News

NCL in Action 25/26 officially underway with launch events in Newcastle, New York and London

This Autumn we have united Newcastle University alumni, colleagues, students and partners around the world to deep dive into the rifts and shifts facing society in 2025 and beyond. But this is just the start!

Meet the Psychology graduate outsmarting anxiety

This World Mental Health Day, we sat down with alumna Lily Felton to discuss her soon-to-be-released book which gives readers the tools they need to navigate anxiety with confidence and clarity.

Meet the 1922 alumnus and architect who courted controversy and brought performance art to Brazil

To celebrate World Architecture Day (6 October), we look back at the life and work of Brazilian architect and artist Flavio de Carvalho, who graduated from our School of Engineering in 1922.

Meet the Class of 2024 architect planning to build a better future

This World Architecture Day, we’re shining a light on recent international graduate Precious Ovat, whose time on campus has transformed his practice as a landscape architect and inspired research recently presented on a global stage.

Friends reunited: A summer of reconnecting and celebrating a shared history

This summer we’ve been thrilled to help so many alumni celebrate special university anniversaries and organise reunions with their former classmates. Read on to find out more about their celebrations and how we can help you organise an alumni reunion.

National Poetry Day: Meet the Newcastle wordsmith responding to the canon in his debut poetry collection

New Famous Phrases was written by Newcastle University graduate Daniel Hinds (BA Hons English Literature, 2014; MA English Literature, 2015) and explores ancient mythologies, aquatic fables and the evolving art of poetry itself.

Music lecture theatre renamed in honour of inspirational retired lecturer and ‘Bagpuss’ songwriter

Newcastle University recently welcomed retired academic Sandra Kerr back to campus to celebrate the opening of a lecture theatre and performance space named in her honour.

Summer of sporting success for Newcastle alumni and students

We’re celebrating a jam-packed summer of competition which saw our university community come out on top. Congratulations all!

Over £15,000 raised by Great North Runners to support students returning to campus this month

They did it! Huge congratulations to our team of runners who completed the Great North Run last weekend, raising an incredible £15,000 for the Newcastle University Student Fund.

Mercury Prize celebrated musicians in our alumni community

This October, the Mercury Prize is coming to Newcastle – the first time the awards have ever been held outside of London in its 30-year history. In this blog, meet the musicians from Newcastle University who have been recognised by the Prize over the years.

Take a tour of the great and good celebrated on campus

Ahead of the new academic year starting, we explored the buildings on campus honouring esteemed figures in our university’s history.

How Newcastle dental researchers are saving smiles

Read our interview with Newcastle graduate and Clinical Fellow at our School of Dental Sciences, David Edwards, to discover the current revolutionary research led by our alumni to tackle tooth pain tormenting millions of people a year.

Uniting Newcastle University’s global community to build resilience in our rapidly changing world

Join our global community of students, alumni, colleagues and partners to deep dive into the rifts and shifts facing society in 2026 and beyond, and how we can harness the collective knowledge and skills of our community to prepare for what the future holds.

Fat jabs, food and health: Newcastle diabetes expert ‘weighs in’ on the rise of Ozempic

In recent years, there has been a growing trend of medications initially used for type 2 diabetes being prescribed and promoted as weight loss wonder drugs. What is the role of these new magic medicines and where is the field of weight management heading?

A Loyola love story: Meet the Study Abroad couple who fell for each other at Newcastle

Loyola University students Adam Barre and Sara Jesse first met on the flight over to Newcastle in September 2018, despite both studying in Maryland together for the previous two years. Fast forward to 2025, the pair - who credit Newcastle for bringing them together - are planning a wedding!

“If you survive, it’s too late”: One graduate’s battle to become a parent post-cancer

Having overcome stage four cancer, 26-year-old graduate Mollie Mulheron (BA Modern Languages, 2020; PGCE, 2022) was looking forward to living her life and planning for the future. But fertility policies that exclude cancer survivors have put her plans for parenthood on pause, and she is now campaigning to make the system fairer.

Happy World Entrepreneurs’ Day!

To celebrate World Entrepreneurs Day (21 August), we’re spotlighting just some of the start-up superstars to come from Newcastle University.

How alumni donations have inspired student photographers on campus for the past decade

This World Photography Day (19 August), we’d like to celebrate a donation from alumna Dame Teresa Graham DBE to set up a student photography prize in memory of her godson, Anthony Hall.

Brother and sister alumni duo take on multi-day triathlon across the British Isles to raise money for mental health support for farmers

Hugh Addison (MEng Mechanical Engineering, 2014) and Alex Addison (LLB Law, 2017) are hoping to raise £10,000 for the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institute (RABI) through their extreme endurance challenge this September.

Class of 2025 graduates get music career kickstarted with funding award from alumna

Recent graduates Luis Schmidt, Sam Alexander and Keane Baldwin have been given a helping hand in making their mark on the music industry from the Dr Jane Nolan Innovation and Enterprise Award.

From campus to cockpit: Meet the Newcastle alumni leading the pack in Formula One

To celebrate 75 years of Formula One, and the release of F1 the Movie in cinemas, we are spotlighting just some of the Newcastle University graduates making a mark in motorsports.

