. Certain facilities are available for external hire.

Find out more: imperial.ac.uk/arts  

At the Business School, our world-leading research informs our Postgraduate and Executive Education programmes. Governments, policymakers, and global business leaders seek it out, and they often partner with us on research projects.
We attract brilliant minds and provide the environment to foster innovative and entrepreneurial thinking, resulting in ground-breaking ideas that unlock business opportunities. We offer a range of part-time and online Masters and MBA programmes that Imperial staff may be interested in.

Contact us: bs.recruitment@imperial.ac.uk
Find out more: www.imperial.ac.uk/business-school

Campus Services, comprising Accommodation Services, Catering and Conferencing, Sport Imperial, and the Student Hub, aims to enhance the experience of staff, students, and visitors at Imperial by providing non-academic facilities and services such as catering outlets, meeting rooms, and sports facilities. 
Please find out more: imperial.ac.uk/campusservices

Student Hub

The Student Hub is where all the key student support departments are brought together so that students can get answers to their most frequent questions in one place.  We can answer queries in the following areas:

• Accommodation
• Finance and tuition fees
• Exams
• Student funding and bursaries
• Student records
• Admissions
• International Student Support and UROP
• Welfare

In addition, the Student Hub provides an email query response service, and if a student needs specialist advice, we ensure that their query is signposted to the correct area.

Contact us: student.hub@imperial.ac.uk
Find out more: imperial.ac.uk/studenthub

The Careers Service provides varied and comprehensive career guidance, information, and vacancy services for all Imperial students and alumni, from first to final-year undergraduates and postgraduates. We are located on level 5 of the Sherfield Building.

Find out more: imperial.ac.uk/careers

The Central Secretariat's role is to monitor and keep under review Imperial's governance (the way Imperial is organised and operates) to ensure that Imperial complies with its legal obligations, that Imperial's governance is aligned with best practice in the sector and that Imperial optimises its effectiveness in achieving its mission.

Find out more: imperial.ac.uk/secretariat

Imperial Archives & Corporate Records Unit

The Archives and Corporate Records Unit (ACRU) is responsible for Imperial Records, from current to non-current. A Records Management System has been implemented across Imperial by ACRU to comply with Freedom of Information and Data Protection legislation.

E-learning courses are available on this site for Records Management and  Freedom of Information and Data Protection.
Guidance is also available on The ReMAS (Records Management and Archive Storage) web pages.

For information about how records keeping, file management, and archives apply to you and your department/division, or if you wish to request tailored training, please contact acru@imperial.ac.uk  
For specific enquiries regarding the Freedom of Information and Data Protection Acts, contact foi@imperial.ac.uk

Legal Services

The Legal Services Office provides practical legal advice regarding Imperial's day-to-day activities, intended to enable Imperial Officers to make informed decisions on behalf of Imperial. We also process freedom of information requests and requests for personal data.
Find out more: imperial.ac.uk/legalservicesoffice    

The Centre for Languages, Culture and Communications offers the following:

• Imperial Horizons programme, for all first, second and third/fourth year Imperial undergraduates
• Evening classes in languages and other subjects (open to all)
• Language pairs scheme for conversation practice
• Language laboratory for self-study in 35 different languages
• Postgraduate programme in Science Communication

Find out more: imperial.ac.uk/humanities

Imperial's Centre for Continuing Professional Development, part of the School of Professional Development, synergises the commercial, outward-facing skills of Professional Development.

The team provides a focus for Imperial in addressing the educational needs of professionals in the most recent research. It offers a complete range of services to support academics in developing post-experience short courses for industries.

These include marketing, financial administration, management and the development of short courses, conferences and seminars in collaboration with departments, business and industry.

Contact us: cpd@imperial.ac.uk / +44 (0)20 7594 6881
Find out more: imperial.ac.uk/cpd

The Chaplaincy offers faith-based support to staff and students from any religious or philosophical worldview. We offer space for confidential reflection on any issue – including work concerns, illness, bereavement, career/vocation, mental health and spirituality/faith.  

