Welcome to Queen Mary!

You’re now part of the diverse Queen Mary community. This is the first edition of QMUL Student, your fortnightly newsletter, filled with news, notices, events and student profiles.

My.QMUL is your student intranet where you can find everything you need to know about being a Queen Mary student. Remember to download the QMUL app which is packed full of useful features such as your timetable, study space availability, maps and more.

We hope you have a great start to the academic year!

Going for Gold – working towards excellence in education at Queen Mary
Stephanie Marshall, Vice-Principal
(Education) at Queen Mary, and Redwan Shahid, Vice President Education at Queen Mary Students' Union, share details of a new initiative to ensure the best student experience and excellence in education at Queen Mary.

New anatomy centre at 
Malta campus
The new anatomy centre next to Gozo General Hospital will be the focus of teaching activity at the School of Medicine and Dentistry's Malta campus from this September.

Queen Mary in the Media is a selection of our stories featured in the national and international media. Take a look at some of our biggest stories over the summer – from smile-loving goats to air pollution research and a groundbreaking stem cell trial to treat Crohn's disease.

To submit a story or subscribe to daily updates, email press@qmul.ac.uk.

The views expressed in the articles do not reflect those of Queen Mary University of London as an organisation.

Remember to tag all your photos and videos with #QMULWelcome and share them with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You have until Friday 5 October to enter and get your hands on some great prizes. More information is available on My.QMUL.

The transition to university

Are you worried about making friends and settling into university? The Advice and Counselling Service shares their advice for making the transition to university and how to deal with any apprehensions you may have as you begin your life at Queen Mary. You can also check out their top 10 money tips for new students.

Advice and Counselling Service Tuesday evening appointments

The Advice and Counselling Service offers pre-booked counselling appointments on Tuesday evenings.

Nina Clifton has just finished her MSc in Global Public Health and Policy at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry. While she was still completing her studies, she bravely took on the Man vs Coast challenge to raise money for the charity Help Refugees. We caught up with her to find out more about the event and why she is so passionate about this cause.

Undergraduate Open Day – Saturday 6 October

Our next Undergraduate Open Day will take place on Saturday 6 October. Join us in welcoming 6,000 prospective students and their guests to our Mile End campus as they attend subject talks, take tours of the campus, discover student accommodation and visit the Students' Union Hub. You are welcome to join in the fun and visit the food festivals in Graduate Square and at Canalside.

Understanding Queen Mary's online learning environment: QMplus

If you are unsure about how to use QMplus, there is a self-directed online course called 'QMplus for students' which can help you get to know the system. The E-learning team also has help guides you can access online, and they will be in Mile End Library all this week from 1-3pm if you have any questions.

Careers & Enterprise programme of events

The Careers & Enterprise events programme offers a variety of careers fairs, employer presentations, skills sessions and workshops. Bookings are open now. With almost 150 events and over 400 employers on campus, you’ll be sure to #FindYourFuture. Keep up to date with activities on the Careers & Enterprise website.

Get smarter in your job search

Overwhelmed by too many job sites? Looking for paid opportunities? Interested in working while you study? Check out the Careers & Enterprise jobs section for over 1,400 paid internships, part-time work, work experience and graduate roles.

Become a volunteer tutor with The Access Project

The Widening Participation team are looking for volunteer tutors to work with students for an hour a week on campus as part of our new partnership with The Access Project, a pioneering education charity that helps bright young people from disadvantaged backgrounds gain places at top universities. No teaching experience is required, and full training and ongoing support will be provided. A training session will take place on campus on Wednesday 10 October. To book a space, or if you have any questions, please get in touch with Jessica Benson-Egglenton at j.benson-egglenton@qmul.ac.uk.

Commonwealth100 free online leadership programme

Are you looking for a way to develop your leadership skills that fits around your schedule? Using an interactive online platform with videos, articles and exercises, this free programme from Common Purpose gives you the chance to work with a diverse group of young leaders from across the Commonwealth to explore open source leadership: a new leadership model co-created with over 1,000 young Commonwealth leaders. More information is available on My.QMUL.

Community Engagement Awards 2018 – nominations now open

Nominations are now open for the Community Engagement Awards, which celebrate Queen Mary's connections to our local community and wider society. These awards recognise the partnerships and collaborations that bring benefits to local residents, wider communities and Queen Mary students. If you would like to nominate your project, or for more information, please visit the Public Engagement website.

Learn Mandarin Chinese with the Confucius Institute

Spaces are available on the Queen Mary Confucius Institute’s Mandarin Chinese language courses for students of all levels. Whether you have an interest in Chinese culture, are planning a visit to China or looking to improve your employability, these classes are for everyone! Register now.

Enter the Wellcome Photography Prize

The Wellcome Photography Prize invites entries of images that stimulate conversations about the health challenges of our time. The overall winner will receive a prize of £15,000 and all the winning and shortlisted entries will go on show in a major public exhibition at the Lethaby Gallery in July next year. The deadline for submissions is Monday 17 December.

Are you a vaper who also smokes?

If you use both e-cigarettes and regular cigarettes, and are willing to help us with an important study, please call 0207 882 5722, email health-research@qmul.ac.uk or visit the website for more info.

Banking and Finance Society: Taster session and industry networking – Tuesday 25 September, 6.30-8.30pm

Show and tell: TED-style talks hosted by the School of English and Drama – Wednesday 26 September, 6-8pm

Confucius Institute: Chinese painting workshop – Wednesday 26 September, 6-8pm

City of London Sinfonia: Goldberg variations - Bach and the cosmos – Wednesday 10 October, 7.30pm

Go Abroad Fair – Wednesday 17 October, 11am-3pm

Imperial War Museums Short Film Festival 2018 – Thursday 25 - Monday 29 October