Student Support

Improving Engagement

During 2016-2018, we trialled a new platform ‘Unitu’ which provides a transparent and much more dynamic way in which to collect, and act in real time, to address issues affecting student experience.

The Unitu platform was found to improve student experience (BSc, MSc, PhD) and subsequently adopted for full use from 2018.

Unitu continues to be immensely important for improving staff-student engagement and student experience.

Mentoring

The Department has implemented a number of schemes to assist BSc and PhD students settling into their courses.

BSc students can benefit from the in-house mentoring schemes originally set up by Athena SWAN.

Each first-year student is paired with an experienced senior student (a “buddy Mentor”) who can help in settling in during the first year.

Students also have access to “coding mentors” who can provide advice on coding-related issues.

The Department has also implemented a PhD buddy scheme in which first-year PhD students are paired up with a more senior PhD student, who can help with settling into the first year of a PhD.

Events

The Department organises a range of talks, competitions, careers advice, and social events for all students. Please see our News and Events page and follow our social media pages on Facebook and Twitter.

The Department also arranges a range of trips for students, one of the most popular trip is the annual visit to Bletchley Park, complete with picnic!

Training & Workshops: For PhD students and postdoctoral researchers, Athena SWAN set up the Fellowship Grant Writing Workshops.

These workshops have proven to be very successful, with increasing number of successful Fellowships positions awarded to those who had attended the workshop.

Another annual event for PhD students (offered in the 2/3/4 year) is the 3-day funded Cumberland Lodge retreat (Windsor Great Park).

The retreat programme includes talks and interactive sessions, and training in presentation skills, and personal resilience training.