World Chess Day: “Chess was a safe world for me to escape into growing up in Iraq”

Class of 2019 graduate Deema Khunda fell back in love with chess when laboratories closed in lockdown, having first learned the game as a child growing up in Baghdad. Just four short years after attending her first competition, Deema competed in BBC Two’s Chess Masters: The Endgame at the start of 2025!

Medical graduate turned author shortlisted for Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize

Class of 2018 medical graduate William Rayfet Hunter is celebrating being one of six authors shortlisted for the Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize 2025. We recently caught up with William to find out more about their journey from junior doctor to winning writer.

Class of 2024 graduate wins planning award

Huge congratulations to Newcastle graduate Sam Wightman (MPlan Planning, 2024), who has won RTPI’s North East Young Planner of the Year award.

The student experience from the 1980s to now: Reflections from a mother-son alumni duo

With graduation celebrations in full swing on campus, we caught up with Class of 1986 graduate Nickie Kavanagh (née Bell) and her son Rory to hear how the student experience in Newcastle has changed over the past four decades.

How an apprenticeship can kickstart your career journey after you graduate

Meet Newcastle graduate Olivia Blackham (BA English Literature, 2021). After leaving university, she embarked on an apprenticeship with Wakefield Council to become a learning and development practitioner.

Blue plaque unveiled in Jesmond in honour of Newcastle Medical School alumna and trailblazer

Dr Irene Ighodaro, who graduated from Newcastle Medical School in 1944, will be the first woman of African or Asian descent to be recognised by a plaque in Newcastle.

History graduate’s legacy to inspire local students in the arts

The Mark Scrimshaw Memorial Fund will provide two Newcastle University students from areas of hardship with a three-year scholarship to empower them to pursue a degree in the arts.

Class of 1974 graduate tells the 40,000-year history of music through remains found in archaeological excavations

In celebration of World Music Day, we caught up with alumnus Dr Graeme Lawson (GDHons Archaeology and Music, 1974) to hear about his research into the origins of music as we know it through what has been left behind.

Newcastle University alumni and academics recognised in King’s Birthday Honours

14 Newcastle University graduates and colleagues have been named in King Charles III’s 2025 Birthday Honours list, acknowledging their dedication and success in their respective fields. Congratulations all!

How our community can give students on campus the full Newcastle University experience

All donations made to the Newcastle University Student Fund this summer will be match-funded, so alumni and supporters can make double the difference to students missing out on what makes belonging to Newcastle so special.

Three Newcastle alumni elected to the Fellowship of the Royal Society

Congratulations to the three Newcastle University graduates who have recently been elected to the Fellowship of the Royal Society, the UK’s national academy of sciences.

Stu Brew turns 10!

Stu Brew, the student-run microbrewery based at Newcastle University, has recently celebrated its 10th birthday. In this interview, founding member and alumna Zelda Mendelowitz takes us back to where it all began.

Celebrating 30 years of partnership with Loyola University Maryland

Over the past three decades, Newcastle University has welcomed hundreds of students from over the pond to study on our campus and enjoy the Newcastle experience.

“Record companies don’t care about new artists anymore”: How the music industry has changed over the past 60 years

Hear from Class of 1965 alumnus and founder of Chrysalis Records, Terry Ellis, as he shares the big changes he has witnessed in the music industry throughout his career.

Celebrating the impact of our volunteers on campus, in our alumni community and for society

Happy Volunteers’ Week! We’d like to take this opportunity to shout from the rooftops about the amazing alumni who have volunteered their time and expertise this year to make a difference.

“Little to do with women, and much more to do with profits”: Why the recent Blue Origin space mission crash-landed

In this blog, Newcastle University alumnae Dr Victoria Pagan and Dr Emily Yarrow share their thoughts on the recent Blue Origin NS-31 mission and consequent media fall out.

From Springsteen to Kylie: The biggest names to head to Tyneside over the decades

Stroll down memory lane to revisit some of the biggest and best concerts that our alumni have enjoyed over the past 60 years

$1 million endowment pledged to Newcastle University

Last month, we were thrilled to welcome Dr Gillian Cannon to campus from the US to finalise plans for her family’s generous $1 million endowment to Newcastle University, supporting future generations of students and researchers.

Further £156k donated to enhance Newcastle University’s Gertrude Bell Archive

A generous gift from long-standing supporters, the Harry and Alice Stillman Foundation will fund an 18-month project with the Royal Geographical Society to create the most comprehensive view of the life and work of North East born explorer Gertrude Bell.

Empowering our communities to harness AI in their personal and professional lives

During NCL in Action 2025, our community have united in volunteering opportunities, activities and events to explore the impact AI and technology is having on our world and upskill themselves to prepare for the future.

$1 million Singapore Dollars (SGD) donated to support aspiring engineering and medical students at our international campuses.

Alumni donation will support the next generation of students at Newcastle University Malaysia (NUMed) and Newcastle University in Singapore (NUiS)

Alumni Achievement Award winner leading the way in green finance

Mark Davis (BA Social Studies, 2000) recently received the Outstanding Contribution to Environmental Justice and Sustainability award for his pioneering work in green finance.

