Alumni

Our alumni have gone on to a range of publishing and publishing-related careers in the commercial and not-for-profit sectors. Read more about some of our alumni below. If you are one of our alumni, and would like to tell us what you're doing now, please get in touch using the details on our Contact page.


Christoph Chesher, MPhil in Publishing Studies, 1983-4

April 18th, 2011 by cs48@stir.ac.uk | Posted in Alumni | Comments Off on Christoph Chesher, MPhil in Publishing Studies, 1983-4
Tags: ,

The Publishing Studies course at Stirling University has now been established for well over 25 years. As one its earliest graduates I can vouch for the fact that it was of great assistance in illuminating all the myriad roles within publishing and demonstrating how they fit together. The course at Stirling will not only provide a background to the historical development of publishing as an international business, it will inform you about current practice and will also provide you within an insight to the debates and trends that will shape the industry’s future development.

Christoph is currently Group Sales Director of Taylor & Francis Group and President, Asia Region. He is also Honorary Professor of Publishing Studies at the University of Stirling, and Chair of our Industry Advisory Board.

Our alumni have gone on to a range of publishing and publishing-related careers in the commercial and not-for-profit sectors. Read more about some of our alumni below. If you are one of our alumni, and would like to tell us what you're doing now, please get in touch using the details on our Contact page.


Siobhan Greaney, MLitt in Publishing Studies, 2008-9

April 18th, 2011 by cs48@stir.ac.uk | Posted in Alumni | Comments Off on Siobhan Greaney, MLitt in Publishing Studies, 2008-9
Tags:

Siobhan Greaney and current Stirling students at the London Book Fair

I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the Stirling International Centre for Publishing Studies. The MLitt was a great opportunity to meet like-minded people all working toward a career in publishing. We gained some of the experience and skills that would help us not just to get jobs but to do well in those jobs and progress in our careers. The course is a great combination of research, practical workshops and projects that explores every aspect of the publishing industry and develops the project management abilities that are an asset to any job in publishing for managing multiple titles, lists and contacts. Whether it was coming up with a marketing proposal, designing a layout or editing a colleague’s dissertation the staff were always full of good advice and tips. Both the group work and the individual research really helped me to get a clear picture of the industry as a whole and the areas I wanted to go into.

Siobhán is currently Production Editor for Technical and Professional Books, Taylor and Francis (Routledge/Spon Press)

Our alumni have gone on to a range of publishing and publishing-related careers in the commercial and not-for-profit sectors. Read more about some of our alumni below. If you are one of our alumni, and would like to tell us what you're doing now, please get in touch using the details on our Contact page.


Lucy Ren, MSc in International Publishing Management, 2010

April 17th, 2011 by cs48@stir.ac.uk | Posted in Alumni | Comments Off on Lucy Ren, MSc in International Publishing Management, 2010
Tags:

I had been working in publishing area over 7 years before I came to University of Stirling.

When I arrived I realized how wise I made my decision to study here. It is such a large campus with wonderful scenery, also with brand-new study facilities and professional and kind tutors. The most obvious difference between Chinese education and British education is I only have 10 classmates in my MSc class while it would be over 100 in Chinese universities. The tutors knew every students’ name and cared about us in each class, they explained everything we didn’t understand with huge patience. It’s my fortune to have learnt the modes of thinking more than the result of answering; the disciplines of market more than the statistics of profit; the methods of development more than the compulsion of management.

The other significant characteristic of the MSc studying which impressed me is its utility. All the case studies all based on real models especially the final dissertation. I researched my own publishing company, discussed all its advantages and weakness and focused on marketing. I gave lots of recommendations to the marketing department and showed all these to my boss. He thought my advice about the budget and marketing research was good and added them to the companies’ strategies. It’s so encouraging that my dissertation could be identified by some of my collegues and really helped the development of my company.

My mum passed away at my summer vacation, I wish she could see me getting a distinction of my dissertation and be proud of me. I so appreciate my tutors who gave me care and encouragement to help me finish my study. They have taught me much, not only of my specialist courses but also of my lifestyle. I hope more and more students could have the luck like me, learn and grow a lot from these great tutors and enjoy their life in the publishing department at the University of Stirling.

Our alumni have gone on to a range of publishing and publishing-related careers in the commercial and not-for-profit sectors. Read more about some of our alumni below. If you are one of our alumni, and would like to tell us what you're doing now, please get in touch using the details on our Contact page.


