Gardening
Start Date: 15 January 2026 11:00 am
End Date: 15 January 2026 3:00 pm
Location: Community Hub, Exton Park
Have a go at planting your own pot plant and pot decorating.
11am-12.30pm and 1.30pm and 3pm.
Author: Amy Edwards
Student Services Spotlight – University of Sanctuary: How to be involved
Start Date: 25 February 2026 10:00 am
End Date: 25 February 2026 10:20 am
Location: Online
This 15-minute spotlight session will introduce what it means for Chester to be a University of Sanctuary. You’ll learn how the university works to create a welcoming and supportive environment for people seeking sanctuary and how these values are reflected across campus life.
The session will also highlight simple ways staff and students can get involved and help make Chester a place of safety, inclusion, and belonging for all.
Student Services Spotlight – Student Services Helpdesk
Start Date: 11 March 2026 10:00 am
End Date: 11 March 2026 10:20 am
Location: Online
Join us for a 15 minute spotlight session to learn more about the Student Services Helpdesk.
We will cover how to get in touch with us, the range of support that is available to you through the Helpdesk and what to expect when you reach out to us.
Whether you are looking for support from Student Services now or you would like to learn more should you need us in the future, this session will help you to feel more confident in getting in touch.
Student Services Spotlight – Pathway to Success: Supporting Student Transition at the University of Chester
Start Date: 4 February 2026 10:00 am
End Date: 4 February 2026 10:20 am
Location: Online
This session introduces Pathway to Success, a new transition and early-engagement that was trialled this academic year to better support students from pre-arrival through their first weeks at university.
The session will outline:
- The challenges students commonly experience during transition into higher education.
- The rationale for developing Pathway to Success and why a more structured, joined-up approach is being piloted this year
- The key components of the model, including pre-arrival support and targeted interventions
- How the approach aims to improve student confidence, engagement, and continuation
- What the trial involves, how it will be evaluated, and opportunities for feedback and involvement
While primarily aimed at staff with an interest in student experience, support, teaching, or retention, the session is open to all staff and students who want to understand how the University is strengthening support during the transition into university life.
Student Services Spotlight – International Student Arrival: Pre-Arrival Information, Toolkit, and Handbook
Start Date: 15 January 2026 10:00 am
End Date: 15 January 2026 10:20 am
Location: Online
The Student Experience Team will introduce the International Student Handbook and Toolkit and explain how these resources can be used to support students before they travel and during their first weeks at the University of Chester.
The session will cover key pre-arrival information, what students can expect when arriving in the UK, important next steps before enrolment, and where to find accurate and up-to-date guidance and support. This session is particularly useful for staff who support international students, as well as students who would like a clear overview of the pre-arrival process.
There will be time for questions at the end of the session.
For any questions about this session, please contact studentexperience@chester.ac.uk.
Student Services Spotlight – Your Money: What we do and how to seek support
Start Date: 18 February 2026 10:00 am
End Date: 18 February 2026 10:20 am
Location: Online
Join us for this spotlight session to learn how the University’s ‘Your Money’ service can support you during your studies. We’ll outline the range of support available to students, explain how to access it, and walk you through what to expect when you reach out for help. Whether you’re planning ahead or facing financial challenges, this session will help you understand your options and feel more confident managing your money.
Student Services Spotlight – International Student Arrival: International Student Enrolment
Start Date: 22 January 2026 10:00 am
End Date: 22 January 2026 10:20 am
Location: Online
This session provides an overview of the international student in-person enrolment process at the University of Chester and is open to all staff and students.
The Student Experience Team will explain how enrolment works, including what students need to do before enrolment, the documents required, and what to expect from in-person enrolment after arrival in the UK.
The session will also cover important information to help ensure enrolment is completed smoothly and on time. This session is highly recommended for anyone involved in supporting international students, as well as students who would like a clear understanding of the enrolment process.
There will be time for questions at the end of the session.
For any questions about this session, please contact studentexperience@chester.ac.uk.
Student Services Spotlight – Residential Life: What we do and how to get in touch
Start Date: 18 March 2026 10:00 am
End Date: 18 March 2026 10:20 am
Location: Online/Teams
In this session we’ll cover:
- an introduction to the team.
- a brief overview of some of the social events we deliver.
- how we fit into Student Services and how we work with Accommodation, the Proctor’s Office, and with Security.
Student Services Spotlight – Chaplaincy: Ramadan
Start Date: 9 February 2026 10:00 am
End Date: 9 February 2026 10:20 am
Location: Online/Teams
This session will act as a simple introduction to Ramadan and will cover:
- What Ramadan is.
- How Muslims fast.
- How can we support staff and students during Ramadan.
Winter night out safety
We know lots of you have exciting nights out planned before the end of this term and the start of our festive break.
The University is based in a very safe city, however it’s still important to be on guard, especially on a night out.
Here are our top tips on how to enjoy nights out with your friends safely:
🍹 Keep an eye on how much you’re drinking – it’s easy to get carried away on a night out but keep an eye on what you’re drinking and how much. And if you feel like you’ve had way too much, stop and go home.
💬 If you find yourself feeling uncomfortable or unsafe on a night out, you can go up to the bar and ask for ‘Angela’ – this will alert bar staff that you’re in an unsafe situation and they’ll call a taxi for you and keep you safe until it arrives.
🚫 Don’t add alcohol or drugs to anyone else’s drink. This is classed as spiking and is a criminal offence. It’s dangerous and can sometimes result in tragic consequences. If you think you’ve been spiked, find someone you trust and tell them at the time – this could be a friend or someone who works at a venue.
❌ Don’t leave your drink unattended – being spiked is never your fault and although cases of spiking are low around our sites, you still need to be careful. You can get anti-spiking drink covers and bottle top covers from the Bar at Exton Park.
After the event, please let the University or Chester Students’ Union know – we work with external partners around our sites to ensure our students are safe so we can share this information with them.
🚶 Many routes back to our Chester sites from the city centre run alongside the water. Please be careful – and where you can, plan a journey home away from the water. If you do plan to take a route home which runs alongside a river or canal, please don’t go alone, walk with your friends, and consider using a personal safety app like Hollie Guard.
If you do find yourself in a situation where you need help:
☎️ Dial 999 in an emergency
☎️ Dial 101 in a non-emergency
☎️ If you need help at our sites, Security is available 24 hours a day – call 01244 511 541.
Or check out our Help in an Emergency tile on the UoC app for more emergency contacts.
Stay safe ❤️