In this 20-minute TED-style lunch and learn session, we will explore the transformative impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on education, with a special focus on the opportunities it presents for Royal Holloway, University of London. Titled 'Now, Next, and Future: AI and Digital Opportunities for Royal Holloway' this session will delve into the current state, emerging trends, and future possibilities of AI in the higher education landscape.

Join us for this session to discover how AI can shape the future of education and research at Royal Holloway and beyond.

Professor Alexandra Palombi, Head of Department of Health Studies discusses the value of Health and Wellbeing, and how this is instilled within our academic and research activity at Royal Holloway to engender this in society through our students and research impact. Joined by Helen Groenendaal, Director of Student Life who will tell us about the health and wellbeing of students and staff at the University and the initiatives that are happening and in development across our campuses.

Join Professor Anica Zeyen (Department of Strategy, International Business and Entrepreneurship, School of Business and Management), as she delves into the vital connections between social justice, disability inclusion, and reducing inequalities. She will share key insights from her extensive research on disability inclusion, highlighting ongoing challenges faced by the 1.3 billion people worldwide living with disabilities. Anica’s work emphasises the importance of lived experiences of inequality, stigma, and discrimination by disabled people, aiming to identify concrete changes that organisations can implement to become more inclusive and equitable. She will also discuss her impact projects, including a documentary, podcast, and arts exhibition, aimed at promoting greater awareness and understanding. This talk is essential for those passionate about advancing social justice and recognising the broad benefits of disability inclusion for all.

Active Lifestyle and Sport (ALS) will be on Founder's Square between 10.30am-2pm with activities for students and staff to play (weather permitting). ALS colleagues will be available in the canopy to showcase the new strategic plan for sport, demonstrating different parts of the strategic plan, its alignment to RH2030s and how we will work with staff, students and community partners to continue to co-design and create positive sporting opportunities relevant to our communities.

All will be able to chat to the ALS team about how we develop students as volunteers in sport both in student and community settings, enable you to gain paid work opportunities and the skills that you learn through this, support gifted sports people through our scholarship, and provide places for the local community to play sport. We will also display the new playing kit for Royal Holloway Sport and describe the journey we have been on to procure, develop and design the final product working with student and staff, whilst incorporating Royal Holloway values.

Further information to follow.

Join us to hear from an inspiring alumni panel of changemakers as they share why what they do matters, to them, to their communities or to the wider world. At the event our alumni panel will share their own stories since graduating before discussing the good that can be done in the world by pursuing your passion.

Our panel will include Teacher, Broadcaster and writer Bobby Seagull (BSc Economics and Maths 2007), Director, Founder and Sustainability expert Sandra Anani (MBA International Business 2006) and Curator and Educator Simon Sladen (MA Theatre 2010).

The panel talk will be followed by an opportunity to explore the new exhibtion on our Egham campus and a reception.     

Register to attend here.

Hosted by the Students' Union Sabbatical Officers, this event will feature members of the University and Students' Union Senior Leadership Teams discussing what being a University of Social Purpose means, how it impacts our student community, how to get involved in our communities and the Students’ Union’s role in this. Students can submit questions for the panel beforehand, or ask them live on the day.

Free pizza will be provided for attendees from 12.30pm in the Foyer, with the panel starting at 1pm.

Book your space for free!

In this special guest lecture, Rt Hon Justine Greening will discuss the crucial role of higher education in breaking down barriers to opportunity for those who come from the most disadvantaged backgrounds. She will discuss the now vital need for a shared long-term vision between higher education, the government and local communities in higher education to ensure Britain's future success. Justine will also consider the impact of social mobility on the UK's future prosperity and how universities can work in partnership with communities, the public sector and private industry to be a force for social good.

The Rt Hon Justine Greening is Chair of the Purpose Coalition. During her time in government, Justine was the first Secretary of State for Education to attend a comprehensive school, Minister for Women and Equalities, Secretary of State for International Development, Secretary of State for Transport and Economic Secretary to the Treasury.

The Student Journey team focus on how we help deliver the Education and Student Experience Strategic Action Plan by supporting you with your wellbeing, employability and wider experiences of campus life alongside a range of education support services – all of which enable you to develop skills and attributes that will prepare them for life beyond Royal Holloway. There will be a with particular focus on how we’ve created student journey maps to improve our services, as well as a series of ‘TED talks’ for each area alongside some visuals and case studies.

Our Autumn Living Campus Seasonal Walking Tour will be held on Thursday 10 October at 12pm, starting under Founder’s South tower and will be led by Royal Holloway’s Senior Gardener, Daniel Steel, and Head of Sustainability, Mark Berry.

This walk will highlight seasonal changes to flora and fauna, and will provide an insight into how the grounds are managed at different times of year. This tour also offers students an opportunity to engage with the Living Campus and explore how it can be used within their research and learning.

Register you attendance by clicking this link: RH2030's launch week -  Autumn Living Campus Seasonal Walking Tour (office.com)

Collaborative futures – Seriously Playful Innovation 

CoSTAR National Lab is funded through a £51.1m investment from UK Research & Innovation's Arts & Humanities Research Council (UKRI-AHRC) and over £20m in co-investment from its founding partners, the CoSTAR National R&D Lab will provide creative companies access to cutting edge facilities, technologies and research as it builds the first ever R&D infrastructure in UK creative industries history. In this talk CoSTAR National Lab lead and Royal Holloway’s Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Creative Industries) Professor James Bennett talks about the guiding principle of collaboration behind the Lab’s work and the benefits of creating a space for risk-taking to advance creative innovation. 

The first half of this talk will address the importance of climate and biodiversity as a research and teaching strength in the University. While environmental sustainability is a strategic enabler for the RH2030s strategy, the work that staff do across the six academic schools is both impactful and purposeful. This work ranges from collaborating with governmental authorities in the UK and beyond, to seeking to better understand how and why young people are inspired to act over the conservation and protection of biodiversity.

The second half of the talk will focus on how we have worked alongside Surrey Wildlife Trust to enable our work within the School of Life Sciences and the Enviroment and as a University of Social Purpose. We'll tell the story of the relationship between our two organisations; from a few small research collaborations to one where we work collaboratively alongside one another to reach our shared goals and ensure our impact reaches far and wide. 

More information to follow.