University Graduate School

The University Graduate School supports Birmingham’s postgraduate researcher (PGR) and postgraduate taught (PGT) community.

We foster an interdisciplinary community and act as a gateway to support and advice. We work closely with the other University support services to ensure our postgraduates have access to a high quality postgraduate experience.

As well as the dedicated support provided to postgraduates through the University Graduate School and University support services, the Guild also supports our postgraduates through their dedicated Postgraduate Officer.

“A warm welcome from the University Graduate School. We are here to ensure that all postgraduates in the University, both taught and research, are part of a vibrant, diverse and inclusive postgraduate community, and that they have the skills needed to pursue their chosen career.”

Professor Duncan Shepherd, Postgraduate Dean

Our Team

As well as our Postgraduate Dean, Professor Duncan Shepherd, we have a dedicated team working to ensure that our postgraduates are well supported during their time at the University of Birmingham. We are:

  • Prof Michael Hand, Director of Postgraduates (PGR)

  • Professor Graham Timmins, Director of Postgraduates (PGT)

  • Tara Wittin, Head of the University Graduate School

  • Elizabeth O'Connor, PG Community Engagement Officer

  • Liam Knight, PG Community Engagement Manager

  • Lucy Batten, University Graduate School Data Officer
  • Victoria Upton, University Graduate School Administrator

  • Lara Callaghan, PGR Administrative Assistant

  • Anna Flatt, PGT Careers Adviser

  • Dr Holly Prescott, PGR Careers Adviser

We work closely with Dr Georgina Hardy, PG Development Officer (Library Services), who provides a programme of development opportunities for postgraduate researchers, and Rachel Webster, Head of Learning Enhancement (Academic Skills, Library Services).

University Graduate School Partners

The University Graduate School works with a number of University and external organisations to ensure our postgraduate community are well supported. We bring a postgraduate focus to the excellent work done by the following organisations:

Get in touch

We are always keen to hear from our current postgraduates, you can contact us through the following routes:

If you are a prospective postgraduate student, then please contact the postgraduate recruitment team, or consider attending our postgraduate open day.

"I wanted to be a researcher so I took all the opportunities I was given by the University Graduate School. I attended most of the courses from how to present and prepare a poster, how to present at a conference and I participated in the poster conference competition, so I tried to expose myself to everything I could to have the best knowledge."

Dr Lila Kossyvaki, Research Fellow in the School of Education and former postgraduate researcher