Weekly Update

23rd

BT9 - Pic 'n' Mix and colouring @ 1pm

BT2 - Festive Crochet @ 5pm

BT1 - Mince Pies @7pm

24th

JBH/SWH - Hot Cocoa and Candy Canes @1pm

JBH - Festive Movie Marathon

27th

BT2 - Mini Canvas Painting @ 5pm

BT9 - Games Afternoon @ 3pm

SWH - Vision Board @ 3pm

BT1 - Games Night @ 7pm

28th 

BT2 - Tea and Shortbread @ 2pm

BT9 - Grab and Go Ice Pops @ 3pm

29th

BT2 - New Year Review and Goal Setting @ 2pm

BT9 - Games Afternoon @ 3pm

30th

BT2 - DIY Mugs @ 5pm

31st

BT9 - Grow your goals seed paper veent @ 2pm

BT11 - New Year, New Brie Cheese Boards @ 4pm

JBH - Time Capsules

• women’s health services provision    
• women’s priorities for women’s health    
• barriers to accessing health services and how could things be better   
• how women’s voice is integrated into women’s health care services   

We are thrilled to announce that the next Graduate School Conference will take place on Friday, 28th February 2025, focusing on the theme “Live Well: Learn Well.”

If you’re a postgraduate student researching mental health or work/life balance, or your academic experience has led you to uncover innovative ways to maintain well-being, manage stress, or support others, we’re inviting you to share your insights and findings. This is an opportunity to showcase your research and hone your presentation skills in a professional setting.

Who Can Submit?

We invite abstract proposals from postgraduate students across all disciplines. Whether your research focuses on mental health, or you have developed effective strategies to maintain balance during your studies, we welcome your contributions.

Suggested Topics

Presentations can include (but are not limited to):

• Research on mental health in academic/educational/work settings
• The impact of physical activity or mindfulness on mental well-being
• Technology and mental health: opportunities and challenges
• Connections between nutrition and cognitive functioning

You can also apply to provide a general presentation about:

• Personal insights on maintaining work/life balance as a postgraduate student
• Building resilience and coping strategies in postgraduate studies

We encourage submissions that blend academic research with practical insights and recommendations.

Submission Guidelines

Please submit an abstract of no more than 300 words outlining:

• Title of your presentation
• Your research area or experience and its relevance to mental health
• The key findings, strategies, or insights you will share

Deadline for submissions: Friday 10th January, 2025

Submit your abstract to: pg.skills@qub.ac.uk

Presentation Format

Selected presenters will deliver a 10-minute presentation in the Graduate School followed by a Q&A session. This is an excellent opportunity to showcase your research or experiences, engage with peers, and contribute to vital conversations about mental health and well-being.

Why Participate?

• Share your insights and research with a supportive postgraduate community.
• Contribute to meaningful discussions on mental health and well-being.
• Enhance your presentation and communication skills.
• Be part of a conference focused on creating positive change in academic culture.

Training sessions are delivered via a virtual classroom, many on weekday evenings between 7pm-9pm, but with some additional daytime sessions.

The series is organised and administered by Dr Simon Watts (simon.d.watts@uea.ac.uk), PGR Training Coordinator for the Faculty of Social Sciences at UEA, who also teaches Modules 1 to 4. Module 5 is taught by Dr Kimberley Bartholomew from the School of Education at UEA.

The training has been organised into five modules, each focused on a specific area/topic. Students don’t have to attend a whole module, however, and are free to sign up to individual sessions. The modules and individual sessions for 2024/25 are as follows:

Module 1:

Academic Writing

(1) What Should a Literature Review Do?

(2) Writing Effectively

(3) Academic Publishing

(4) Writing & Structuring an

Effective Thesis

Module 2:

Qualitative Research Skills

(1) A Comparison of Qualitative Methods

(2) Qualitative Interviewing

(3) Analysing Qualitative Data

(4) Using NVivo for Qualitative Research

Module 3:

Finishing your PhD

(1) Preparing for your Viva

(2) Securing a First Academic Post

(3) Preparing Impactful Research Proposals & Grant Applications

(4) Conference Presentations

Module 4:

Teaching Skills

(1) Preparing & Delivering Seminars

(2) Preparing & Delivering Lectures

(3) Assessment, Feedback,

& Module Design

Module 5:

Quantitative Research Skills

(1) Quantitative Research: A Basic Guide

(2) An Introduction to Scale Development

(3) An Introduction to Structural Equation Modelling

Booking

The training series uses an automated booking system called ‘Bookwhen’. The landing page on this site provides information about how to book, waiting lists, the possible addition of extra sessions, how to access and set up the Electa-Live virtual classroom software, which is used to host the sessions, and how to cancel a booking should that become necessary.

