Post Graduate Research Association (PGRA) at CCCU
Who We Are:
Welcome to the Post Graduate Research Association (PGRA). We are an inclusive, independent, voluntary, student-led committee that aims to represent and further the interests of all postgraduate research students at CCCU.
What we do:
The PGRA oversees the organisation of the PGRA Annual Conference, where post graduate students can present their research and network with their community. We also hold informal Research Retreats on campus to help foster a research community amongst CCCU post graduate research students. Additionally, we organise social events to help students get to know each other on a more informal basis.
There are a number of voluntary roles within the PGRA, all of which are filled by students at CCCU. These include a Chair and Deputy Chair who oversee the group's running, representatives of the Medway Campus, the Students' Union through the Union Council, and other research boards*, as well as organisers of the conference and other PGRA social activities.
We are always looking for more volunteers, and if you would like to get involved with the PGRA, please email pgra@canterbury.ac.uk for more details.
Feedback on your Student Experience
*Students who sit on research boards as well as the PGRA, are always keen to hear about your postgraduate experience.
If you have anything you would like to feedback to the Graduate College and university you can do so through our Padlet as well as our email.
Information on accessing Padlet: To post or comment you will have to register and sign up for Padlet using your CCCU Microsoft Account with this link: https://cccu.padlet.org/.
Then you can access and add to the Student Feedback Padlet at the link below. By scrolling left and right as well as up and down you will be able to view the different topics presented for feedback.
Calendar of Events for the Academic Year 2024/25:
Socials - we currently do not have any planned for the summer, but if you would like to co-organise and host an event, please get in touch.
PGRA Research Retreats
This is an opportunity to work alongside and socialise with your peers.
For the in-person sessions, we typically all enjoy lunch together halfway through the day, and for all sessions, we use the Pomodoro Technique of 25 minutes focused work with a 5 minute chat/refreshment break to ensure we don't burnout!
In-person retreats, held on alternative Tuesdays and Fridays from 10:00-17:00
- Tuesdays (Augustine House Library): 3rd Floor Post Grad Space
- Fridays (Grad College): Room ER0.01
Online retreats, held monthly on a Saturday from 10:00-13:00
Incase of changes, please check on Research Space. You can also log your attendance here for the session to contribute to your project Log. Links to online retreats will be accessible on Research Space as well as being emailed out to students who have signed up to the session.
New events, including socials, will continue to be added.
PGRA Conference 2026
Information on our conference for June 2026 will be accessible early 2026.
Postgraduate Study Spaces
Canterbury Campus
- Erasmus Building, North Holmes Road (Graduate College): newly refurbished and bespoke creative space for students to meet and relax, as well as state-of-the-art IT facilities which are for the exclusive use of postgraduates. This is where you can join with other postgraduate students for academic discussion and social interaction, not just within your field of study but across the range of academic disciplines.
- Postgraduate Zone, Augustine House: co-located on the third-floor Collaborative Zone, in front of the moving shelves. Postgraduates are offered priority for the seating and computers in this location and we promote students connecting with their peers whilst studying in the space. The remainder of the third-floor Collaborative zone is for all student users.
Medway Campus
- Medway postgraduate study room (DC118): located on the first floor of the Drill Hall Library provides a dedicated space for all Medway postgraduate students (both taught and research) to study and network.
Helpful Links for Postgraduate Students