Welcome to your Alumni Community update for August 2026. 

In this month's update, you'll find a final reminder to book your place at Alumni Reunion 2026, news from the University Archive, highlights from our celebration of 65 years of women studying at Chester, the reopening of Binks, the latest University news and much more. 

A huge thank you to all Alumni who has already booked to join us for the Alumni Reunion 2026, taking place from 11th to 13th September 2026 at Exton Park. 

The weekend’s programme is designed to be informal and flexible. Friday (11th September) will feature the main organised activities, while the rest of the reunion offers plenty of time to explore Chester, revisit favourite places and reconnect with fellow Alumni at your own pace. 

With the booking deadline fast approaching and only a limited number of places remaining, now is the time to secure your place! 

Booking Deadline: 11th August 2026 

Find out more and book your place 

Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous Alumnus, the University has been able to employ three students to support the cataloguing of objects within the University Archive. 

Through the Unijob scheme, Joshua (BSc Software Engineering), Melissa (MSc International Tourism and Hospitality Management) and William (MSc Museums and Heritage Practice) were employed to catalogue a collection of books, reports, journal articles and ephemera relating to arts education. 

Despite the record-breaking temperatures, the students enjoyed their time working in the Archive and developed valuable skills in cataloguing, attention to detail and time management. 

Reflecting on the experience, Joshua said: "This short project has really helped me improve my research skills." 

Melissa said: "I'd like to work with libraries in the future, so this project helped me understand how they operate." 

William said: "I'd like a career in museums, so cataloguing these items has given me a taste of the work that goes on behind the scenes." 

The project was managed by Amy Hultum in the Alumni Office, with cataloguing guidance from Dr Lisa Peters. 

Amy said, “We’re thrilled that we were able to give three students the opportunity to get some paid work experience and make a significant dent in our archive cataloguing. We’re very grateful to the alumnus for their donation and if any alumni are interested in making a donation so we can employ students on archive projects, please contact alumni@chester.ac.uk”. 

Do you have any paid part-time opportunities available within your organisation? 

The University's Part-time Jobs Fair will be taking place at Exton Park during Welcome Week on Friday 2nd October, from 11am to 1.30pm. 

Hosted by the Careers and Employability team, the fair gives employers the opportunity to promote paid, part-time vacancies directly to students looking for flexible work alongside their studies. 

Exhibition space is free of charge, making it a great opportunity to promote your vacancies, connect with students and build links with the University. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. 

To register your interest in exhibiting, or to find out more, please email employers@chester.ac.uk by Friday 14th August.

In 1961, the then Chester Diocesan Training College welcomed its first cohort of women students, marking a significant milestone in the institution's history after many years as a male-only college. 

In July, the University of Chester celebrated 65 years of women studying at Chester, by bringing together Alumnae from across the decades to reflect on their experiences and the changing role of women in higher education. 

Attendees shared memories of their time at Chester, highlighting the support they received throughout their studies and discussed the lasting impact their time at Chester has had on their lives.

Calling all Alumni from the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences! 

We're looking for submissions for our Chester Made campaign, which celebrates the achievements and experiences of our Alumni. 

Whether you've just started your career, launched a business, continued your studies or are making a difference in your community, we'd love to hear your story! 

You can get involved in a number of ways: 

• Submit a Chester Made story  
• Write a short blog about your time at Chester  
• Take part in a relaxed recorded interview and we'll turn your story into a blog-style feature 

Interested in getting involved or have any questions? Please get in touch with the Alumni team at: alumni@chester.ac.uk 

We look forward to hearing your Chester story.

Did you know that we have an Alumni blog on our website? 

Alumni have previously written pieces about their time at the University, their standout memories and what they’ve gone on to do after graduating. 

We're always looking for new contributors and would love to hear your story! 

One recent contributor was Mahshid (MSc Food Science and Innovation, Class of 2023), who reflected on how her time at the University of Chester helped shape her career. 

