Manchester Student Homes Welcomes LINK Strategic Partners To Our Fair City!
Team MSH were delighted to welcome colleagues representing United States based ‘LINK Strategic Partners’ to our fair City in June.
Based in Washington DC, with networks across North America and Europe, LINK specialise in community engagement, strategic communications and stakeholder relations. LINK, headed up by Michael Aiken, President, work with a variety of U.S based Higher Education Institutions and community partners and as such have a wealth of knowledge about students and off campus relations. The company is very much at the pulse of all things community communications. Their youngest employee is 16 and the eldest is 91, for LINK they are passionate about inclusivity and reflecting the communities in which they work. Powerful stuff, we’re sure you’ll agree.
MSH have a long standing relationship with LINK spanning nearly a decade, and who we have worked with via our involvement on the ITGA (International Town and Gown Association) of which Cooper is a Board member. In the past 4 years we have been fortunate enough to develop our relationship further, via the UKTGA United Kingdom Town and Gown Association which was established by Cooper and myself, and now has nearly 350 members worldwide!
It was a jam packed week for LINK who held a series of meetings with University representatives including Simon Merrywest & Dr Rita Lewin (Manchester Metropolitan University), as well as external partners with whom MSH work closely with such as Councillor Nigel Murphy, Deputy Leader of Manchester City Council. A key component of the trip was the opportunity for Michael, and Jevin, LINK Engagement Lead to present at the UK Conference discussing the Student Accommodation Code of Practice’. They discussed the importance of effective student engagement and provided a key insight into the trends in social media, particularly with regard to University campuses and branding. You can view the presentation (it’s hugely insightful!) via twitter @LINKstrategic
Michael spent ten years working in Student Relations at George Washington University and spoke about community engagement issues and trends, which often span global boundaries and we can learn a huge amount from each other. This highlights the importance of these international partnerships and something that Team MSH places a great deal of importance on cultivating.
It’s fair to say that over the years we’ve talked nonstop to our friends at LINK about the work we do here at MSH to support students off campus, and this amazing city of ours. This was a wonderful opportunity to showcase our history, culture and vibrancy of the University, but also welcome our friends to this amazing city of ours. We look forward to welcoming them back home with us, in the very near future.
For more information about Manchester Student Homes visit: https://www.manchesterstudenthomes.com/Accommodation
To read more about LINK https://linksp.com/news/
