Competitions and Opportunities
Exciting opportunities for personal growth
Competitions and applying for opportunities for postgraduate research students are a brilliant way to test your skills.
Here’s a roundup of some of the current and forthcoming opportunities for postgraduate research students. Many happen once per year, but some you can take part in more regularly.
Step outside your day-to-day student life and practice public speaking, entrepreneurship, teaching and more.
SAgE PGR Conference
Being held on the 21-23 January 2025 - Information can be found at Faculty PGR Conference
YES Enterprise Programme - national competition closing date 18th July 2024
YES supports research students to work in a team to develop a hypothetical business, and as part of the exercise, make a pitch to demonstrate that the business could be investable and ultimately successful. You will hear from leading industry experts about the ways they go about making a business work and learn about the processes involved in bringing a service/product to market.
Key dates to note if selected as a team member below. Please ensure you will be available to attend any events and that this will not impact your studies especially if you are working on your thesis submission:-
- September 2024 - attend online training sessions which will give you the know-how on all aspects of starting a new business.
- October and November 2024 - have access to a mentor and work on your team's idea.
- November and December 2024 - deliver a pitch on your service/ product at an industry innovation centre.
- January 2025 - attend a showcase in London, if selected, to compete for a prize of £10,000.
If you are unsure about applying please contact the relevant Faculty lead:-
FMS - Richy Hetherington (richard.hetherington@newcastle.ac.uk)
SAgE - Gail de Blaquiere (Gail.de-Blaquiere@newcastle.ac.uk)
HaSS - Jen Tarr (Jen.Tarr@newcastle.ac.uk)
SPROUT - PGR Sustainability Collective
Our mission is to connect and nurture PGRs, aspiring PGRs and Early Career Researchers who are interested in developing their understanding about how sustainability can enhance the rationale for and impact of their research.
Newcastle University is working with Bournemouth University and University of Cardiff to provide opportunities for Postgraduate Research (PGR) students from all disciplines to connect with each other and learn about how sustainability can enhance their doctoral research.
We launched the SPROUT Collective (Sustainability-Promoting Researchers Organising Unity to Nurture Tomorrow) in February 2024 and would love you to join us.
We will be holding a programme of monthly online events with the following aims:
- To build confidence amongst PGRs, aspiring PGRs and ECRs in engaging with SDGs.
- Provide opportunities for you to develop others' understanding of sustainability
- To increase awareness of sustainability's contribution to employability and funding opportunities.
- To provide collaborative opportunities for PGRs and ECRs to develop a range of competencies applicable to their own research and personal/ professional contexts.
The network is a legacy of SustainaWHAT?! a series of events held in 2021 and 2023 which connected PGRs to the sustainability agenda and sought to facilitate a cross-institution PGR network for ongoing support and inspiration of SDG-informed research.
If you came to SustainaWHAT?! do join us. If you didn't come to SustainaWHAT?! this is your opportunity to join this exciting network of PGRs.
You can read more about SustainaWHAT?! 2023 here.
Interested in becoming a SPROUT member or helping plan, manage or lead aspects of SPROUT?
Join us: https://forms.office.com/e/fHiSnyCMC9
We are eager to welcome you to the SPROUT PGR Sustainability Collective.
Contact: rosalind.beaumont@newcastle.ac.uk (School X)
Newcastle University Network Lead
SustainaWHAT?!
SustainaWHAT?! is a multi-disciplinary, cross-faculty and cross-institutional gathering which aims to connect PGRs with the sustainability agenda.
It seeks to facilitate dialogue to support and inspire sustainability-informed research, and to explore the relationship between the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) and professional and personal development.
It is co-created by academics and PGRs from across disciplines.
Read about previous gatherings:
SustainaWHAT?! 2021 (Newcastle) and this short film
PGR Leads: Wahbi Albasyouni (Architecture, Planning & Landscape); Jecel Censoro (Politics); Anna Christy (Engineering); Duong Nguyen (Marketing); Andy Oroke (Engineering); Anand Roy (Business & Sustainability)
Academic Lead: Rosalind Beaumont (Senior Lecturer, School X)
SustainaWHAT?! 2023 (Newcastle, Cardiff and Bournemouth)
Newcastle PGR Leads: Chang Liu (Education, Communication and Language Sciences); Melisa Maida (Geography); Charlie Osborne (Natural and Earth Sciences); Tina Meparishvili (Architecture, Planning & Landscape); Anand Roy (Business & Sustainability)
Academic Lead: Rosalind Beaumont (Senior Lecturer, School X)
SPROUT - the sustainability collective is a legacy of the first two events.
Bournemouth, Cardiff and Newcastle universities are seeking to create a cross-institutional network for PGRs, early career researchers, and others to explore sustainability in their contexts.
Interested in SustainaWHAT?! or SPROUT?