Law alumnus wins at British Council Study UK Alumni Awards in Qatar

Huge congratulations to Newcastle University alumnus Barry Solaiman, who has won the Science and Sustainability Award at this year’s British Council Study UK Alumni Awards in Qatar.

Graduate and 2025 Alumni Achievement Award winner leading the way in stroke research and awareness

Fiona Moss (English Language and Literature, 2013) received the Outstanding Social and Civic Contribution award for her work with the Natalie Kate Moss Trust (NKMT), a charity dedicated to advancing research into haemorrhagic strokes and promoting public awareness around stroke prevention and blood pressure management.

Graduate and PhD student leading the way in net zero research

Freddie Young, a current PhD student in Mechanical Engineering and recipient of the Tony Trapp PhD Studentship, is revolutionising research in hydrogen combustion.

Student suburbs: Then and now

Take a walk with us down memory lane as we explore how some of the most popular suburbs with Newcastle students have changed over the decades.

AI tools, 6-hour working days and waving goodbye to presenteeism: could this be the answer to burnout culture?

The UK has been identified as potentially the least productive country in Europe, which may be surprising to those entrenched in its overworked and exhausted workforce. To improve work-life balance and employee morale, campaigners are currently pushing for a 4-day week, with hopes this will then lead to more productivity.

How alumni volunteers are fostering belonging for Black and other Global Majority students in our School of Engineering

Members of our alumni community are giving back to current students by creating a supportive network for our Black and other Global Majority engineers of the future.

The impact of the Women’s Giving Circle Scholarship

The Women’s Giving Circle, a network of successful alumnae and friends of Newcastle University continues to empower female students. Women remain underrepresented in certain subject areas, and the Women’s Giving Circle Scholarship plays a vital role in breaking barriers and inspiring young women who aspire to pursue careers in these fields.

How our scholarships are transforming lives

As we step into the new year, we’re delighted to showcase the wide range of scholarships we award annually, made possible by the generosity of our donors.

Newcastle University announces partnership with Raymond James, Monument to support IntoUniversity Newcastle

This initiative aims to provide life-changing opportunities for young people facing disadvantage across Newcastle through education support and outreach.

Children’s Cancer Awareness Month: Inspiring graduate tackles childhood leukaemia with Combat Cancer’s support

Phoebe Snow, a Biochemistry graduate and current Cancer Studies PhD student at Newcastle University, is making significant strides in childhood cancer research.

Legacy gift to support diabetes research

Thanks to the vision and foresight of our late friend and supporter, Ray Wilson, we hope the cure for diabetes is one step closer.

The Enterprising Futures Academy, established by one of our inspiring graduates, is coming to Newcastle University to support ambitious students and alumni

Global entrepreneur Rob Wood (MBA, 1992) has joined forces with Newcastle University to help enterprising young people gain the tools, confidence, and support they need to be successful in life and business through the Enterprising Futures Academy.

Congratulations on graduating from Newcastle University! What happens now?

All your hard work at university has paid off, and you’re now the proud owner of a Newcastle University degree – congratulations! To help you transition from student to graduate life, we spoke with Class of 2023 alumna Sara Kozakova to get her top tips.

German and Scandinavian studies alumni from around the world reunite at Newcastle to celebrate 50 years since their student days.

In April 2024, we welcomed 15 German and Scandinavian studies graduates back to campus to mark 50 years since they first enrolled at Newcastle University. We caught up with two members of the group after their visit to find out more about life at Newcastle University in the 1970s, and where life has taken them since they graduated.

We are pleased to announce the winners of this year’s Alumni Achievement Awards

We are proud to announce the Newcastle University graduates who have won this year’s Alumni Achievement Awards: Mark Davis (BA Social Studies, 2000), Gabby Jahanshahi-Edlin (BA English Literature, Fine Art Drawing and History of Art, 2010) and Rawaa Qasha (PhD Computer Science, 2017).

Gilbert and Sullivan student society of 1980s still going strong

Alumni who were members of Newcastle University’s Gilbert and Sullivan Society from 1981 – 1992 have been reuniting every two years in Yorkshire for over two decades, with the latest reunion featuring a performance of 'The Zoo' by Sullivan and Rowe. We caught up with the organisers, Jo and David Hartley, to find out more.

Newcastle University receives £5 million legacy donation

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the late Dr Oliver Ord for his generous legacy donation to Newcastle University.

An interview with Clare Talbot-Jones, your new Deputy Chair of Convocation

We caught up with modern languages graduate and North East-based business leader Clare Talbot-Jones to find out more about her ambitions for her term as the new Deputy Chair of Convocation.

Newcastle University Halls past and present

Uni Halls are where memories are made. Whether you had the best time and made friends for life or couldn’t wait to move out, you’re sure to have memories that you’ll never forget.

Newcastle through the decades

Our alumni community have witnessed monumental changes to the University and city of Newcastle upon Tyne over the past six decades. Read on to travel through the decades and reminisce on your time at Newcastle (or discover what’s happened since you left!)