The Brum Bulletin - Your student newsletter

As you return to University, you should continue to follow Covid-safe guidelines, to ensure the safety of yourself and others on campus. We ask that you wear a face covering in all teaching and learning settings including the Main Library, continue to get tested regularly (remember you can collect a home testing kit from various locations on campus and accommodation sites) and finally, get vaccinated or your booster if you haven't already. Read the full update.  

UoBe Festival is back and bigger than ever for 2022!

Speaking of Semester Two, there are a lot of exciting things to look forward to including the UoBe Festival, which returns from Sunday 23 to Friday 28 January with an exciting line-up of free activities for you to enjoy on campus and online. Take part in a packed programme of talks with headline speakers, masterclasses, challenges, workshops, live entertainment, film screenings and much more! There is something for everyone. If you missed out on winning a Lego Old Joe in our previous UoBe Festival competition, we have another one up for grabs. Keep reading to find out more.

UoBe Festival

Assessment Support

With the main assessment season now underway, there’s still plenty of time for you to check out some top tips and tricks for your exams and to download your study planner to help you stay organised. Through our 'UoBe Ready' campaign, discover advice on exam conduct and rules, what wellbeing support is available, and learn about the assessment frameworks in place for this year’s feedback. Check out the final UoBe Ready email here. 

UoBe Ready: Online assessments

This helpful video provides a fantastic guide for what to expect with online exams and how you can make the most of virtual assessments.

Watch now

Fancy winning £150 Amazon Vouchers?

How are our communications for you? Help us to shape future plans, projects and activities. We'd love a few minutes of your time to complete our short survey. Upon completion, you'll also be entered into a prize draw for the chance to win £150 Amazon vouchers. Survey closes Friday 28 January.

Take Part

What will you #JustBe for 2022?

Fancy seeing yourself on Old Joe? With UoBe Festival coming up, we’re asking you to share a photo of what you want to #JustBe in 2022. All entries will be submitted into a prize draw for a chance to win a Lego Old Joe! See last year’s #JustBe projections here. We'll be showcasing your images on Old Joe on Monday 17 January, 5-6pm. 

Submit your #JustBe photo 

Student Social: Adventures in Antarctica

 Remember our PhD student George @astro_drans who travelled to Antarctica over Christmas to install a new astronomical camera? Check out her updates on her amazing adventure. Have any adventures of your own to share? Don't forget to tag @unibirmingham across our socials.

Follow George's adventure

Birmingham 2022 Queen's Baton Relay nominations now open

Do you know someone who has taken on a big issue and changed the game? You could nominate a fellow student, member of staff or graduate to be a Batonbearer for the Birmingham 2022 Queen's Baton Relay. Deadline for nominations is 14 February.

Submit your nomination

Dates for your diary 

Queen's Baton Relay Scientific Webinar on Applied Research to Improve Sports Performance

Monday 17 January, 8.30-11am online via Zoom

As a leading sponsor of the Commonwealth Games 2022 and the Official Partner of the Queen’s Baton Relay, we are proud to present a Scientific Webinar on Applied Research to Improve Sports Performance. This online event will be led by UoB lecturers and co-hosted by the Physical Education and Sports Science academic group within the National Institute of Education at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Sign up here.

Let's Grapple & Litter Pick

Thursday 27 January, 12.30-3.30pm, Worcester and Birmingham Canal, Battery Park

Join your Community Wardens and the Canal & River Trust for a canal clean up, using grapple hooks to drag litter and rubbish from the bed of the waterway back onto dry land. This is a free session, all grapple and litter picking equipment will be provided. Please ensure you wear appropriate clothing and footwear. Register here.

What's on in Brum

Get some fresh air, reduce your stress and increase your positivity levels in between study and revision sessions by exploring Cannon Hill Park. Walk along the lake and feed the ducks, enjoy some treats in the tea room or visit the nearby Nature Centre. 

Explore Birmingham

PG Corner

Join us for UGS Talks

The University Graduate School is launching an exciting new series of events to bring together the postgraduate community. 'UGS Talks' offers fascinating insights into life after postgraduate study, alongside friendly networking over coffee and cake. 

Our first session takes place on Tuesday 25 January, 12-30-4pm and we’re thrilled to announce our postgraduate alumni speakers as Harvinder Atwal (Chief Data Scientist @ MoneySupermaket and Author) and Henrietta Brealey (CEO at Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce). The pair will be sharing their career journeys, including the highs and lows, the vital skills they learnt as postgraduates, and their advice to those graduating into a post-COVID world.  Sign up to UGS Talks today.

And finally...

• Help us plan for future vaccine services on campus. The University is continuing to support the national vaccination campaign to protect our student community. To help us plan for future vaccination services on campus we are asking all students to let us know their current vaccination status by completing this short survey.
• Alternative ways to access your UoB Timetable. The quickest and easiest way to access your timetable is through the MyUoB app, however if you ever have trouble accessing your timetable through the app, you can also access it online through the timetable website.
• Paid roles for students. Get involved in this year’s Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, a once in a lifetime chance to work at a large global event. We have a range of paid roles for UoB students across Accommodation, Cleaning, Food and Beverage, and Community Living teams. Apply today.
• Looking for accommodation? We’ve got spaces available in our accommodation for returning students (non-first years). The deadline to register your interest is Wednesday 26 January. Register here.
• Well done to the UoB University Challenge team. Although not the result we all wanted, we would like to congratulate the team on their success during the competition. It's been wonderful to watch their journey to the quarter-finals, representing UoB.