Supporting you, cost of living and upcoming events

Read a message from Claire Morgan, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Education and Student Experience sent to undergraduate and postgraduate taught students on 4 October.

Dear student,

I hope that this email finds you well, and you’re settling into your new routine.

Supporting you and cost of living

You will of course all have a different experience over the year ahead, and I want to begin by reminding you that we are here with lots of different types of help and support if you ever need it via Student Connect. In particular, we are here for any students who may be affected by the ongoing protests in Iran.

One of the teams you can access through Student Connect is our Student Advice and Money team. Recognising the pressure many of you will be feeling when it comes to money this year especially, I want to reassure you that financial assistance is available (subject to eligibility), as well as guidance.

For the year ahead, the university has put in place extra support, including:

• Increasing the amount of funding available via our Financial Assistance Programme by £400,000, bringing the total fund to over £1m
• A one-off cost of living support payment for all our postgraduate research students engaged in teaching activity

If you are struggling, do contact Student Connect or visit the Centre for Student Life, they can help get the information you need. We are also working closely with the Students’ Union to agree what other support can be put in place.

Your future

The Centre for Student Life is also home to our Student Futures team, and it’s never too soon to start thinking about your career. They offer a range of support to help you succeed and have lots of events planned this term. You can discuss your options with a careers appointment, meet employers at our events and fairs, develop your employability in our career essentials workshops or even immerse yourself in new cultures with a global opportunity.

Upcoming events

Alongside your academic timetable, as a university we are proud to share with you a wide range of events, workshops and talks. A full list is available on the intranet and upcoming events will be shared in Student News each week. Here are a few I’d like to share this time:

• Black History Month marks the achievements and immense contribution that people of African, Arab, Asian, and Caribbean heritage make to all aspects of society. Join us at events throughout October to celebrate Black History Month and find out what we are doing on campus to support our Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic students
• Dinesydd Caerdydd/ Cardiff Citizen launch – join us on the 10 October in the Centre for Student Life as we celebrate the launch of a brand new module for Welsh speaking students followed by Gig Y Glas in the Students’ Union
• Dyslexia Awareness Week, 3 to 9 October. Meet students from the peer support group Thinking Differently and find out about the support the Student Disability Service provide

Keeping one another safe

Finally, a word on your safety. We work with our several partners including the Students’ Union, South Wales Police, Cardiff Council, and SafeZone to create a safe environment for you to live, study and work in. Our campuses and the surrounding areas are not immune to crime and safety issues, but as a university community I hope we can help keep one another safe.

Best wishes,

Claire Morgan
Pro Vice-Chancellor, Education and Student Experience