It has been a busy year, so we thought we’d take a look back at what our students have been up to over the year.

We always look forward to September as it means welcoming new and returning students on to campus. Move in Sunday is always a busy day on campus and we couldn’t do it without all our red t-shirt student volunteers!

There’s lots going on in the first week, from Induction activities to live music and events. The Freshers’ Fair is always very popular, with lots of freebies to take away too. There are over 100 Sports and Societies available to join at Chester - we’ve got everything from American Football to Quidditch and Anime Manga to Wild Chester. The Sports and Societies Fair is a great opportunity to chat to current students and to see which ones take your fancy.

November signals the start of our Graduation ceremonies. We love seeing our students return for Graduation. It’s a lovely few days in the city and who could ask for a better setting than Chester Cathedral?

Chester Racecourse holds a spectacular annual firework display.  It makes a great evening out as they have a fun fair and live music.

Our students volunteer and help to organise the Christmas light switch on in Chester every year and it’s a great spectacle. Chester always looks very festive once all the lights are switched on and who doesn’t love wondering around the Christmas markets?

The University hosted this year’s Varsity tournament against Salford on our Parkgate Road Campus.  24 teams took part but Team Chester was victorious overall! There were celebrations on our Warrington Campus as well, as they managed to beat Glyndwr in their Varsity tournament.

Well done to everyone that has taken part in Sports and Societies over the past year. It was great to see everyone getting dressed up and enjoying themselves at the annual award nights.

The majority of our second year students have the opportunity to undertake Work Based Learning. This is a great opportunity to test out future careers, while gaining invaluable experience.

While other students opt for experiential learning and participate in a five week project abroad. Some students also go on field trips as part of their course to enhance their knowledge and skills.  This year some of our Art and Design students were lucky enough to go to New York!

Dissertation hand-in is always a momentous occasion - the joy, relief and pride is clear to see.

Celebrating the success and achievements of our students is always a great occasion. The Valedictory service is an opportunity to recognise the hard work put in by students from across the University.

We love seeing students’ work on display in the end of year showcases.

Once all the assignments have been handed in and exams are over, it’s time for our students to celebrate. Before they know it it’s time to leave and say goodbye to the friends they’ve made. Of course it won’t be long until returning students are reunited with friends in September.

We hope all our students have a great summer and for those that are graduating, we look forward to seeing you in November at graduation.