A showcase of excellence at the Taught Postgraduate Conference 2025

Sociology and Social Policy Taught Postgraduate Students showcase their research work and engage in discussions with professionals, including Matt Frei, at the 2025 Taught Postgraduate Conference.

The Taught Postgraduate Conference is hosted annually by the School of Sociology and Social Policy (SSP). The purpose of the conference is to showcase the excellent research work produced by the Schools Taught Postgraduate students, and to hear valuable insights from experts in relation to further education, and professional development.

The keynote speaker for the conference was Matt Frei, Europe Editor and Channel 4 Presenter. Matt Frei captivated the audience with a charismatic discussion about his journalism career and provided invaluable advice to students aspiring to enter the field of journalism. 

Matt Frei, Keynote speaker.

Careers and Employability Expert, Sarah Wenham, delivered a presentation focused on enhancing employability. This session was particularly beneficial for students as they prepare to transition from academia to their professional careers. 

The conference featured engaging alumni panels, both in person and virtually. These discussions between current students and alumni provided a platform for alumni to share their post-graduation experiences and offer career development tips. 

Alumni panel

Part of the conference was dedicated to showcasing the research work of current postgraduate students. Through poster presentations and seminar-style discussions, students presented on a diverse range of topics, including health, gender identity, digital media, and education. This not only highlighted the excellent research being conducted within the School of Sociology and Social Policy but also gave students valuable experience in presenting their research work. 

Postgraduate Taught Student poster presentation

Student Voice: 

Hear from some of the SSP Taught Postgraduate students who attended the conference: 

‘The SSP Taught Conference was such an interesting insight into what current students, alumni, school staff, and guest speaker Matt Frei are working on and thinking about! I really enjoyed hearing different perspectives – especially from current PhD students! The keynote by Matt Frei was a particular standout, with his wide knowledge of worldwide journalism and stories from his career. It was great to see how varied everyone’s paths and interests are, the whole day was a great reminder of how buzzing the SSP community is.’

‘The conference was very informative, including study, career, dissertation, alumni communication, and sharing of important guests, I am very thankful to the faculty for organizing this conference and giving us the opportunity to learn about all this information. As a social media volunteer, I am honoured to contribute a little bit of help to this conference, and I am very happy to work with all of you.’

‘Attending the Taught Postgraduate Conference 2025 was a truly rewarding experience for me. I was deeply inspired by the creative and critical perspectives presented by postgraduate students from diverse research backgrounds. The student presentation sessions were especially impressive, covering a wide range of topics from digital feminism to AI ethics. In addition, the alumni panel gave me clearer insights into future career development and offered many practical suggestions. Overall, the conference strengthened my sense of connection to the academic community and boosted my confidence in further exploring my own research interests.’

‘The content of this academic conference is rich; there are further study discussion sessions, experience sharing of seniors in the academic circle, and job-seeking insights into the discussion, each part of which I gained a lot from, and in the inclusive atmosphere gradually cleared the path that I really want to take. Thanks for organising this conference!’

Some audience members at the Taught Postgraduate Conference

Overall, the 2025 Taught Postgraduate Conference was a success, filled with insightful discussions and opportunities for professional development. Congratulations and thank you to all the students who participated and showcased their research. Thank you to the guest speakers who provided invaluable discussions; everybody involved in organising the conference; the students who hosted presentations and discussions; and to our student volunteers for their assistance on the day. 

Student volunteers and Head of School, Karen Throsby

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