Edinburgh University Students' Association held its first Postgraduate Festival in February, with a week-long programme of social events, skills, careers and personal development training sessions and an interdisciplinary postgraduate conference.
The event aimed to show that the students' association is for postgraduates and engage with postgraduate concerns and issues. Postgraduates make up 30 per cent of all students at Edinburgh.
The event also showcased opportunities for postgraduates from around the university, including the careers service, transferable skills unit (Transkills), information services, scholarships office and Institute for Academic Development. There were separate, but complementary, programmes for PG taught and PG research students.
The week included a roundtable on postgraduate engagement which included representatives from other Scottish institutions and Laura Howell of NUS Postgraduate Committee.
What worked?
- The postgraduate conference was thought to be unique in the university both in terms of size and interdisciplinary range and was identified as a key forum for increasing EUSA's profile among postgraduates.
- Postgraduate rep nominations form were included in the festival booklet, which increased the numbers of postgraduates standing for election.
- The university agreed to use the festival as its vehicle for PRES and PTES promotion and supported the event
- The postgraduate ceilidh was very well received!