In this month’s newsletter we have a focus on the postgraduate research experience. The University of York Students’ Union (York SU) is the representative body for students at all levels, including PGRs. Its role involves advocating for PGRs, but also the fun stuff like organising social activities, excursions and PGR speed friending. Read on below for more detail about York SU’s work with PGRs and how you can get involved.

While York SU has a role in holding the University and YGRS to account, we also work together. The forthcoming regular PGR Forum is a joint York SU/YGRS event where we seek your views and feedback. We are also co-ordinating the pilot of a PGR Expert Panel together and we are currently in the process of selecting members of the panel. More to come on that.

Another area of joint interest with York SU is around where you live and how you get to campus. We know this is a key concern, whether that is securing affordable housing in or around York, travelling here for commuters and short-term places to stay for some of our distance learning PGRs. There is specialist housing advice available to you as PGRs (see below). We are also planning to do more detailed research on PGR housing and commuting needs during 2026 - look out for more on that.

We have completed our analysis of the 2025 Postgraduate Research Experience Survey results. There were lots of positives, with nearly all aspects of the PGR experience receiving higher levels of satisfaction than in 2023. However, there were a few areas to work on. For some of you, access to online resources, including journal subscriptions, was highlighted as an issue. See the item below from the Library on a browser extension tool which can help with this.

Best wishes, 
Paul

This year, York SU are working more closely with YGRS than ever to make sure your voice is heard and we can represent you as effectively as possible. This includes rethinking recruitment and training models, having a stronger voice within YGRS committees and forums and using PRES data to inform our work around PGR students. From PGR exclusive weekly activities to grant opportunities, find out more about the work planned for the semester ahead and beyond. 

We recognise that global conflict can affect our community in many different ways and we have lots of people ready to help. See our support for those affected by global crises.

The process to request a change of plan has been updated to be simpler and more consistent with other University policies. Find out more about the new ‘Change of Plan’ process. 

We’re hosting a welcome event on Monday 23 February for PGRs that started their research within the last few months. If you are eligible, you should already have received an invitation from us - if you have not heard, please let us know at ygrs@york.ac.uk. Come along for information and practical advice about starting your research programme, plus meet other new researchers from across the University.

The next PGR Forum takes place on Monday 23 February (in person) and Tuesday 3 March (online). Let your PGR rep know if there are any areas that you’d like to see discussed at the Forum.

Following successful campaigning by York Students’ Union, students with children travelling within the campus bus freezone now no longer have to pay for their child’s fare.

See the Library’s seven tips for finding the literature you need - highlights include:

Coming soon: a bulk request option for researchers conducting systematic or other long-form literature reviews.

Looking for help and support with private sector housing? We’ve got a range of private housing help events available for you. 

Following the relocation of the Humanities' Research Centre to Heslington Hall, the HRC are proud to offer a range of dedicated support and state-of-the-art facilities for PGRs in arts and humanities subjects. Discover the range of resources available, as well as how to register for access to Heslington Hall. 

Every February, LGBTQ+ History Month aims to increase the visibility of the LGBTQ+ community, and raise awareness of the community's history, lives and experiences in education, culture, and society. 

Designed to aid both quiet work and opportunities for self-regulation and decompression, our dedicated quiet spaces across campus offer a range of wellbeing rooms, sensory retreat rooms and even a quiet gym for you to explore to support you in your research. 

The Fellowship Launchpad is a programme of support for aspiring research fellows. If you are exploring early career fellowships, the EXPLORE series is a series of nine short online sessions introducing you to key fellowship topics. Search for ‘EXPLORE’ on SkillsForge to see all upcoming sessions.

The York Open Research Awards are open for submissions until Monday 27 April. The Awards celebrate innovation, advocacy and good practice in open research across all disciplines at York, with several £400 prizes on offer. Read about this year's scheme and past awardees on the Open Research at York wiki.

The Open Innovation Team PhD Placement Scheme brings research students into the heart of government, working with civil service teams on real policy challenges. Applications for these three-month long policy and evaluation placements are now open. Find out more and apply.

Get involved in a UK-wide study exploring how PGRs experience career development. Find out more and complete the expression of interest.

If you’re interested in submitting a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships 2026 proposal, and are wanting to complete your Fellowship in France, you can apply to join an on-site masterclass in Paris from 1-5 June - designed to provide essential tools and guidance for a successful application to the 2026 MSCA fellowship call. Find out more and submit your application.

SRM University-AP in India is currently recruiting for a variety of positions for the academic year 2026-27, and are keen to welcome new/ recent PhD graduates for short-term appointments. 

Opportunities are available across the Schools of Engineering, Applied Sciences, Management, and Liberal Arts for faculty positions at the levels of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor and Professor, and for short-term academic appointments (up to 90 days).

The University will be marking Neurodiversity Celebration Week (16-22 March) with events and activities, and all departments are invited to organise their own events. If you’re planning an event or activity for NCW, get in touch with the team at equality@york.ac.uk and we will assist with promotion of your event.

Doing a research project? You can publish an article about your work at York Vision. Just write approximately 200 - 400 words about the topic you're researching and email it to Shahama Anver (Science Editor) at qzn509@york.ac.uk.

"‘Having the freedom to shape your own project and take it in directions driven by curiosity is incredibly rewarding… I’ve learnt that those moments [where things go wrong] are often where you learn the most; troubleshooting and adapting are just as important as getting results.’"

Our latest PGR Spotlight features Kimrun Kaur: dedicated gardener, early bird and passionate researcher in the Department of Biology. Find out more about Kimrun’s typical day as a researcher, passion driving her topic choice, and what she’d tell her younger self before starting her project.  

Could you be our next spotlight? Contact our newsletter team at student-communications@york.ac.uk for more information on taking part in upcoming ‘Meet The PGR’ features.

University of York
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