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Doctoral College Newsletter - 18 March 2025
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Feed back at Research & Impact Strategy 2026-2031 Session
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All postgraduate researchers are warmly invited to join a session on the emerging themes in the new Research & Impact Strategy 2026-2031. The session will be hosted by Prof. Krasi Tsaneva-Atanasova, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research & Impact, and Prof. Stacey Hynd, Dean of Postgraduate Research and of the Doctoral College, who will provide an update on plans and meeting attendees will have an opportunity to feed back on the developing strategy.
The session takes place from 13.00-14.00 on Wednesday 26 March.
Please contact RandIStrategy@exeter.ac.uk with any questions.
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Professor Suzanne Keen Lecture and Masterclass- March 2025
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Prof. Suzanne Keen is a literary scholar, feminist critic, a poet, author and academic administrator, best known for her work on narrative empathy. She is delivering the following events as part of her visit to University of Exeter, hosted by the Societies and Cultures Institute:
Event: Interdisciplinary approaches to narrative empathy
Date: Thursday 20 March
Time: 11:00-13:00
Venue: Wellcome Centre boardroom, Streatham Campus
PGRs and ECRs are invited to this masterclass led by author, poet and scholar, Professor Suzanne Keen, in which she briefly reflects on a recent 3-year collaboration of 15 empathy scholars and how they arrived at an agreement about 8 lower-order constructs relating to empathy.
You will learn about emotional congruence; sympathy/compassion; personal distress; perspective taking; accurate inference; mimicry/synchrony; projection; and transportation as method.
Register & learn more
Event: Nurturing the Reading Self through Immersion in Fiction
Date: Wednesday 19 March
Time: 16.00-18.00
Venue: Queen's LT1, Streatham Campus (Hybrid)
As part of her visit, Professor Suzanne Keen will also be delivering a lecture 'Nurturing the Reading Self through Immersion in Fiction'. Hosted by the English & Creative Writing department.
Please email englishcreativewriting@exeter.ac.uk if you are interested in attending.
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Student Trustee Opportunity - Students' Guild
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Are you interesting in shaping the purpose and strategy of the Students’ Guild? They are looking for new student trustees to join their board next year! The Guild is currently shaping their new strategy, and are looking to better represent PGR students, so this is an ideal time to join. You’ll gain some great experience and learn about how students’ unions and charities are run, and be able to network with external trustees who have valuable experience from many different industries.
Deadline for applications: Sunday 30 March
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Survey of PGRs with parental responsibilities
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Are you currently a Postgraduate Researcher at Exeter and a parent? Were you a Postgraduate Researcher at Exeter juggling childcare and study? Do you know or support Postgraduate Researchers at Exeter who are parents?
A PGR-led survey from PGRs at Bath and Bristol is trying to get a picture of the needs and experiences of Postgraduate Researchers with parental responsibilities to better inform the support available. We'd love if you can help complete the survey or forward it on to a Postgraduate Researcher parent at Exeter that you know.
Deadline is Friday 21 March. Take part in the survey via the button below.
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Inspire the next generation of researchers!
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The Doctoral College is working with the Career Zone on an “Inspiring Future Researchers” project to encourage students from *underrepresented groups to consider research as an achievable career choice.
We’re looking for postgraduate researchers (PGR’s) and postdoctoral researchers (ECR’s) from similar underrepresented backgrounds to share their stories (the highs and the challenges!) to illustrate that research is an attainable goal.
We’ll be using various channels to share stories including online profiles and prerecorded podcasts. If you’d like to find out more and get involved in the project, please complete the following short registration of interest form.
*Underrepresented groups include those students who identify with at least one of the following indicators as defined by the University of Exeter’s Access and Participation plan 2025-29 :- socio-economically disadvantaged background, 1st generation in family to access Higher Education , Bursary recipient, mature , Disabled (physical, mental health condition social and communication or multiple disabilities), ethnic minority, care experienced or estranged from family.
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Applications Open for Career Mentor Scheme
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The Career Mentor Scheme applications are open. Join one of the UK’s largest employability programs, to have the opportunity to be partnered with an experienced mentor in your chosen sector. You can:
• Receive tailored 1:1 career advice
• Gain insights to make informed career decisions
• Get support with CVs and job interviews
• Build valuable professional connections through networking opportunities
The scheme runs from June-November 2025 and we have 300 opportunities available on Handshake, that are allocated on a first-come first-serve basis. Don’t miss your chance to gain expert career support- apply now!
