Postgrad Community Newsletter Summer Edition
Welcome to your postgrad community newsletter from the University Graduate School (UGS). With summer just around the corner, in this edition we’re highlighting postgraduate summer events you don’t want to miss, including the Postgraduate Research Festival, postgraduate summer parties, and PGT dissertation support. And if you’re looking for online events, don’t miss our mental health workshop with Bloomwise, the PGR Writing Summer School, and PGT Distance Learner ‘Match & Meet’, new for 2023.
Postgraduate Research Festival 2023
Our Postgraduate Research Festival is the biggest celebration of postgraduate research at the University of Birmingham, giving postgraduates from different disciplines the opportunity to share their work with the wider University and beyond.
Join us 27-28 June 2023 in the Teaching & Learning Building for distinguished academic Keynote Speakers discussing their research journeys, a line-up of impactful and insightful ‘PGR Talks’, and an informal exploration of digital futures and AI on postgraduate study with ‘UGS Discussions’. Our Images of Research and Research Poster competition finalists will also be on display across the two days, for you to peruse the innovative and exciting research done by postgrads at UoB.
Have you got your ticket yet? Registration is live! Learn more about the exciting events happening across the Festival, and book your place here.
Three Minute Thesis: Vote for Your People’s Choice Winner!
On Wednesday 17 May, The University Graduate School crowned the University of Birmingham Three Minute Thesis winner for 2023, who will go on to represent UoB in the national finals. Find out more about the grand final and our judges’ winners here.
You can watch recordings of all presenters on our YouTube Channel here, and vote for your favourite in our People’s Choice Award! The People’s Choice Award will award £250 to the presenter with the most public votes at the UGS Awards Ceremony as part of the Postgraduate Research Festival, 27-28 June 2023. Vote for your People’s Choice Winner here.
Academic English for PGRs
These online workshops are especially for PGRs who have English as an additional language. Join the Birmingham International Academy for support and advice on writing critically, literature reviews, avoiding plagiarism and more.
Explore the range of workshops
PGR Writing Summer School
The annual PGR Writing Summer School is now open for registration! Join sessions on grant writing, story-telling for researchers, collaborative writing and more.
10-14 July, Online
Enrol on the Canvas Course
PGT Dissertation Support
We’re offering in-depth support for PGTs writing up dissertations this summer. Join online PGT Essentials workshops on researching, writing and editing your dissertation, as well as how to promote it to employers, and focussed co-working sessions, Shut Up and Work: Get Your Diss Done!, online and in the Main Library throughout the summer.
Sign up for PGT Essentials workshops
Sign up for Shut Up and Work: Get Your Diss Done!
Managing Stress with Bloomwise: Open to all PGs
Our last mental health workshop of the year focuses on stress management and is open to all postgraduates.
As postgraduates, you may be finding your studies, academic pressures, work-life balance or factors in your personal life challenging. Sometimes even the positive parts of your work can cause stress – presenting at a conference, having an article published, or meeting your dissertation supervisor!
In this workshop, Bloomwise, a mental health consultancy set up by two UoB PGRs, will provide tips and strategies for identifying and managing stress in your everyday life so that you can be happier, healthier, and more productive.
Join us Online, 2-3.30pm, Tuesday 13 June
[TWO COLUMN] PGT Summer Events
Take a break from deadlines and dissertations this summer with your PGT Community. Join PGT Short Story Club, PGT Badminton and a summer party to celebrate the end of the year. Book here!
[TWO COLUMN] PGR Summer Events
There’s lots going on online and at Westmere House for PGRs this summer! PGRs can join our PGR summer social at Westmere House, PGR Film Club, Lunch Club and more. Book here!
PGT Distance Learning ‘Match & Meet’
We’re inviting all PGT Distance Learners to take part in a new initiative designed to help you meet like-minded PGTs across the University: PGT Distance Learning Match and Meet!
Sign up via a short form by 11.59pm, 12 June 2023.
You’ll then be matched with other distance learning PGT students to meet online at a time that suits you.
Find out more and sign up
Parents & Carers Fortnight: Free drinks vouchers and family events!
We’re offering postgraduate parents & carers free drinks vouchers as part of Parents & Carers Fortnight, 29 May – 9 June. If you’re a postgraduate who’s also a parent or carer, pop along to Westmere House (G15 on the campus map) between 10am-4pm on any weekday to receive free drinks vouchers for any campus outlet: perfect if you’re visiting one of the many family events across campus included in the Parents & Carers Fortnight calendar of events here.