Sector Events May/June 2025
Student Action for Refugees (STAR): Small Charity Week – 23rd – 30th June
Student Action for Refugees (STAR) is taking part in the Big Give Small Charity Week match funding campaign. From 23rd – 30th June, all donations made through the Big Give campaign page will be doubled! They’ll be raising money for the STAR University Mentoring Programme which ensures that refugees get access to the right information and support to apply to university in the UK. You can see the campaign page here.
Through the STAR University mentoring programme, STAR will be able to :
- Provide 1:1 peer mentoring to displaced scholars throughout the academic year, from exploring their higher education options, the application process, scholarship applications and preparing for student life.
- Train student volunteers to become knowledgeable, thorough and supportive mentors.
- Deliver workshops and resources on how to access university and create spaces for peer to peer connection.
How you can help:
- Share the campaign with your family and friends!
- Email all fellow staff and any contacts you know who might be interested
- Print the campaign poster with the QR code, and put it up wherever you think it will have good visibility!
- Share the campaign on your social media
- Add the campaign page to your signature or out of office: Let’s get refugees into uni!📚🎓 Donate to Student Action for Refugees’ Small Charity Week Big Give Fundraiser between 23rd-29th June and your donation will be doubled!
WAHEN
· Supporting Low-Income & Marginalised Students to Achieve Their Potential (global) 2 July, 2-4pm
NEON Access and Success Academy – The Principles of Information, Advice and Guidance and Their Importance for Widening Access
Tuesday, 8 July 2025, 10 – 4pm (online)
Making sure that all learners – especially those from under-represented groups – receive accurate information, advice, and guidance is crucial to helping them stay on their educational path, transition successfully into higher education, and achieve positive outcomes. Effective support and interventions depend on a deep understanding of how to navigate the wide range of choices available to them. To achieve this, NEON invites you to their upcoming Access and Success Academy training.
Register to attend here.
Scottish Mentoring Network – PPAM Information Session
15th July 2025 (online)
The Professional Practice Award in Mentoring (SCQF Level 7) equips mentors with practical tools and reflective insight to support others more effectively.
✅ Hybrid delivery (Zoom sessions + self-paced learning)
✅ Must be mentoring or about to begin
✅ Builds confidence, structure, and impact
Unit 1 session 10:30am-12noon 22nd July
Unit 2 session 10:30am – 12noon 12th August.
For further information, contact Sarah: sarah@scottishmentoringnetwork.co.uk
Open University Virtual Open Days
If you are interested in studying with the Open University, you can get a taste of OU life wherever you are, through our Virtual Open Days.
Virtual Open Days offer an opportunity to discover what the OU has to offer and where study could take you, through video explainers and guides, live webchats, and students and graduates sharing their stories and advice.
The online events are available as a mix of afternoon and evening sessions until 17 July.
Join the Scottish Peer Support Network
The Scottish Peer Support Network (SPSN) is a JISC mailing list for staff in Scottish FE and HE institutions who work with students on initiatives which involve peer-to-peer learning, mentoring, and support. It provides a space where we can come together to share ideas, resources, and experiences to help develop and enhance peer learning and support provision across Scotland.
This is an exciting time for the network as we are extending the scope of our remit and we would encourage colleagues from across the sector who work in peer learning/mentoring to join us and help build the network into a thriving community.
The Scottish Peer Support Network (SPSN) is pleased to announce its renewed thematic scope for the 2025-2026 academic year. Building on previous successful engagement with Learning Developers in the Scottish HE sector, the network seeks to broaden its outreach to more professionals with peer-focused remits in HE and FE institutions across Scotland. The network is particularly interested in merging its previous focus on academically-focused peer-enabled learning development with peer-focused service lines in strands such as pastoral support, wellbeing, careers, and other initiatives focusing on peer-to-peer student interactions.
SPSN co-chairs Lisa Vettese Cruden (PALS Coordinator, Queen Margaret University) and Bob Imbur (Peer Learning Facilitator, University of Glasgow) invite you to get in touch and share your vision of what a support network encompassing peer-focused service lines in HE and FE institutions might look like! Please contact Lisa (lcruden@qmu.ac.uk), or join the mailing list directly (www.jiscmail.ac.uk/ SCOTTISHPEERSUPPORTNETWORK).
We look forward to welcoming new members!
The Power of Potential: A Journey with Outward Bound
Free 24 hour Taster for WA/WP Staff -17/18th October
This immersive experience offers a powerful opportunity for staff working on Widening Access programmes to step into the world of Outward Bound – where challenge, reflection and the great outdoors combine to unlock confidence, resilience, and leadership in young people. We’re proud to support several Widening Access initiatives—and we’re ready to support more.
What you’ll gain:
⛺ Insight into how outdoor residentials foster resilience, confidence and self-belief
🛶 Strategies used in Outward Bound courses to support learners
⛰️ Inspiration from how other programmes are using Outward Bound to support their students
If you want to join us on 17/18th October at our Ullswater Centre for this free event, then use this link to book your place now!
Scottish Educational Research Association (SERA) Conference 2025
19th – 21st November 2025, University of Aberdeen
The SERA Annual Conference is an important event for the educational research community in Scotland.
The three-day conference invites researchers and practitioners working in Scottish and international research contexts to share their insights under the theme of Education: Open to all?
Find out more here.
SCiP Alliance Annual Conference 2025: Whole Person, Whole Journey
The SCiP Alliance Annual Conference 2025 (26th Nov 2025) will bring together practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and funders to explore a whole person, whole journey approach to supporting Service children. This vital theme recognises the need for collaboration across education, youth work, health, and wellbeing, ensuring seamless support from early years to adulthood. Hosted in Glasgow, the event will highlight Scotland’s pioneering work while fostering cross-border learning through practical workshops, expert panels, and keynote insights.
Find our more about the call for conference workshop proposals here (the deadline for submissions is 14 Aug)
Find out more about the conference and book your ticket here (early bird rates available till 31 Aug)