Contact: rosalind.beaumont@newcastle.ac.uk (School X)
3 Minute Thesis (3MT)
Contact: hass.pgtraining@ncl.ac.uk
Hosted by Faculty PGR training and development: Rosalind Beaumont (HaSS), Dr Gail de Blaquiere (SAgE) and Dr Richy Hetherington (FMS).
Open Research Awards
Please see the webpage for full details and to see the winners of the 2024 competition
The Newcastle University Open Research Awards recognise colleagues and students who have used open practices to make research more accessible, transparent or reproducible, and demonstrate an understanding of the aims of open research.
The awards will run again in 2025 and details of how to enter will be added here in due course.
The awards are open to all students and colleagues working in any research-related role, at any stage, within any area of the University. Prizes will be awarded as vouchers to the winner of the Open Research Award (£500), second place (£250) and third place (£100). Additional prizes may be awarded at the discretion of the panel.
These awards are made possible thanks to Newcastle University’s Enhancing Research Culture Project Fund in support of our Research Culture Action Plan.
PGR Community Hub
Calling all PGRs!
You are warmly invited to join us at the PGR Community Hub, where we’ll regularly be hosting a range of events throughout the academic year to allow you to share ideas, make connections and make progress in your research.
What is the PGR Community Hub?
The PGR Community Hub is a collaborative initiative from the NUSU PGR Community, Doctoral College and Research Culture Team. that aims to create a friendly and informal interdisciplinary space where PGRs from all faculties can come together, share ideas and make progress in their research. Events are primarily run by PGRs and designed to create a relaxed space to shar experiences and develop your skills as a researcher.
We’ll be hosting monthly Accountability Groups, Discussion Groups and Practice Sharing Groups both online (via Zoom or Teams) and in-person (Henry-Daysh Building 6.19), which are open to all Newcastle University PGRs.
If you’d like to attend any of the events, just book a place here.
So come along and join your PGR Community!
The Brilliant Club
The Brilliant Club provides postgraduate researchers training in widening participation, research communication, and teaching. Researchers are then paid to deliver academically rigorous programmes to small groups of pupils in state schools across the UK.
On The Scholars Programme, tutors are trained to create a course based on their own academic research pitched at pupils in Key Stage 4 or 5. Tutors also have the opportunity to deliver a pre-designed programme to younger pupils aged 8-10. They deliver this course in university-style tutorials to groups of 7. To help fit alongside their other commitments, tutors indicate their availability on a termly basis. Placements are paid from £550 per placement, with an additional £121 for designing a Scholars Programme course (plus London weighting). Travel expenses are also paid.
We also have a new video from a tutor talking about their experience working What it's like being a PhD tutor on The Scholars Programme - YouTube
Applications are now closed for 2023/24.
The next recruitment cycle will begin in March 2024. Applications submitted before this date will be held in a pool.
For more information, register to attend an online information event
To apply, fill in the application form here
If you have any queries, please get in touch via apply@thebrilliantclub.org
Public Lecture Prize
Each year, each faculty runs a postgraduate public speaking prize. Winners gain the chance to speak as part of the INSIGHTS Public Lecture Series.
Ready to share your research with the wider world?
Your faculty posts details of upcoming Public Lecture Prize events on its research development programme pages. Visit your faculty below to find out more:
Research Culture Café – Working together to build our research culture
Join us on the last Wednesday of every month - an informal event to discuss all things Research Culture.
All welcome, refreshments included. Find out more on our Research Culture webpages.
Each month, we’ll be running an open Research Culture Café as an opportunity to chat about all things ‘research culture’ and the work happening across the University.
Please come along for a coffee and cake and to chat to us and other colleagues and postgraduate research students – all welcome! We'd also love to hear what's happening in your area, what you are involved in and any changes you are seeing at Newcastle.
Next meeting dates:
Date: Wednesday 28th February 2024
Time: 10am-11.30am
Venue: Armstrong Building, Room 1.48 (St3DO)
Date: Wednesday 27th March 2024
Time: 10am - 11,30am
Venue: Bedson Teaching Centre (BSTC), Room 2.51
FutureLearn course - Managing Your Wellbeing When Studying in the UK
Get support and guidance to help you manage stress, tackle negative thoughts, and adjust to UK culture when studying abroad.
Join now - just started.
Thrive in your study abroad experience
The UK is known for its world-leading universities, which are highly regarded by employers all around the world. But despite the huge benefits of the UK education, international students can face challenges along the way.
This three-week course from the British Council and Newcastle University provides tailored support and guidance for international students. From understanding British culture to accessing relevant support, you’ll get the information you need to thrive in the UK.
Understand the UK culture and education system
Moving to a new country to study can be daunting, but knowing a bit about British culture will make integrating easy.