We have a Meditation and Prayer Room that groups and individuals from various faiths use, as well as those seeking a quiet place during a busy working day.

We host weekly meditation sessions at lunchtime (Mindfulness, Buddhist, and Christian) and Christian services, like Mass, Communion, and Evensong.
We can also put you in contact with our Muslim, Jewish and Hindu Chaplains and help search for places of worship.

Contact us: Chaplaincy Multi-Faith Centre, 10 Princes Gardens, South Kensington, tel: +44 (0)20 7594 9600
Find out more: imperial.ac.uk/chaplaincy

Communications and Public Affairs is a central division reporting to the President. We are responsible for external relations and supporting systematic stakeholder engagement activities. Our objectives are:

• To ensure that Imperial’s mission, vision, and aims are known and understood by its stakeholders and engage a range of audiences in the work of Imperial.
• To build, position, and maintain Imperial’s brand, image, and reputation.
• To manage directly or support the management of relationships with stakeholders. 

The division comprises the following sections: Communications, Digital and Creative Media, Research Communications, Public Affairs, and the Vice-President’s Office.

Find out more: imperial.ac.uk/communications

The EDU aims to encourage high-quality educational activity across Imperial by training and supporting those involved in teaching Imperial students. We offer a vast provision that provides a needs-based and timely approach to the educational development of all who teach Imperial students.

Our provision includes stand-alone workshops covering various aspects of learning and teaching, events for Imperial's education community and a range of taught programmes up to master's level.

Find out more: imperial.ac.uk/staff/educational-development/

At Imperial, Enterprise is in our DNA. In Enterprise, we bring businesses, researchers, and students together in a flourishing entrepreneurial ecosystem, which you can join.

For enterprising staff looking to make a real-world impact, Enterprise is your key partner at Imperial - whether you're launching a startup or collaborative research project, commercialising the results of your research, or engaging in consultancy opportunities.

We also support your department's enterprising students and postgrads, who can access our entrepreneurship training programmes, accelerators, and on-site resources to become part of the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs.

We have developed significant and long-standing links across industry sectors with companies large, small and international, that seek to access the talent and expertise of our academic community, as well as our high-tech resources and spaces across our campuses, working in partnership to help bring solutions to a range of complex industry and real-world problems.

Find out more about all of these activities and about how Enterprise can help you and your students at imperial.ac.uk/enterprise

We aim to provide good quality, sustainable environments where teaching and research can thrive.
We are responsible for managing Imperial’s land and buildings and delivering services, including management of major maintenance, responsive maintenance, cleaning, and security.
Imperial estate is vast and energy-intensive, so we take our environmental responsibility seriously. Our mission is to provide quality environments in an efficient and sustainable way.

 Find out more: imperial.ac.uk/estatesfacilities

Estates Operations Customer Service Centre

We provide a central point of contact for all Imperial members regarding the wide range of Estates Facilities services, not just repairs and maintenance. 

Email: eo.csc@imperial.ac.uk 
Urgent requests: Telephone extension x48000

Building Managers

Every building has a Building Manager and Assistant Building Manager with extensive knowledge of the buildings and their occupying Departments. They are the ideal contacts for building-related enquiries and issues.
Find out who your Building Manager is and contact them.

Energy & Environment / Sustainability

As a scientific institution that undertakes energy-intensive research, Imperial London recognises the effect that its operations and activities have on the environment.
Imperial is responsible for limiting these effects to safeguard the environment for future generations, and you can find details of our activities in response on our website.

Find out more: http://www.imperial.ac.uk/estates-facilities/buildings/services/waste-disposal/

Waste and Recycling

At Imperial Insights, we will promote the Waste Directory and raise awareness of our waste and recycling initiatives. We aim to encourage attendees to become involved and emphasise the importance of reducing waste, reusing, and recycling. The waste directory explains the services available and the obligations for disposing of waste.

