2025-26 Semester 1
Upcoming Events
Check below to find details about the latest 'one-off' and infrequent events happening in the Global Study Lounge, on campus, and in the wider community on, for, and around, global, international, cultural and intercultural themes as well as different communities, groups, and voices.
For an overview of the events and activities taking place in, and associated with, the Global Study Lounge, see 'Activities and Events' and the 'Event Notices' landing page.
Events are listed below in reverse chronological order, with the most recently announced event(s) appearing at the top. NB: You may need to scroll down for the current date.
Semester One 2025/26
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Week 2
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The Sunset Sessions: Open Mic Night
Every second Sunday of the month, everyone is welcome! Musicians, magicians, drag acts and poets. Rappers and singers, songwriters and bands.
Unplugged and unhinged. Safe, open and welcoming to all! Not just an open mic. Come join in!
Date: Sunday 12th October 2025
Time: 19:00 - 22:00
Venue: The Rising Sun Arts Centre, 30 Silver Street, Reading, RG1 2ST.
Price: FREE
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Come and discover the remains of Henry I's magnificent 12th century abbey which in its heyday was one of Europe's largest royal monasteries. Step back in time and uncover the rich history, the Abbey stood as a centre of power, learning, and spirituality. Now, its magnificent ruins whisper stories of royalty, rebellion, and resilience, waiting to be explored.
Date: Sunday 12th October 2025
Time: 10:00 – 11:00
Venue: Queen Victoria Statue, Reading Town Hall, Blagrave Street, Reading, RG1 1QH
Price: £9.00
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Join us to celebrate Black History month this October with soca dance classes at CultureMix Arts & Music Centre.
Bring your flag, your water bottle and get ready to practice your carnival dance moves to some Soca beats. This fun energetic dance class is combines keep fit routines with fabulous up tempo music.
Date: Saturday 11th October 2025
Time: 11:00 - 12:00
Venue: CultureMix Arts, 7 Queens Walk, Reading, RG1 7QF
Price: £6.50
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ARTISTS & MAKERS FAIR CAVERSHAM
This fair takes places every month on the second Saturday in the month. The aim of the fair is to showcase the work of artists and craftspeople from Caversham and the surrounding area.
They have an array of talented people who would love to talk to you about what they do. As well as tables full of handmade gifts for you to buy, they run 'make and take' taster sessions so you can 'have a go' at a craft you may not have tried before! There will be different activities suitable for both children and adults, happening each month.
Come and meet the artists and makers, view their work and maybe treat yourself, family and/or friends to something handmade and unique.
They also serve tea, coffee and homemade cake in their Lobby Café, with all proceeds from their drinks sales going to local charities.
Date: Saturday 11th October 2025 (Every Second Saturday of the Month)
Time: From 10:00
Venue: Caversham Methodist Church Hall, 272 Gosbrook Road, Caversham, Reading, RG4 8EB
Price: FREE Entry
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Hosted by Vic Pickup & Katherine Meehan, Reading’s Poets’ Café LIVE brings the very best guests from around the UK alongside an open mic section for local poets to read their work in a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
Taking place on the 2nd Friday of every month, twenty open mic slots are available to seasoned poets and newcomers alike on a first-come-first-served basis. We welcome poets to read one A4 page or equivalent (approximately 2 minutes) of their best work.
All welcome. This session features Rehema Njami.
Date: Friday 10th October 2025
Time: From 20:00
Venue: South Street, 21 South Street, Reading, RG1 4QU
Price: £4.00 - £5.00
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Coffee, Crafts, and Community for World Mental Health Day
Join us for FREE coffee, tea, crafting, and games to unwind this World Mental Health Day. We are aiming to raise awareness and spotlight mental health around the world, as well as encouraging efforts to support your mental health.
Pop along and drop in to make a self care box, have a free tea or coffee - because your wellbeing matters. Meet Ella, your Welfare Officer, to find out more about who we are and what we do at the Students' Union to support your wellbeing and mental health.
Date: Friday 10th October 2025
Time: 12:00 - 16:00
Venue: Flex, Reading Students' Union, Whiteknights
Price: FREE
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This session will explain the visa requirements & identify where to look for jobs within the UK and help you get ready to talk to employers at the upcoming job fairs. This joint session between Careers and the International Student Advisory Team will showcase the information you need so as to manage your UK job search.
Date: Friday 10th October 2025
Time: 12:00 - 13:00
Venue: Online
Price: FREE
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Black History Month Careers and Networking Fair
Do you need more support and want to connect more with industry professionals? Then come along to our Black History Month careers and networking fair! With career stalls, employers, workshops, talks, and performances led by Black students, staff, alumni, and local community members. With support from our student societies, Black Girls Space and Amnesty International, we're bringing you a day of information, networking, and performances!
Date: Friday 10th October 2025
Time: 11:00 - 18:00
Venue: 3SIXTY, Reading Students' Union, Whiteknights
Price: FREE
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Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour: Blue Programme '25
Get ready for an unforgettable evening of thrilling adventure on the big screen!