Kelley Whalen, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2007-2008

April 17th, 2011 by cs48@stir.ac.uk | Posted in Alumni | Comments Off on Kelley Whalen, MLitt in Publishing Studies 2007-2008
Tags:

Attending Stirling was without a doubt the best decision I ever made! The MLitt in Publishing programme provided me with the design and marketing skills needed to pursue a career in graphic design and the professors provided invaluable insight into the publishing industry from their first hand experience.

One of the biggest highlights while at Stirling was the incredible friendships I formed with people from around the world. I am fortunate to count them as some of my closest friends, even though we live in various countries now!

Currently, I am accountable for the marketing and graphic design at a multi-speciality medical practice in Utah. I was instrumental in assisting the company to undergo a complete corporate rebranding and have been able to build the graphic design fundamentals from the ground up. If I could offer any advice, it would be to pursue something you are truly passionate about because life is too short to do something you don’t absolutely love!

Our alumni have gone on to a range of publishing and publishing-related careers in the commercial and not-for-profit sectors. Read more about some of our alumni below. If you are one of our alumni, and would like to tell us what you're doing now, please get in touch using the details on our Contact page.


Gao Hui (Caroline) MSc in International Publishing Management 2011

March 24th, 2011 by Frances_Sessford | Posted in Alumni | Comments Off on Gao Hui (Caroline) MSc in International Publishing Management 2011

My name is Gao Hui (Caroline), I graduated from the MSc in International Publishing Management subject in January 2011, and then came back to China to find a new job. When I started job hunting, I was full of power, and I could stay in front of my computer all day long, and send hundreds of CV to any publishing related company. I was excited at the very beginning, but after two weeks without receiving any interviews, I lost my confidence and decided to rewrite my CV and optimize it.

Then I got some job interviews, but no offer.

At the beginning of the fourth week of  job hunting, I start to visit some publishing companies with my CV, to introduce myself to the HR manager and some department managers. Finally, I got a position as a web editor in the digital publishing department of China Social Sciences Press.

The technological part of digital publishing is a brand new sector for me, but I’m very interested in digital publications, and also have passion for this rising area of the global publishing industry. Besides, I’ve learned a lot of cutting edge knowledge from the course at Stirling University. I will make effort in this career, and enjoy the happiness of this new adventure!

Our alumni have gone on to a range of publishing and publishing-related careers in the commercial and not-for-profit sectors. Read more about some of our alumni below. If you are one of our alumni, and would like to tell us what you're doing now, please get in touch using the details on our Contact page.


Martin Jack, MLitt in Publishing Studies, 2009

March 20th, 2011 by prm | Posted in Alumni | Comments Off on Martin Jack, MLitt in Publishing Studies, 2009

Graduating from Stirling with an MLitt in Publishing Studies gave me the tools necessary to enter the publishing sector with confidence and capitalise on what will be your crafted ability. Under the auspices of staff who know the market thoroughly and who inspire you to face challenges head on, a Stirling Publishing Studies graduate is sure to leave with the right mix of practice and theory, ready to forge a successful career in the creative industries. You’re also guaranteed to enjoy the majestic setting of Scotland’s ancient capital and will be enthused by the experiences and diversity of your peers.

Martin is currently Higher Education Texts and eBook Sales Manager, Taylor and Francis (Asia Pacific)

Our alumni have gone on to a range of publishing and publishing-related careers in the commercial and not-for-profit sectors. Read more about some of our alumni below. If you are one of our alumni, and would like to tell us what you're doing now, please get in touch using the details on our Contact page.


Elaina O’Neill, MLitt in Publishing Studies, 2009

March 20th, 2011 by prm | Posted in Alumni | Comments Off on Elaina O’Neill, MLitt in Publishing Studies, 2009

Studying at Stirling gave me a solid foundation in all the elements I needed to succeed in my first job at a small publishing house: editing, design, production, sales and marketing and an understanding of the publishing process as a whole. The business elements of the course are invaluable and the method of working in groups for extended periods of time allowed me and my colleagues to experience working as part of a publishing team before we started our careers. Students were encouraged to learn outside of the course through work placements, peer to peer learning and discussion of major industry news in order to engage with the real world of publishing as opposed to just studying it.