Please find out more: imperial.ac.uk/wasteandrecycling

Security

Our mission is to maintain safe and secure campuses by providing a quality Security service in partnership with the Imperial community.
You will hear a summary of the duties of the Security Team and be given information and advice on how to stay safe whilst at Imperial.

Find out more: imperial.ac.uk/estatesfacilities/services/security

Fire Safety

The mission of the Imperial Fire Office is to promote fire safety awareness, prevent fires from occurring and protect all persons on Imperial premises.

Priorities include fire risk assessments, maintaining appropriate control measures and ensuring that all buildings comply with statutory requirements. Fire awareness instruction and training are also provided.

Find out more: imperial.ac.uk/estatesfacilities/services/fire

Finance Training offers four scheduled classroom training sessions regularly:

• Finance Queries
• Introduction to Purchasing
• Purchasing Encumbrances (subject to departmental approval)
• Online Journals

In addition, we also offer Introduction to Imperial Finance, which runs once termly in a lecture theatre.

The Finance Training material is also available online for self-serve purposes. Please refer to the Finance Knowledge Bank for further details [requires Imperial login]

Find out more: www.imperial.ac.uk/finance/financial-services/training/

The Graduate Schools provide transferable skills training for postgraduate students, which is an essential part of their degree. We are also responsible for the quality assurance of all masters and research programmes.

Contact us: graduate.schools@imperial.ac.uk

Find out more: imperial.ac.uk/graduateschools

Imperial provides a wide range of support to all staff to inspire health and wellbeing amongst everyone at Imperial.
From mental health provision, resilience and stress management training and advice, physical wellbeing classes, and more.
By supporting national schemes such as National Stress Awareness Day and Mental Health Awareness Week, we promote our in-house provision with an eventful programme of activities and workshops.
You can find out what’s on offer throughout the year on our web pages: http://www.imperial.ac.uk/health-and-wellbeing/

We aim to ensure Imperial gets the best possible return from its most valuable investment - its staff. We do this by supporting departments in all aspects of their staff management function (including recruitment and retention, performance, motivation, reward, restructuring, and health and safety).
Contact us

Pensions

The Pensions Office provides a service for all Imperial staff members of the NHS, SAUL and USS Pension Schemes.
Contact us 

ICT provides a range of IT services to support teaching, administration, and research within Imperial. These include ICT collaboration tools, email, file, and backup services, e-learning, high-performance computing, Imperial management information systems, IT security, and Imperial telephone services.

The IT Service Desk provides the first point of contact for all IT-related problems, requests and queries.

• Contact us
• Find out more  

Imperial College Union is responsible for the support and representation of all students at Imperial.

The Union maintains Clubs, Societies and Networks for Students and on-campus facilities like the ICU shop.

• Find out more

Imperial Consultants (ICON) is the UK’s leading and largest university-owned consultancy company. We provide commercial expertise and consultancy-related support to Imperial researchers wanting to demonstrate the impact of their research in the real world and generate extra income through consulting engagements.

Contact us: consultants@imperial.ac.uk

Find out more: imperial-consultants.co.uk  

The International Relations Office is responsible for:

• international partnerships and relationship management (e.g. with governments and funders)
• management of institutional incoming and outgoing visits
• internal coordination on international issues, supporting senior management, faculties, and departments in realising their international goals
• monitoring and analysis of major developments in international higher education
• advising on international opportunities for staff
• advising on international Memoranda of Understanding
• development and delivery of international student programmes such as summer schools and research placements
• management of scholarships for international students

Find out more: imperial.ac.uk/international

International Student Support

The International Student Support team provides specialist immigration advice to prospective and current Imperial students, with particular expertise in Tier 4 Student Visas, Student Visitor Visas and options to remain in the UK to work after study.

This team also contributes to Imperial Welcome, running orientation workshops and events for new international students and other support activities throughout the year to enhance the international student experience.

