Each year, the Graduate School receives funding to support postgraduate students who want to organise academic events and cultural exchanges. These are known as Postgraduate-Led Initiatives. 

PLUS, the recently created LGBTQ+ Postgraduate Group here at Queen’s, was awarded funding from the PGLI Scheme here at the Graduate School. The money they received was used to create a series of Art Events held in the Graduate School in May.

The first two events, titled ‘PLUS Art Events’, were designed by the group to be an inclusive and safe space where students are free to express themselves creatively and through various art mediums, including clay sculpting, acrylic painting, colouring, and even a bit of crochet.

Co-founder of PLUS Kerry Campbell was involved in the event from the PGLI application through to the delivery of both events. 

“The entire PLUS Group are really happy that the events were so successful. It was great to see the queer postgraduate students who attended saying that they felt really relaxed during that time, and we’ve had lots of them say they want to attend another one.” 

“It was important for the students who attended to be able to open up to one another and connect, and we definitely saw that happening. Even the people who were initially shy became more confident and creative with their art over the course of the events.” 

“It was incredible to have the PGLI fund because we now have enough art equipment to run this event a few times, and the different members of PLUS really loved it.” 

Postgraduate students can apply for Postgraduate-Led Initiative funding from the start of September up until the end of June.

All initiatives must be aimed at bringing together the wider communities within both postgraduate taught and research student bodies at Queen's. They should fit one or more of the following themes: Research Culture; Skills Development; Community Impact; Health & Wellbeing; Digital Transformation; Cultural Exchanges; Green Impact.

Initiatives could include, but are not limited to: Virtual research forums, networking and social events; Career planning initiatives; Talks/webinars between research students and professionals/experts in their field; Specialist training involving internal or external training facilitators; Virtual events which build relationships between postgraduate students; Organisation of a conference or seminar.

For more information on how you can apply for a PGLI to run your own event at the Graduate School, click here.