Please visit the booking website and read all the information provided. If you have any problems, you want to ask a question, or there is anything you don’t understand, please feel free to e-mail simon.d.watts@uea.ac.uk and/or ssf.advancedtraining@uea.ac.uk and they will do their best to help.

The value of a DAERA postgraduate studentship

A full DAERA award includes the cost of approved fees as well as maintenance support. In academic year 2024/ 25 the maintenance allowance for a research studentship is £19,237. Allowances for 2025 are to be confirmed. 

DAERA pay fees directly to your university. Other expenses which may be covered are:

• conference expenses if you are presenting your research
• Research Training Support Grant – paid by DAERA to your study centre
• overseas fieldwork – DAERA may contribute to costs where it is essential to your research programme

These awards are not affected by your parent’s income or your current income, but if you are receiving similar support from industry or a university, you may not be eligible for a studentship. 

For more information, check their website.

or apply for a DAERA postgraduate studentship at:

• Application for DAERA Postgraduate Studentship 2025(external link opens in a new window / tab)

Through a large team of freelance Support Providers, The Register of Support Providers at Queen’s supports disabled students across a number of different roles.

The Register is currently seeking to engage additional Support Providers for the new academic year across a number of different support roles including as Campus Assistants, Academic Mental Health Tutors, Note Takers and exam assistants to support students with disabilities / long-term conditions across the University. 

The Register is particularly keen to engage STEM subject Note Takers (£15 per hour) capable of taking notes in subject areas such as Computer Science, Engineering (all strands - Electrical, Civil, Chemical, Aerospace), Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Nursing etc .  Individuals will also be required for Specialist Campus Assistant roles (£17 per hour) to support students in practical / laboratory settings and with using particular statistical packages such as SPSS etc.

Further information about the Note Taker and other support roles may be found on the main Queen's website.

If you would be interested in joining the freelance team (interviews anticipated August / September), please complete / return the following Expression of Interest form as soon as possible to supportprovider@qub.ac.uk

As you will be working on a freelance / self-employed basis (ie not paid via QWork), there are no restrictions in relation to the number of hours worked per week.  Unfortunately however, if you are residing in the UK on a student visa (previously Tier 4 student visa), you cannot work on a self-employed basis so we would not be able to progress your Expression of Interest on that premise.

If you have any queries at all (about the type of work involved, nature of engagement, payments etc) please contact Kirsti, Disability Support Manager at k.alexander@qub.ac.uk

You can find the current list of available roles here.

A variety of Travel Scholarships are now open for applications.

Helen Ramsey Turtle Travel Scholarship

The scholarship is open to Postgraduate Taught/Research students, enrolled at Queen’s University Belfast both at the time of application and of travel, who have undertaken their primary degree at Queen’s and who intend to travel to the USA and/or Canada to undertake a period of study. 

William and Betty MacQuitty Travel Scholarship

The MacQuitty Scholarships were established in 1999 to provide travel funds for Queen's Postgraduate Taught/Research students.  Applicants must be planning to travel overseas to further their education, and they must explain how their proposed trip demonstrates the principle "travel broadens the mind”. 

Emily Sarah Montgomery Travel Scholarship and

Sir Thomas Dixon Travel Scholarship

These travel scholarships can be used to fund travel that will occur between 9 January 2024 and 2 June 2024 (outbound travel must have occurred within these dates).

For scholarship information and application deadlines, visit here.

A symposium you're keen to curate, or a cultural celebration that would bring the postgraduate community together?

Then you should apply to host a Postgraduate-Led Initiative and receive up to £400 funding from the Thomas J. Moran Graduate School.

You'll gain experience in project management, working with budgets, and showcase your leadership skills when you successfully carry out your own Postgraduate-Led Initiative.

And you can apply for your own Postgraduate Led Initiative here.

You might like the idea of befriending an older person; campaigning on humanitarian issues; fundraising for a local charity or getting involved in conservation in urban areas, whatever you’re passionate about we will be able to find the perfect volunteering opportunity for you.

If you know you want to do something but you’re not quite sure what, never fear, we will be able to provide you with a range of volunteering options and just know something will spark your interest!

Discover more on the Student Union website.

Thomas J Moran Moran was a renowned businessman and humanitarian who acted as Chancellor of Queen’s University Belfast until his death on August 19 2018.

Mr Moran was formally inaugurated as Chancellor of Queen’s on Thursday 2 July, 2015. At a special installation ceremony in the Great Hall, the Vice-Chancellor, the late Professor Patrick Johnston, referred to him as “someone who shares our passion for education” who “recognises the transformative effect it has on the world around us.” It is for these same reasons that he is a fitting person to be honoured in the official name of The Graduate School. Read more about him here.