Elaina O’Neill is currently Managing Editor at Little Island

Our alumni have gone on to a range of publishing and publishing-related careers in the commercial and not-for-profit sectors. Read more about some of our alumni below. If you are one of our alumni, and would like to tell us what you're doing now, please get in touch using the details on our Contact page.


Susana Sanchez, MLitt in Publishing Studies, 2009

March 14th, 2011 by prm | Posted in Alumni | Comments Off on Susana Sanchez, MLitt in Publishing Studies, 2009

The MLitt course at Stirling was my first approach to the publishing industry. I come from a creative background in Graphic Design so what I learned from this course has been essential not only for the understanding of the trade but also for setting new career goals. I learned how an exciting industry it is and found many more areas I wanted to be involved in apart from the design field. I specially enjoyed the publishing project and saw my classmates’ excitement for the challenge too.

The course was designed as a practical approach where projects and examples were meant to reproduce what working in a publisher is, and debating problems they were facing at the time. It was like training for the job.

I am very pleased with what I learned and how I learned it, even if it took a lot of effort and research on my behalf to keep up with the level. After this experience and the knowledge I gathered, I am pursuing a PhD in digital content, an interest that started when working on my dissertation.

The University campus and city of Stirling are beautiful and the atmosphere is great, which does not hurt when studying for your masters degree.

Our alumni have gone on to a range of publishing and publishing-related careers in the commercial and not-for-profit sectors. Read more about some of our alumni below. If you are one of our alumni, and would like to tell us what you're doing now, please get in touch using the details on our Contact page.


Farrah Yijia Chen, MSc in International Publishing Management, 2007

March 13th, 2011 by prm | Posted in Alumni | Comments Off on Farrah Yijia Chen, MSc in International Publishing Management, 2007

I always remember the first day when I entered Stirling. “Although the degree you will get is called an MSc in International Publishing Management (IPM), not MBA, it’s actually very much like a MBA, because we are training you in management.”

And thanks to this intensive one year training by Stirling, with another year’s working experience via the IPM program, I co-founded a media company after going back to China. Soon after, we brought in the world’s first technology magazine – MITs Technology Review. Now I’m also working in the ecommerce business, serving as Operational Director for Xiu.com, the no.1 fashion ecommerce company in China. No matter whether dealing with traditional media like Newsweek and the New York Times, or with new media like social networking sites and Twitter, I always find the knowledge and thinking prompted by Stirling’s program is very helpful to me.

Stirling has not only taught me about publishing, media and communications, but more a whole new perspective of looking at the business world.

Our alumni have gone on to a range of publishing and publishing-related careers in the commercial and not-for-profit sectors. Read more about some of our alumni below. If you are one of our alumni, and would like to tell us what you're doing now, please get in touch using the details on our Contact page.


Daniel Chebutuk Rotich, MPhil in Publishing Studies, 1995

October 13th, 2010 by prm | Posted in Alumni | Comments Off on Daniel Chebutuk Rotich, MPhil in Publishing Studies, 1995

Prof Daniel Chebutuk Rotich, an alumni of University of Stirling, graduated in 1995 with Master of Philosophy in Publishing Studies. Currently an Associate Professor at Moi University, School of Information Sciences, Department of Publishing and Media Studies. After obtaining the master degree from Stirling, he went on to pursue a doctoral degree at Thames Valley University in London. The masters degree from the University of Stirling landed him at Moi University as a Tutorial Fellow in 1995 when there was a serious need for teaching staff at the Department of Publishing and Media Studies. The knowledge obtained from the University of Stirling was used in teaching and subsequent academic development at Moi University. The courses on contemporary publishing, marketing and printing were eye opening and exposure to practical aspects.

He has taught and supervised undergraduate and postgraduate students at the University. The masters degree obtained from the Centre of Publishing Studies, University of Stirling was of great importance to his academic development. On administrative front, he has been Head of Department of Publishing and Media Studies where he served for three years, from 2004 to 2007. He has been the Dean of the School of Information Sciences from 2007 to date.

His current research interest is scholarly and educational publishing in developing countries. He has written, published and presented a number of papers in these areas. He has also presented conference papers on ‘Open Access in African Publishing Industry: Opportunities and Challenges’, ‘The Role of Books in Efficient and Effective Utilization of National Resources: a Kenyan Perspective’, and ‘Journals and Academic Books in Kenya: A Critical Analysis’ among others’. A more detailed list of his publications can be found here.