Find out more: imperial.ac.uk/international

The Library at Imperial supports students' and staff members' research, teaching, and learning needs.

It offers a wide range of services, such as access to online resources, including journals, books, and databases, advanced information skills teaching and advice, and teams providing support for open-access publishing and advice on research data management.

All departments have a subject librarian who can provide 1:1 advice and group teaching and training sessions, depending on your needs.

Contact us: library@imperial.ac.uk   

Find out more: imperial.ac.uk/library 

The Occupational Health Service provides a range of services to protect health at work, assess and advise on fitness for work, and ensure that health issues are effectively managed. However, we are not equipped to treat health problems.

Contact us: occhealth@imperial.ac.uk / +44 (0)207 594 9401

Imperial is recognised worldwide for being at the forefront of education and research, and at the foundations of our academic excellence, our professional staff play an essential role.

With this in mind, the Provost’s Board and Council agreed that Imperial should urgently address the goal of achieving excellence in our academic support operations. 

We are working to achieve our goal of excellence in academic support operations, reducing duplicated effort and tackling inefficient processes to deliver excellent, more effective services.

Our objectives are to:

• Support the delivery of organisational change across Imperial.
• Develop Operational Improvement capability within our Support Services, providing staff with the skills and tools to implement service improvements.
• Support the development of a culture of continuous improvement across Imperial.
• Contact us: improvement@imperial.ac.uk

Find out more 

The PA & Administrator Network offers development, support and networking opportunities for all staff who perform a PA or administrative function as part of their role. Job titles may vary from Executive Assistant (EA) and Personal Assistant (PA) to Office Manager or Administrator, amongst others!

These staff members perform vital roles within Imperial and can experience isolation within their local work environment.

The networking group aims to rectify this by providing access to tailored development opportunities and sharing experiences with like-minded colleagues.

Imperial’s Research Office provides a central portal for support, information and guidance for our external research funders and internal research and support service communities. We exist to provide expert advice and services in support of Imperial’s externally funded research portfolio. Our primary purpose is to champion professional standards and consistency in research administration across Imperial to ensure that institutional governance responsibilities and obligations are met. We add value as a support service by providing specialist advice, developing systems and training, and developing targeted information and governance policies.

The Research Office is managed through the following seven functional areas:

• Operational Support
• Funding Strategy
• Research Systems and Information
• Europe
• Research Contracts
• Intellectual Property
• Ethics & Integrity

Research support is provided by Research Services teams in the Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Imperial Business School and by the Joint Research Office within the Faculty of Medicine. These teams provide local operational support to academic departments. Organisationally, they sit within and report to each Faculty. 

Imperial strives for excellence in everything it does. Risk Management and Business Continuity planning are essential to supporting this goal.

Risk Management provides a simple mechanism to maximise our opportunities and minimise threats. This is implicit in any management process. Empirical, our in-house management tool, recognises this to allow normal management processes to inform the risk management function.

Find out more:
http://www.imperial.ac.uk/admin-services/risk-management-and-business-continuity/
http://www.imperial.ac.uk/admin-services/risk-management-and-business-continuity/risk-management/

Business Continuity

We all hope that no major incident will occur to disrupt our activity at Imperial. However, some incidents are inevitable, given the breadth and diversity of activity. Business continuity adds resilience to our activities and provides a mechanism for managing the worst of events should they occur.

Find out more: http://www.imperial.ac.uk/admin-services/risk-management-and-business-continuity/business-continuity/ 

The role of the Safety Department is to ensure that:

• You understand your Health and Safety responsibilities
• A safe working environment is provided for all staff, students and visitors
• All Imperial activities are undertaken in a safe manner
• Imperial complies with relevant legislation

Contact us: safetydept@imperial.ac.uk / +44 (0)20 7594 9423

Find out more: imperial.ac.uk/safety / @ICLSafety

Imperial benefits from a Santander branch in the Sherfield Building on the South Kensington campus.