The Banff Mountain Film Festival is back with a brand-new line-up of captivating short films packed with extreme journeys, intriguing characters and stunning cinematography. Join the world's top outdoor filmmakers and adventurers as they climb, ski, paddle, run and ride through the wildest corners of the planet!
With exciting nightly prize giveaways and a theatre packed with adventure lovers, this is an unmissable event from the world's most prestigious mountain festival. Spark your passion for adventure, action and travel at the Banff Mountain Film Festival!
This is a screening of the new Blue Film Programme 2025.
See www.banff-uk.com for more.
Date: Thursday 9th October 2025
Time: From 19:30
Venue: Hexagon, Queen's Walk, Reading, RG1 7QF
Price: £19.00 / £16.50
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Join the careers team for a series of four workshops to help you navigate the graduate job market. Workshops will focus on CV and cover letter writing, and interview and presentation skills.
You can choose which workshops you attend via their website.
Date: Thursday 9th October 2025
Time: 13:00 - 16:30
Venue: Online
Price: FREE
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Home Away from Home: East Asia, Southeast Asia & Oceania
New to Reading? Come meet fellow students and enjoy a warm welcome with a taste of home!
This FREE event is designed especially for new international students from East Asia, Southeast Asia and Oceania.
There will be an authentic food buffet, a selection of drinks, music and games! Cultural dress is encouraged. Make friends, eat well, and start your journey at Reading with us!
Date: Wednesday 8th October 2025
Time: 16:00 - 18:00
Venue: Eat at the Square, Whiteknights
Price: FREE
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Extended Welcome
Are you a late arriving student? Or perhaps weren't able to experience the fullness of Welcome. These Extended Welcome sessions aim to provide information, resources, with welcoming colleagues to Welcome you to the University. Crafts and light refreshments will also be available. Guided Tours at the Library will be running after the session.
Date: Wednesday 8th October 2025
Time: 14:30 - 15:30
Venue: Carrington Building 101, Whiteknights
Price: FREE
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Come along to our FREE guided walks, led by our lovely current students! This is a great way to explore the local area, learn the route to walk to the town centre, discover a bit of the culture and history of Reading, and explore the local amenities.
You'll meet outside the Carrington Building at 14:00, then follow a scenic route to the town centre, via London Road Campus and the Abbey Ruins. Guides will stop at various interesting spots to share facts and answer questions before the tour ends in Forbury Gardens at 16:00.
Date: Wednesday 8th October 2025
Time: 14:00 - 16:00
Venue: Meet outside the Carrington building
Price: FREE
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Disability: Adjustments in recruitment and the workplace
Our Next Generation Inclusive University partnership with EmployAbility will start with a session focussed on empowering disabled and neurodivergent students to ask for the adjustments they need to ensure equity in recruitment and in the workplace. The session will give an overview of the Equality Act, the duty of the employer to provide the adjustments needed, and what constitutes a ‘reasonable’ adjustment. It is a safe environment to ask any questions, and learn more about how EmployAbility can support you.
Date: Wednesday 8th October 2025
Time: 14:00 - 16:00
Venue: Online
Price: FREE
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Behind the Scenes: Collection Tour
A guided tour of the Museum’s offsite store in Whitley, where most of the collections that are not on display are kept.
The tour will last about one hour. An experienced guide will point out highlights and there will also be an opportunity to handle some objects.
Date: Wednesday 8th October 2025
Time: 14:00 - 15:00
Venue: South Reading Store, Whitley, Reading
Price: £20.00 / £10.00
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On Your Bike Day!
Get set for everything cycling at our On Your Bike Day! Whether you’re a keen cyclist or just thinking about getting started, come along to Palmer Quad and make the most of free services, great deals, and expert advice:
- Dr Bike - Free bike checks and basic repairs to keep your wheels in top shape.
- UniCycle Bike Hire - Affordable bike rental for easy, sustainable travel around campus.
- Big Bike Sale - Pick up a quality, recycled bike at a great price from our charity partner Recycle Your Cycle.
- Thames Valley Police (TVP) - Free bike security marking and top tips to keep your bike safe.
- UoR Security - Grab high-quality locks and lights at heavily subsidised prices.
Come along, save money, and get cycling with confidence!
Date: Wednesday 8th October 2025
Time: 12:00 - 14:00
Venue: Palmer Quad, Whiteknights
Price: FREE
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This session is designed to help build a RED support community so whatever stage you are at on the pathway, please come along to meet the team, meet other students on the award scheme, and ask any questions you may have.
Date: Wednesday 8th October 2025
Time: 12:00 - 13:00
Venue: Global Study Lounge, Edith Morley 230, Whiteknights
Price: FREE
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Bingo Lingo Oktoberfest Special
Bingo has been taken, shaken, and turned it into one mad, confetti-filled, party-bingo night! This event is themes for Oktoberfest!
You'll be sat at a table with all of your friends playing bingo in a fast paced full club night environment to win prizes that are both amazing and amazing bad!
Its MAYHEM - all wild fun and nonsense for an enjoyable and memorable night!
Check them out on Instagram: @BingoLingo
Buy your tickets for Tuesday's session.