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Final Reminder- Visting Research Student Fellowships with the University of British Columbia Okanagan (UBCO), Canada
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As part of the Exeter-UBCO Sustainability and Resilience Partnership the University of Exeter is offering two funded Fellowships for doctoral research students to undertake a short research project (2 – 8 weeks) with the University of British Columbia Okanagan (Canada). We welcome project proposals in the focus areas of: Adaptation to Climate and Ecological Change, Innovative Health Initiatives, and Enhancing Social Justice. Each Fellowship is worth up to £4,000 with the funds available to support travel, accommodation, living expenses and other costs. This is an exciting opportunity to gain research experience in an international and interdisciplinary academic environment.
The application deadline is Monday 24 March 2025 with Fellowships to be undertaken between Friday 11 April 2025 and Friday 30 January 2026. For more information, please visit their webpage, and to apply, please visit their application form.
Deadline for applications: Monday 24 March
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Shh… a Tender Act is coming to the Library at Penryn Campus
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Date: Wednesday 26 March
Time: 17.00-19.00
Venue: Library, Penryn Campus
Join for a silent disco like no other—tune into the unnoticed rhythms that shape the everyday soundscape of campus. Move through the space, listen deeply, and disrupt the quiet. Whether you come to sit, dance, stand, wander; this is a chance to hear your surroundings in a whole new way.
• Immerse yourself in sound
• Sit / dance / stand / wander
• Enjoy snacks and drinks on us!
Soundscapes produced by artists Georgia Gendall, Liam Jolly and Naomi Frears in collaboration with members of the SU Birdwatching Society, Life Drawing Society, Anime & Manga Society, Rugby Ladies and Puppetry.
Please sign up by clicking the button below.
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Workshop- Mastering Your Mindset: NLP, Hypnotherapy & Resilience for Postgrad Success
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Date: Thursday 3 April
Time: 9.30 – 12.30
Venue: Exchange Seminar Red, Exchange Building, Penryn Campus
This is an interactive workshop to equip you with powerful tools from Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), Hypnotherapy, and Energy Psychology to build confidence, rewire negative beliefs, and regulate your nervous system. Includes a buffet lunch 🥗
The event is open to PGRs and ECRs from any department, discipline, or faculty.
Please send any enquiries to pgpg@exeter.ac.uk.
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International students – give your perspective on disability and neurodivergence
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You are invited to take part in a study to better understand international students’ perspectives on disclosing a disability or neurodivergent condition. We’d also like to hear your experiences of support offered both before and during your time at university.
This research is in collaboration with the Universities of Bath, Sussex, Lancaster, Queen Mary University of London, Hertfordshire, Portsmouth, and Sunderland.
You can take part by completing an online survey which takes approximately 10-20 minutes. More information, including a link to the survey, is available on our website until Monday 31 March.
Please contact Rachel (r.griffiths@exeter.ac.uk) if you have any questions.
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Be part of the University’s 2025 Gender Equality Conference
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The University of Exeter’s first annual Gender Equality Conference is happening in May 2025, led by the Gender Equality Group.
There are lots of ways University of Exeter staff and students can get involved:
1. Attend conference events
2. Showcase your gender equality focused research, projects, and/or networks online or at our events
3. Host/organise an event focusing on gender equality (please use our event tracker to let us know and we will list it on our website)
4. Suggest further events, resources, support or networks to promote on our website
If you have anything you would like to promote, or you want to organise or be part of an event, please email EDI@exeter.ac.uk.
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AI, Culture and Migration (Hybrid) Workshop: Wednesday 7 May
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Event: AI, Culture and Migration Workshop
Date: Wednesday 7 May
Time: 12.30-18.00 (Online: 13:30-16:45)
Venue: South West Institute of Technology, University of Exeter, Streatham Campus (Online platform TBC)
In a rapidly evolving world, AI and Data Science is transforming how we understand and navigate culture and migration. This event is hosted by the Institute for Data Science and AI (IDSAI), University of Exeter, Jean Golding Institute, University of Bristol, University of Bath and Cardiff University. The event includes lunch and concludes with a drinks reception, providing an opportunity for further discussion and networking.
Registration for this event closes on Thursday 17 April.
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PRES Survey- search PRES in your inbox for your unique URL!
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Have you completed the Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES) 2025? Tell us about your experience as a postgraduate research student and donate to charity by completing the PRES 2025 survey today.
To complete the survey, search 'PRES' in your inbox to find your unique URL to the survey. The survey closes on Monday 28 April 2025.
To find out more about PRES 2025, please visit PRES 2025 or contact the Doctoral College at doctoral.college@exeter.ac.uk.
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Join fellow PGRs in this online space, led by PGRs for PGRs to focus individually on whatever tasks you would like to work on. You can join the PGR Study Space Microsoft Teams Group here, or for further information, please contact Jo Sutherst.