Santander Universities has been partnering with Imperial since we signed the first agreement in 2009. Since then, it has played a vital role in looking after new and existing staff and students at Imperial and engaging in activities around campus and the local community.

The facilities and services available at this branch include: 

• Transactional banking - transfers/cash transactions/cheque deposits/ATM 
• New account openings - student accounts and staff products 
• Savings and banking reviews available to all customers on request 
• Exclusive offers for limited periods - As a university branch, we occasionally have offers for staff that would not be available in local retail branches.

​For more information or to make an appointment, please visit the branch at your convenience.
For more information on Santander Universities, please visit our website 

Student Recruitment and Outreach brings together outreach, international student recruitment, UK student recruitment and student recruitment marketing.

The division carries out recruitment, outreach, and marketing activities to enable Imperial to attract and admit the most talented students from diverse backgrounds and countries.

The division also works with departments across Imperial to support and share best practice in student recruitment strategy and practice.

Student Counselling offers short-term counselling to all registered students. It is free and confidential and provides students with a space to talk about any personal issue that might be troubling them.

Counsellors are available at the South Kensington, Hammersmith and Silwood Park Campuses, and students need to self-refer to make an appointment. Mental Health Advice is available for students with enduring mental health difficulties through staff referral.

You can find further information at http://www.imperial.ac.uk/counselling/

UNISON

UNISON is the trade union for all professional and operational services staff at Imperial—namely all Professional levels, library, security, receptionists, catering, and cleaners. Unison deals with workplace issues, giving professional advice and support. Locally, Unison negotiates annual pay and terms and conditions at work, provides representation in grievance and disciplinary cases, and fights unfair dismissals. Moreover, Unison provides support to defend rights and jobs and helps with compensation for accidents at work.
Find out more 

UCU

The UCU is the largest trade union and professional association for academics, lecturers, trainers, researchers and all academic-related staff working in further and higher education throughout the UK. The  UCU Imperial Branch negotiates wages for all academic and academic-related workers at Imperial. We also assist our members when difficulties arise over contracts and disputes; we listen to our members' issues and concerns and offer support. We can sit in on any meeting a member has with management and call on UCU's regional staff and legal advisors when necessary. We have the support of experienced regional and national full-time officers to advise and assist with legal support if required.

Contact us: ucu-office@imperial.ac.uk / +44 (0)20 759 43815
Find out more

Unite

Unite is Britain's biggest union, with members working in the public and private sectors and those employed by universities, NHS, non-profit organisations, IT companies, and the service sector.
At Imperial, Unite represents technical, professional, and support service staff as well as biomedical and nursing staff on our medical sites.
Unite negotiates with Imperial to improve pay, terms and conditions and ensure fair and equal treatment for staff.
We provide representation and advice to our members during disciplinary or grievance procedures.

Find out more

Other Unions

Imperial has three unions: UCU, UNITE, and Unison, which make up the Imperial Joint Trade Unions (JTU). JTU negotiates with Imperial over salaries and working conditions. For more information on the other unions, please see the JTU website.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Centre

The primary purpose of the Centre is to promote and embed all aspects of equality across Imperial. We advise and influence best practice in Imperial, specifically ensuring compliance with the Equality Act 2010. We offer a range of training courses and targeted development programmes and manage Imperial's Harassment Support Contacts scheme. We endeavour to mainstream equality awareness through a calendar of events in partnership with Imperial's staff diversity networks and committees. We strongly encourage interested members of staff to join the networks Able@Imperial (disability), Imperial600 (LGBT), and Imperial as One (BAME).

Find out more: imperial.ac.uk/equality  

People and Organisational Development

The People and Organisational Development Centre (POD) promotes and delivers opportunities for staff, individually and collectively, to grow and improve a full range of workplace skills and abilities. We host a wide range of developmental workshops and operate as consultants to ensure that, where required, we offer a tailored service to teams, departments, and faculties.

