Postgraduate students
Clubs and societies are open to everyone, but for some postgraduate students, they don’t feel as though they cater to them. There is significantly lower participation of postgraduate students in clubs and societies than the number at UEA. Postgraduate students are a diverse range of ages, so you may want to look at some of the guidance on mature students part of this booklet. Mature postgraduate students are anyone aged 25 and over when they start their PGT or PGR degree.
Top tips for supporting postgraduate students in clubs or societies
- It is important to promote that your club or society is open for everyone on your webpage and through your social media. Specifically, talk about postgraduate students and their experience of your student group. You could do this by highlighting current postgraduate students through case studies or sharing quotes. This also applies to the imagery that you share on your social media and webpage, are you showcasing postgraduate students as part of this?
- The move to fewer contact hours and greater independent study can be an isolating experience for many postgraduate students. Consider icebreaker tasks to integrate members. Everyone that has come along to your student group event or session is there because they have a shared interest.
- Postgraduate term dates do not follow undergrad ones, consider if you could do some activities outside of undergraduate terms dates to welcome postgraduates and reduce isolation.
- Do a poll on times and dates for events. This lets students know that you are considering their commitments when planning events.
- Consider if you could add a postgraduate Students' Welfare Rep or a similar position on your committee. Alternatively, you could look to share an email address that postgraduate students can get in touch with if they have any questions.
- Promote the benefits of a work-life balance and the importance of doing extracurricular activities at University.
- Plan and run campaigns, awareness-raising events and activities for the benefit of postgraduate students
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