Postgraduate students from universities across the UK will gather at the University of Aberdeen for a major national conference later this month.
The annual event, believed to be the biggest of its kind in the country, will attract upwards of 130 postgraduate students who will take part in two days of presentations, seminars and talks covering issues relevant to the postgraduate sector including funding, employment, getting successfully published, and teaching tips.
Now in its second year, the 2005 College of Arts and Social Sciences Postgraduate Conference (CASSPC) entitled ‘Moving Forward’ is being held on Thursday and Friday, June 23 and 24, 2005, at King’s College Centre.
Drawing on the success of last year’s event, the 2005 conference aims to attract even more delegates and attendees, not only from the College itself, but also from universities across the country.
The aims of the CASSPC are to bring postgraduate research students together from different departments, schools and universities to discuss and debate common issues and problems; to enable individuals to network and form long term friendships; and finally to provide postgraduate students with an ideal opportunity to present and discuss their work in a supportive and relaxed atmosphere.
Conference Co-ordinator and website designer Gavin Smith, who is a second year PhD student within the School of Social Sciences, said he was looking forward to welcoming fellow postgraduate students from across the College, and indeed the country, to the conference.
He said: “This conference is a huge event for postgraduate students and I am delighted to be involved.
“The conference has grown from strength to strength and is proving itself a vital learning tool for postgraduate students throughout the UK.
"We provide not only a range of generic sessions with advice vital to the successful completion of a postgraduate career, but also offer individuals the ideal opportunity to both disseminate and absorb cutting edge research.”
“The conference further helps to create a postgraduate student community and we hope to attract as many PG students as possible, so that experiences can be shared and lasting contacts established.”
This year’s event will feature a series of new plenary development sessions presented by a range of speakers including the likes of Professor Dominic Houlihan, Vice-Principal of Research and Commercialisation at the University of Aberdeen, Professor Walter Humes, Director of Research at the University’s School of Education, Professor Tim Ingold, Head of Social Anthropology and Roda Morrison, Associate Editor, Edinburgh University Press.
The programme on Thursday (June 23) kicks off with registration at 8.30am with events continuing until 5.30pm. On Friday (June 24), the day’s agenda begins with tea, coffee and registration from 9am, with official events closing with the Viva Experience role play session from 4.30pm – 6pm. Attendance at the conference is free, with refreshments and lunch provided.
Conference delegates and attendees will have the chance to relax and further network at the conference Evening Reception, which will be held at Aberdeen’s Tiger Tiger bar, nightclub and restaurant from 7pm onwards.
The CASSPC full two-day provisional programme is available on the web by visiting: www.abdn.ac.uk/cass/pgradconf
To book a place at the conference on Thursday and Friday, June 23 and 24, 2005, contact the College of Arts and Social Sciences, on (01224) 272084 or complete the online registration form at the following web address: http://www.abdn.ac.uk/cass/pgradconf/registration.shtml