Our website provides a comprehensive guide to the POD's offerings and links to other parts of Imperial that collaborate with us and augment our provision.

Safety Training Programme

The Learning and Development Centre also provides a comprehensive safety training programme available to all staff and postgraduate students, mostly free of charge. Health and safety legislation requires employers to provide adequate health and safety training. However, safety training also enables staff to acquire skills and knowledge that, with experience, make them safe and competent in their work.

The PA & Administrator Network

If you are a personal assistant, executive assistant, or administrator, the PAAN is your professional network at Imperial. Our exclusive group includes over 200 staff members. The PA & Administrator Network Committee organises regular meetings, training, and events that are open to all members. These offer networking opportunities and informative presentations. There are also social activities and evening events.

To become a member and to join the mailing group, please contact us:

pa-admin-network-committee@imperial.ac.uk

Find out more

We also invite you to apply for a 'Buddy' as part of the PA and Administrator Buddy Scheme, which is available to all new staff in PA and Administrative roles. The Buddy Scheme is supported by volunteers who offer an informal point of contact and a 'friendly face' for new starters. For further information, or to apply for a Buddy, please visit the website (link above), or contact the PA Buddy Scheme Operations group: paan-buddyscheme@imperial.ac.uk.

Postdoc and Fellows Development Centre

The Postdoc and Fellows Development Centre (PFDC) offers an extensive programme of professional skills and career development training, support, and opportunities. It enables postdocs, fellows, and clinicians to succeed in their current positions while planning their next step.

The PFDC provides support through:

• Courses and workshops
• Individual support – one-to-one support and mock interviews
• Working with departments – including the Postdoc Reps Network and Postdoc and Fellows Champions
• Support and development for fellowship applicants
• Resources specifically for fellows and clinicians

Key areas of focus include:

• Planning to succeed
• CVs, applications and interviews
• Enterprise and entrepreneurship
• Influence and impact
• Professional development
• Personal development and wellbeing
• Writing for publication

As a postdoc or fellow at Imperial, your contract includes 10 development days per year. The PFDC services are one useful way to use these days.

To find out more about the PFDC, please visit the Centre's website, follow updates on Twitter or email a member of the team at pfdc-support@imperial.ac.uk

The Vice-Provost (Research) Office is part of Imperial’s headquarters.
Working outside of, but closely with the Faculties, the Office is responsible for setting overall Imperial research strategy and monitoring its implementation; managing research proposal submissions at an institutional level as required;  managing several internal funding schemes;  promoting and supporting research integrity; maintaining an overview of Imperial-wide research impact and outputs and promoting these; developing and fostering key stakeholder relationships to enhance the reputation and funding of Imperial.

Objectives:

• To provide a cross-university view of and for research that influences Imperial when making strategic decisions and is helpful to researchers for sharing best practice and identifying new opportunities.
• To champion Imperial’s research excellence and its impact.
• To support researchers across the breadth of Imperial in their pursuit of excellent research and training.
• To support Imperial’s Provost Board in identifying, implementing and reviewing Imperial’s research strategy.

Find out more 

• Staff Homepage - imperial.ac.uk/staff
• Helpful information for new staff - imperial.ac.uk/newstaff
• Health and Safety (Sherfield, Level 4) - imperial.ac.uk/safety
• Ethos Sports Centre (Prince’s Gardens) - imperial.ac.uk/sports
• Dentist - Prince’s Gardens (Watts Way) - imperial.ac.uk/students/welfareandadvice/dentist
• Emergency Medical Centre (40 Prince’s Gardens) - imperialcollegehealthcentre.co.uk
• Early Years Education Centre (Prince’s Gardens) - imperial.ac.uk/eyec/staff
• Volunteering (Sherfield, Level 3) - imperial.ac.uk/volunteering
• Maps of all other Campuses - imperial.ac.uk/campusinfo