Welcome to your Alumni Community update for May 2026. 

In this month’s update, you’ll find the Graduation Gallery from our March ceremonies, an interesting Archive development, discounted language classes for Alumni, the latest news from the University and much more. 

Our Graduation Gallery from the March 2026 ceremonies is now live! 

Take a moment to relive the achievements and special moments from our latest cohort of graduates. Don’t forget to follow us on social media for all the latest Alumni updates and events taking place across the University (Instagram: @chesteralumni & Facebook: University of Chester Alumni Network) 

Happy photo hunting! 

Click here to explore the gallery 

The Careers and Employability Department at the University of Chester has recently launched the Chester Exchange Project 2026, a career mentoring programme designed to connect current students and recent graduates with industry professionals through a one‑to‑one mentoring relationship. 

This programme aims to support students and recent graduates in building confidence, exploring career options and developing meaningful professional connections within the region. 

The Careers Mentoring Team would like to warmly invite interested Alumni to apply to become mentors as part of this initiative, helping to support students and recent graduates as they take their first steps into the world of work. 

To apply to become a mentor, please complete the Chester Exchange 2026 - Mentor Application Form. 

The deadline to express an interest in becoming a mentor is 5th May 2026. 

If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact the Mentoring Team at careermentoring@chester.ac.uk.  

A huge thank you to all Alumni who completed the Alumni Reunion Options Form sent out in March. It was lovely to see such a strong level of interest and a wide range of suggestions. 

The Alumni Team is currently reviewing the feedback received and will share further details about our reunion plans in the coming weeks. 

A group of seven history students, undertaking the experiential learning module ‘Curious Chester’, are researching the history of the University (and its predecessor institutions) through objects and documents held in the University Archive, including some donated by University Alumni. 

We'll bring you more on this project in our next newsletters. 

The Alumni Office is very grateful for the many donations of photographs and other memorabilia shared by Alumni about their time at the University of Chester and its predecessor institutions. At present, we are particularly keen to receive student memorabilia relating to the University’s Warrington campus. 

If you would like to donate items or find out more, please contact alumni@chester.ac.uk.

Chester Made celebrates where your degree takes you, from your first steps on campus to the career successes that follow. 

We recently spoke with several University of Chester Alumni to explore how studying their degree at Chester had a lasting impact on their career aspirations and helped shape the people they are today. 

To read their stories, along with other Chester Made features, you can read more here. 

If you have a story about how the University supported you on your journey and would like to share it, please share your story. We’d love to hear from you. 

Interested in learning a new language this year? 

Bookings for our five-week Modern Languages Taster Courses (beginning in May) are now open! 

All courses run once a week from 6.30pm–8.30pm at Exton Park, starting on 18th May and running until the week commencing 15th June. 

Courses usually cost £99, but a £24 discount is available exclusively to our Alumni community, reducing the price to £75.

To receive your discount code, please complete this Alumni form. A code will be sent to you on either a Tuesday or a Thursday. Please note that requests for codes via email will not be accepted. 

For more information on the languages available, timetables, locations and enrolment, please visit our courses pages. 

Some courses are extremely popular, so please book early to avoid disappointment! 

Once you have received your discount code, you can book your place here! 

More award shortlisting good news!

The University of Chester has been shortlisted for another award (yes, another one!) at the prestigious Whatuni Student Choice Awards (WUSCAs) 2026 - the only UK higher education awards entirely voted for and judged by students. 

The University of Chester has been recognised across the following categories: 

• University of the Year   
• Lecturers and Teaching Quality   
• International  
• Postgraduate  
• Student Support  
• Halls and Student Accommodation 

The winners of each category will be announced at the Whatuni Student Choice Awards ceremony on 21st May, 2026. 

Find out more 

Our Vice‑Chancellor, Professor Eunice Simmons, has been nominated for Change Maker of the Year at the 2026 DIB Cheshire and North Wales Business Awards.

The awards celebrate the very best organisations and individuals across the region, and the Change Maker of the Year award is a new category recognising those making a positive impact within their organisation and beyond. 

Find out how you can vote for the Vice‑Chancellor

University of Chester Professor Deborah Wynne has had privilege of being selected, along with six other Brontë scholars, as one of the first people to see and study a miniature magazine manuscript written by the 14-year-old Charlotte Brontë which had been hidden from public view for more than a century.  

Written in Charlotte Brontë’s distinctive tiny script, the manuscript forms a missing part of The Young Men’s Magazine, a series she edited and wrote long before going on to create much‑loved works such as Jane Eyre, among her other novels and poetry. 

Read the full story here 

A selection of key events taking place throughout May and June 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 

• Wednesday 6th May 2026 
• 4pm – 5.30pm 
• Wheeler Building (Room: CRV139), Chester, CH1 1SL 
• Open event 

Currently, one in five NHS staff are non‑UK nationals. Since the NHS was founded in 1948, workers from overseas have played a vital role in shaping and sustaining healthcare in the UK. Today, NHS staff come from more than 200 countries worldwide, with a similarly diverse picture reflected across the social care workforce. 

Join us to celebrate the achievements of international health and social care workers and to hear directly from those who have travelled from across the globe to work in the NHS and social care. 

Find out more

• Wednesday 10th June 2026 
• 5.30pm – 7pm 
• Exton Park, Chester 
• Open event 

Thinking about further study or your next career move? Join us at our Postgraduate Open Evening this June to meet our academic teams, explore our postgraduate courses and discover how studying at Chester can support your professional ambitions. 

As alumni of the University of Chester or one of its Associate Colleges, you may be eligible for our Graduate Loyalty Discount on tuition fees. 

Book Your Place 

The Research and Innovation Office would like to warmly invite all Alumni to attend the Postgraduate Academic Research Conference (PARC) 2026. 

• Monday 22nd June – Wednesday 24th June  
• 9am – 4pm  
• Binks Building (Room 107), Exton Park, Chester 

The packed three-day event features student presentations, student posters, staff research posters, workshops, plenary talks, and numerous opportunities to network with like‑minded researchers. 

There will be lots of exciting postgraduate research presentations and workshops, as well as opportunities to network with students and staff. It is a fantastic opportunity for those aspiring to start their postgraduate journey to come along and listen to the wide range of research being presented. 

Registration to attend closes in the first week of June, and we’d recommend booking early to avoid disappointment. 

To register for the event, please click here. If you have any questions, please contact pgrevents@chester.ac.uk. 

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 of Chester international students report outstanding experience in global survey 
• University of Chester students celebrate £5,000 Santander Scholarships 
• University professor makes history with higher doctorate honour 

…and plenty more stories from across our university community. 

May can be a busy time, with life picking up the pace and diaries filling quickly. Taking short moments to pause can help prevent stress from building up and support balanced energy levels. 

This month, try checking in with your routines. Are you taking regular breaks, drinking enough water and properly switching off at the end of the day? Even a few minutes away from your screen, a gentle stretch, or stepping outside for some fresh air can make a real difference.

Alumni Relations Office

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

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