Read Mahshid's story 

If you’re interested in writing for the Alumni blog and would like more information, please email the Alumni Team at alumni@chester.ac.uk 

Find out more the Alumni blog 

The University of Chester has officially re-opened the Binks building following the completion of a major refurbishment programme and marking a significant milestone in the continued enhancement of facilities at the Exton Park campus. 

To celebrate the reopening, the University was delighted to welcome members of the Binks family, guests and civic dignitaries for a special ceremony (pictured above). 

As part of the refurbishment, a portrait of Reverend Canon Dr Edmund Vardy Binks, affectionately known as Ned, has been installed in the building’s foyer in recognition of his lasting contribution to the institution. 

Ned served as Principal of Chester College from 1987 to 1998 and played a pivotal role in shaping the foundations of what would become the University of Chester. Following his passing earlier this year, he is remembered with great respect, gratitude and affection by colleagues, students and all who knew him. 

Find out more about the ceremony 

A newly published study involving researchers from the University of Chester is helping to define the future of modern zoos, outlining vital research priorities to enhance animal welfare, global conservation, and public trust. 

Read more 

Congratulations to all our Alumni who were selected to pitch their business ideas at this year's University of Chester Venture Pitch event. 

This year's competition was split up into two categories: Pre-launch and the Accelerator. 

The Accelerator programme, introduced this year, saw five previous pitchers who have gone on to launch their businesses compete for a range of cash and support prizes. 

Congratulations to Helle, Alex and Shima, who were awarded prizes in the Accelerator programme. 

A further congratulations to Pre-Launch winners Sam and Thomas, who are currently working towards the release of their first RPG (role-playing game), SunTide. 

Find out more 

A selection of key events are taking place throughout the summer at the University.  

All Alumni are warmly invited to attend. 

Please note: some events may require a paid ticket, and this will usually be indicated within the event details. 

For full information about upcoming University events, please visit  

University Events 

• Thursday 16th July – Thursday 13th August 
• Kingsway Creative Campus 
• Monday-Saturday - 10am - 4pm 
• No booking required

As part of the Artists Access to Art Colleges’ (AA2A) 30-year anniversary, the University will host the celebratory exhibition at the Creative Campus, Kingsway, where the work of supporting artists, alumni and contributing colleagues will be shown.

• Tuesday 18th August 2026 
• 12.30 PM – 1.30 PM 
• Online 
• Free

Join us for an informal online session to find out more about our flexible, career-focused degrees. Discover how you can learn while you earn, make an impact in your workplace, and achieve your career goals. 

With over 25 years’ experience supporting professionals through work-based learning degrees, we would be delighted to tell you more about this flexible route to an MBA or Master’s qualification, or a top-up BA or BSc. 

Book your place 

• Wednesday 2nd September 2026 
• 9:15 am – 4pm 
• Wheeler, Chester

If you've already completed a degree and are considering a career change, our Graduate Entry Medicine Open Day is a great place to start.  

Open to graduates from any discipline, this four-year MBChB course offers a route into Medicine regardless of your undergraduate degree background. Join us to learn about the course, meet staff, and tour our state-of-the-art clinical skills and simulation facilities. 

Book your place 

Each month the University shares a wide range of news updates which you can follow on the website’s ‘News Page’.  

This month’s highlights include: 

• University archaeologists make exciting and unexpected discovery at Chester Castle 
• University-run Chester Festival of Ideas returns with record turnout 
• Has the FIFA World Cup become too expensive for many match-going fans? 
• New University podcast episode focuses on psychology of the World Cup 
• Creative writing talent celebrated at Cheshire Prize for Literature awards 

…and plenty more stories from across our University community. 

Thinking of a nice gift for the family or a friend? Help swap the single-use bottles for a high-quality reusable one to suit their style. If plain water bores you, flavour it with leftover fruit or herbs (e.g., lemon, cucumber, or mint). This reduces food waste and cuts out flavoured, bottled drinks.

Alumni Relations Office

E: alumni@chester.ac.uk
W: www.chester.ac.uk/alumni

Copyright © 2026 University of Chester - Corporate Communications, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you are a graduate of the University of Chester. You can unsubscribe below, at any time.