Postgraduate research community, representation and events
We have a vibrant academic postgraduate community within the School and there are many opportunities to get involved.
Community
We have an active academic community within the School of History, Classics and Archaeology and there are many ways to keep up to date.
There are a number of seminar series and reading groups within the School, run by both students and staff, which will help expand your knowledge and provide a tight-knit academic community.
Research groups, research seminars and centres
Postgraduate students are actively involved in our research groups and research centres. Some sit within the disciplines of History, Classics and Archaeology, others bring together researchers across the School. Cross-school research groups include: Digital Humanities; Intellectual History; Late Antique and Byzantine Studies; Material Culture; the History of Science, Medicine and Technology and the Global and Transnational History Research Group.
To find out more about our research groups, centres and seminars, see:
- School research groups
- School seminars
- Centre for the Study of Modern and Contemporary History
- Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies
There are also many research seminars and other activities taking place in the wider University.
Funding is available from the School for events led by students.
Student-Led Initiative Fund
The Graduate School offers a series of grants to postgraduate students who want to organise events and activities that foster learning and community-building within and across programmes in a scheme known as Student-led initiative grants.
The proposed activity can be anything from a writing retreat to a student-led conference or debating event.
More information is available on the Student Led Initiative Fund page.
Student representation
There is an extensive system of student representation in place to ensure students get to have their say at programme, School and University level.
Student representatives will be appointed for each subject area, year, or degree and their discussions with the Graduate School Office holders will be minuted and available for consultation.
Staff members at the University of Edinburgh work closely with these student representatives. Edinburgh University Students' Association (EUSA) coordinates student representation and provides training and support for student representatives across the University. Student representatives (‘Reps’) listen to you to identify areas for improvement, suggest solutions, and ensure that your views inform strategic decisions within the University, building a stronger academic community and improving your student life. All Schools are expected to facilitate communication between student representatives and the students they represent. Schools should either share with student representatives the University student email address of the students they represent (following the guidelines in the Guidance) or facilitate alternative ways for representatives to contact all classmates e.g. via mailing lists.
Each programme is asked to appoint a representative who will sit on the Graduate School Student-Staff Liaison Committee.
The Postgraduate Student-Staff Liaison Committee meets regularly each semester to discuss matters of concern to students. There are separate PGR and PGT (both on campus and online) student-staff liaison committees. Student representatives will be appointed for each subject area, year, or degree and their discussions with the committee will be minuted and available for review.
This is a two way consultation forum, which allows student reps to raise suggestions and concerns on behalf of their colleagues, and also allows staff to consult students for views about any developments the School or wider University is considering.
Please see the Graduate School Committee web page for full details on your reps and their contact details, agendas, minutes and the archive for past papers from previous years:
The Edinburgh University Students' Association offers a wide range of support specifically tailored for postgraduate students.
Edinburgh University Students' Association (EUSA) coordinates student representation and provides training and support for student representatives across the University. Student representatives (‘Reps’) listen to you to identify areas for improvement, suggest solutions, and ensure that your views inform strategic decisions within the University, building a stronger academic community and improving your student life. To facilitate communication between student representatives and the students they represent, represetatives will send communications via the School's m-list distribution lists.