The PGR Study Space core facilitated hours are:
Monday 10:00am-12:00pm
Wednesday 10:00am-12:00pm
Friday 10:00am-12:00pm
There are unfacilitated sessions outside of these hours so you can fit it around your working patterns.
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1-2-1 career appointments available
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1-2-1 careers appointments with our dedicated PGR careers coach, Kenneth Howgill, are available to book on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Kenneth is a qualified and experienced career coach, lecturer and learning and development professional with over 20 years’ experience within the corporate sector, universities, further and adult education. He has held management roles in the public, corporate and not for profit sectors, leading professional development, coaching programmes, and recruiting graduates. Kenneth is a member of the
Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He is a member of the European Mentoring and Coaching Council and holds a business degree, a master's in music and a professional career coaching qualification.
All appointments are 50 minutes long. Please contact researcherdevelopment@exeter.ac.uk if there are any technical difficulties.
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Wellbeing Support and Sessions
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Every Mind Matters
Having good mental health helps us relax more, achieve more and enjoy our lives more. The NHS have expert advice and practical tips to help you look after your mental health and wellbeing. See their website here.
Spectrum.Life
Sprectrum.Life provides a confidential telephone, video, and live chat counselling service to help with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship issues, bereavement and more. The Spectrum Life web portal offers wellbeing courses, mindfulness, healthy eating resources and online fitness classes to help you to stay well.
Wellbeing Centre
If you would like to speak to PGR Education Welfare Team for Welfare, they can be contacted at welfare.pgr@exeter.ac.uk or tel: 01392 726207. Further wellbeing information, tools and support can be found on our wellbeing webpages.
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Penryn Campus Community Choir
During a successful first term, our staff choir has evolved and now enjoys singing a range of both classical and contemporary songs, with only the occasional sea shanty 😉 Do consider dropping in for a mid-week singalong and enjoy the mood-boosting effects of group singing while having fun, all under the expert guidance of local artist and musician, Charlotte Cripwell.
Every Wednesday, 13.00 – 14.00, Stella Turk Seminar room, Penryn Campus.
Brought to you by the Cornwall Wellbeing Network- enquiries to Natasha Hammond or Andrew Pye.
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Nurture-U: Are you feeling worried about your thesis or other PhD work?
The Nurture-U team are offering FREE resources and therapies to help with confidence and stress while doing your PhD.
We have:
1. An online toolkit, to help you track your mood over time and manage your busy lives
2. An innovative app to build confidence,
3. Online therapy, with a therapist or self-guided, and
4. A resilience workbook, with support from a therapist.
All these options have been proven to work, we’re just researching who responds best to what type of support. You can hopefully improve your wellbeing, earn shopping vouchers, and help other students in the future by contributing to research!
Any questions, please email nurture-u@exeter.ac.uk. You can also follow us on Instagram.
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Free Mindfulness Sessions for Wellbeing
Mindfulness is a powerful practice of training our attention and an evidence-based way to tackle anxiety, stress and low mood. If you’re interested in exploring more, there is a variety of free internal options available for all colleagues.
Sessions from the internal Mood Disorders Centre mindfulness team include: an eight-week MBCT-L course (2hrs weekly), an eight-week ‘deeper mindfulness’ course for those who’ve completed the MBCT-L course and bespoke ‘healthy mind’ sessions for whole teams, which can be delivered in-person or online.
You may also be interested in trying mindful meditation in 30 min online sessions each Thursday lunchtime. This is a secular practice run by the Chaplaincy.
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Details on how you can contact the PGR support team, either via email, telephone or face to face via our hubs (located on all campuses) is available on our contact us webpage.
Remember you can come along and meet the team or to ask any enquiries you might have at either of our helpdesk hubs below at any of our campuses:
The Streatham PGR Hub is open from 10.00am – 3.00pm Monday to Friday. The Streatham Hub is situated in the Old Library Ground Floor next to the Quiet Study Space and Bill Douglas Centre.
The St Luke’s PGR Hub is open from 10.00am – 3.00pm on a Monday and a Thursday. Students wishing to access the hub should go to the Info at St Luke’s desk and request PGR support, the PGR team will then be called to see you.
The Penryn PGR Support Office is open from 10.00am – 2.00pm Monday to Friday. It is based in the Postgraduate Suite in Daphne Du Maurier building 3 (next to the SU and opposite the Stannary).
For enquiries surrounding training and development, please contact the team on: ResearcherDevelopment@exeter.ac.uk
You can view previous versions of the newsletter here.
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