Hi ,

December is here and the festive season is upon us. You may have even spotted the University's Christmas tree has arrived on campus!

Keeping in the festive spirit, check out our Winter in Newcastle programme, the top events in December from Rachel, our Student Content Creator, and don’t miss the luxury mince pie offer across our cafés! Be sure to enter for a chance to win £1000 with the Santander Brighter Futures Grant too.

We also share information from Jasmine, your Education Officer, about Newcastle University Learning Analytics, a dashboard designed to support the learning journey of taught programme students who access their learning through Canvas.

Prepare for your upcoming assessments by exploring support available from the Library, plus discover resources from the Careers Service about working abroad.

Share your experiences so we can help support you – please take a moment to complete the S.O.S-UK Drug and Alcohol survey and Cost of Living survey.

Dr Yvonne Chase 

Head of Student Life 

📊 Introducing Newcastle University Learning Analytics (NULA) 

NULA provides Personal Tutors and University colleagues in roles that support tutoring processes with a user-friendly dashboard of student data to better support you through your educational journey. Following a successful pilot, NULA is now being rolled out across the University, initially to support the learning journey of taught programme students who access their learning through Canvas.

Data sources presented on the dashboard include:

• Student Record Data
• Attendance - from the Student Attendance Monitoring System
• Assessment data
• Engagement data from Canvas courses 

Jasmine Banks, Education Officer at the Students’ Union, found out more about NULA in conversation with Dr Lindsey Ferrie, Academic Lead. They discuss:

• How NULA will benefit you
• What you can expect
• What you need to do

Watch the video and read Jasmine’s article on the Student Noticeboard to find out more.

💰 Last chance to win £1000 

Don’t miss out on the chance to win one of ten Brighter Future Grants in collaboration with our partners Santander! The grants are each worth £1000 to support your academic journey - spend the money on rent, bills, study resources or anything else you need! To enter:

1. Register for Santander Open Academy, a free online learning platform.
2. Follow the verification link in your confirmation email.
3. Log in and choose ‘Get Started’ to complete your entry into the Brighter Futures Grants programme. From the menu, select Newcastle University.
4. Submit your entry by Thursday 5 December 2024, 23:00 for your chance to win!

This opportunity is open to ALL Newcastle University students; you do not need to bank with Santander to enter. Read what previous Newcastle University winners had to say!

⛄ Winter in Newcastle

If you’re spending December or the Winter Break in and around Newcastle, there are many events offered across the University and city for you to take part in.

Check out the University’s Winter in Newcastle Programme, including Library Crafts at Christmas and visits to the Northern Lights Trail and Ice Skating at the Life Science Centre. Some activities do require you to sign up in advance!

Rachel, our Student Content Creator, also shares her top events this December! From Christmas markets to the UK's tallest Christmas tree, there's something for everyone! 

📱 Getting a new mobile phone?

If you’re expecting a new mobile phone for Christmas or upgrading your handset soon, be prepared! Remember that uninstalling the Authenticator app from your current phone will disable your Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) method.

To make the transition smoother, set up the Authenticator on your new mobile before removing it from the old one. This will ensure you have continuous access to your account without any issues over the holidays.

Trading in your current phone? If you plan on keeping your SIM card/number, see how you can set up MFA using a phone number.

📚 Get assessment ready!

Prepare for your upcoming assessments with exams and revision resources from the Academic Skills Team. You’ll find useful guidance on topics including:  

• Revising for knowledge 
• Revising for understanding
• Using flashcards for effective revision
• Exam technique

For individual support, you can also book an appointment with the Academic Skills Team. 

🎄 Luxury mince pie offer

This festive season, grab a large luxury mince pie for just £1 (usually £2.50!) with any purchase in one of our University-owned cafés on campus. While stocks last from Monday 2 to Friday 20 December.

✈ Thought about working abroad?

With the weather changing and the days getting colder, you might be wondering what it could be like to work abroad.

Working overseas is a great way to experience new cultures, meet new people and enhance your employability. However, it’s important to do plenty of research to make sure it’s right for you.

That’s where the Careers Service come in! Head to the Careers website where you’ll find lots of resources, like GoinGlobal, to help you answer questions you might have about working abroad.

💬 You may be interested in...

Student Spotlight

The Student Spotlight is the Education Officer's new monthly celebration of the everyday achievements of our students across all three Newcastle campuses. Congratulations to Juhi (Malaysia Campus, pictured left), Eloise Crowder (Newcastle Campus) and Syaeerhan Ramadhan Bin Mohamed Fareez (Singapore Campus).

Work experience

Having work experience when you graduate is an ideal way to set yourself apart in the competitive job market. Not only will it give you valuable employability skills, but it will also help you gain a clear picture as to what career would suit you.

Learn more about the different types of work experience available to you and where you can find opportunities.

🔗 Quick links

• At Newcastle University we are committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment where everyone feels safe, respected, and able to express their ideas, while also ensuring support is available for those affected by views they find hurtful or distressing.
  
  
• Prioritise your wellbeing [accessible version] during the Winter Closure with resources like the Winter Wellbeing Walk, TalkCampus app, and the iNCLude self-help tool. Stay informed about GP registration, festive carols, safer drinking habits, and the Safer Taxi Scheme. For emergencies, know who to contact and explore events and support available. 
  
  
• Grab a warm drink, a seasonal treat and meet the Chaplaincy team at the Festive Roadshow on Campus on Tuesday 10 December, 12:00-14:00 at the Arches.
  
  
• Complete the Students' Union's Cost of Living survey to help build a picture of how students are responding to the cost of living and provide an opportunity for the Students' Union and University to better support you.
  
  
• We want to help ensure you are supported and work on reducing the risks and negative impacts associated with drug and alcohol use. Having the experience of Newcastle students will go a long way in supporting this important work and that’s why we are helping to raise awareness in the annual S.O.S-UK Drug and Alcohol survey. Find out more on the Students' Union's website.
  
  
• IT Service (NUIT) are delighted to announce that all University students now have free access to Adobe Express.