In Week 1 of the course, you’ll be given an introduction to the UK culture and education system. You’ll hear from current international students, who’ll tell you a bit about their experience of moving to the UK.
Get tips to help you manage your mental health and wellbeing
The focus of this course is on equipping international students with practical strategies for monitoring and managing their mental health and wellbeing. Guided by mental health experts at Newcastle University, you’ll develop techniques for maintaining study-life balance, building self-esteem, and combating negative thinking.
You’ll join a support network of current and past international students, who’ll share personal experiences and specialised advice.
Learn where international students can go for help and support
In the last week of the course, you’ll discover where and how you can access the support you need as an international student. You’ll also create a wellbeing plan to help you cope during periods when you feel anxious or under pressure.
By the end of the course, you’ll be confident and ready to get stuck into studying abroad.
Research Culture Community Funds
Research Culture Community Funds
Changing Research Culture takes time and motivation, but it also takes support and resource!
The Enhancing Research Culture Funds aim to enable our community to change their culture for research.
Together, let’s shape our culture for research. Change belongs to all of us.
QR Enhancing Research Culture (ERC) People Fund
The people fund aims to enhance personal and professional development of colleagues from across the organisation to open up new opportunities in facilitating, supporting, enabling and promoting research, as well as enable a more positive research culture. Applications can be made by individuals or teams. There is no application fund limit, although applications <£1000 are encouraged. There is no closing date, but funds are limited. We encourage early applications, particularly those that end before 30th June 2024. Postgraduate researchers please see the aligned Doctoral College Enhancement Fund
Funding that has now closed for 2023/24
QR Enhancing Research Culture (ERC) Project Fund
We want to support innovative and experimental projects and activities proposed and delivered by our research community that help build a more positive research culture. These could be local projects, activities that inform institutional practices or have impact nationally and/or internationally. We want to encourage applications for activities that could lead to sustained improvements in research culture and offer the opportunity for us (and others) to learn from them. We are allocating up to £60K to the Enhancing Research Culture Project Fund to support community-led projects aligned with our Research Culture Action Plan. Applicants can apply for up to £20k per project per year, and projects can last until June 30th 2025.
Enhancing Research Culture Research Retreat-type activity
Our community have demonstrated a clear need for time and space to focus on their research-related activity. To promote this, we are allocating £10K to pilot a project of ‘research-retreat’ activities. We want to work with the community to understand how we can offer research retreat opportunities more broadly, improving accessibility and sustainability. We want the research retreats to offer a time to focus on your research-related activity, be that writing grants, fellowships, books or papers, analysing data, strategic project planning or deep-thinking. Whether you have a pre-defined idea of a research retreat you’d like to run, or if you are curious about the opportunity, please apply to our Enhancing Research Culture Research Retreat.
Careers Service - Make it Happen Fund
The Careers Service Make It Happen Fund supports Newcastle University students and recent graduates to take the next step in their career development.
You can use a Make it Happen Fund bursary to enhance your skills and experience and to access or create opportunities.
Funding is limited and is available on a first come, first served basis. You can only apply for one bursary per year.
Who is it for?
- current Newcastle University students - all subjects and stages
- recent graduates - up to 12 months after graduation
You can apply for funding to support with the costs of:
- attending interviews and work experience
- attending a conference
- funding a project or initiative
To apply, please complete the online form after reading the Make it Happen Fund Terms and Conditions
Once you have applied, please allow 5 working days for a reply.
For any questions please contact mihf@newcastle.ac.uk.
Careers Service - Work for Yourself
START UP is a community of like-minded entrepreneurs and creatives.
We work with any student or recent graduate who wants to be self-employed, full or part-time. If you want to start or grow a business, freelance career or social enterprise, we can help.
Whether you’re just curious, considering it or already doing it, we'll support you and your goals at every stage of your start-up journey, from pre-idea to launch and beyond.
Begin your journey with us by booking a one-to-one appointment - see webpage for booking system..
Stay up-to-date by signing up to our newsletter.
Open Research Journal Club
Interested in Open Science and how to improve your research?
Come and have a cup of tea, learn about open science and join in the chat at Newcastle University's branch of the ReproducibiliTea journal club!
More information is available on the Opening Research blog and you can register your interest here
Young Entrepreneurs’ Scheme (YES)
Are you a budding scientific entrepreneur? YES is scientific researchers’ answer to The Apprentice.
As a team of 4 or 5 you will:
- attend presentations from leading industry figures on the commercialisation of ideas
- prepare an oral business plan presentation for a hypothetical start-up company
- take part in a series of five, three-day workshops
The workshops are on the themes of:
- digital
- energy, engineering and environment
- biosciences, health and wellbeing
- plant, microbial and environment
- biomedical
The winning teams from each workshop will go forward to the final. Finalists will have the chance to win prizes from a £15,000 prize fund.
Join us at a YES information session to find out more.