Date: Tuesday 7th October 2025
Time: 19:00 - 23:00
Venue: 3SIXTY, Reading Students' Union, Whiteknights
Price: £7.00 - £11.25
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Steel Band Workshop for Beginners
Join our Steel Band workshops and learn to play steel pan music with RASPO. Families, children, young people, all ages and abilities welcome.
Date: Tuesday 7th October 2025
Time: 17:30 - 18:30
Venue: CultureMix Arts, 7 Queens Walk, Reading, RG1 7QF
Price: £10.00 / Free
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Come and have a go at our “Craft of the Day” and enjoy the beauty, the space and the peace of the Minster.
All welcome!
Date: Tuesday 7th October 2025
Time: 11:00 - 12:30
Venue: Reading Minster, St Mary's Butts, Reading, RG1 2LG
Price: FREE
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James Joyce: Enigmas and Puzzles
From 7th October until 9th February 2026, this exhibition from the University of Reading’s Special Collections shares never-before-seen personal papers of beloved author James Joyce from our Solange and Stephen James Joyce Collection.
Explore Joyce’s large social network of friends and artists, his family life as a loving father, and the inspirations for his work. Learn about the practical adjustments Joyce made to work despite his ill health, and view a selection of rare editions of books from Stephen Joyce’s library.
Date: Daily until 9th February
Time: Museum opening hours
Venue: The Museum of English Rural Life, Redlands Road, Reading, Berkshire RG1 5EX
Price: FREE
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Ready for RIS: Information Session
Are you looking for paid work experience, and the chance to develop your transferable skills?
Then the Reading Internship Scheme could be for you! The scheme is exclusive to University of Reading undergraduate students and gives you the opportunity to undertake short-term paid internships with external organisations or even University of Reading departments! The scheme runs flexibly throughout the year - you can do an internship part-time during the semester or full-time during vacation periods.
Date: Monday 6th October 2025
Time: 13:00 - 13:50
Venue: Given on registration
Price: FREE
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Week 1
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A singers night is a friendly informal gathering where you, the audience provide the entertainment. Everyone has a chance to perform - a song, a tune, a poem, a story or a joke.
All standards, genres, and cultures are acceptable and you can, of course just sit back and be entertained by others if you wish. You will all get a warm welcome.
Date: Sunday 5th October 2025
Time: From 20:00
Venue: The Community Hall, Watlington House, 44 Watlington Street, RG1 4RJ
Price: £3.00 on the door
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Dreading Slam is a friendly open mic poetry competition. Poets compete against each other by connecting with the audience and impressing the randomly selected judges with their work.
You're welcome to come along to watch or to participate! If you wish to take part, please bring 3 poems of your own work (up to a maximum of 3 minutes in length) and make yourself known to the organisers.
Dreading Slam welcomes poets of all standards along with those who wish to join the audience for an evening of live poetry.
The events also includes fun 'Quick Fire' and 'Reading' events on the night. More information on the website.
Date: Sunday 5th October 2025
Time: 19:30 - 22:00
Venue: The Rising Sun Arts Centre, 30 Silver Street, Reading, RG1 2ST.
Price: FREE Entry
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West Forest Sinfonia are delighted to welcome back Rachel Siu as guest soloist in Kabelevsky’s second ‘cello concerto, and Principal Conductor Philip Ellis in this first concert of the new season. A selection of movements from Khachaturian’s Spartacus Suites and Prokofiev’s Symphony number 6 complete this thrilling programme.
Date: Sunday 5th October 2025
Time: From 16:30
Venue: Great Hall Reading University, London Road, Reading, RG1 5AG
Price: £5.00 students
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David Olusoga: History's Missing Chapters
For the first time in Reading and in a brand-new talk for 2025, David examines some of history’s missing chapters to uncover how and why some events and some people are remembered and others forgotten. Taking examples from the world wars, the Industrial revolution and other pivotal moments in global history David uncovers history’s missing persons.
Date: Saturday 4th October 2025
Time: From 19:00
Venue: Reading Town Hall, Blagrave Street, Reading, RG1 1QH
Price: £31.50
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Join us every First Saturday of the month as we showcase the incredible talents of local artists and creators.
Discover one-of-a-kind artworks, handmade crafts, and unique designs.
Stalls vary each month, but expect to find prints, knitwear, jewellery, art books and more - something for everyone to admire and take home.
Free entry, and cafe open selling home-made cakes.
Date: Saturday 4th October 2025
Time: 11:00 - 16:00
Venue: The Rising Sun Arts Centre, 30 Silver Street, Reading, RG1 2ST.
Price: FREE Entry
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Join us to celebrate Black History month this October with soca dance classes at CultureMix Arts & Music Centre.
Bring your flag, your water bottle and get ready to practice your carnival dance moves to some Soca beats. This fun energetic dance class is combines keep fit routines with fabulous up tempo music.
Date: Saturday 4th October 2025
Time: 11:00 - 12:00
Venue: CultureMix Arts, 7 Queens Walk, Reading, RG1 7QF
Price: £6.50
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Come and browse local food, drink and more and buy directly from the producers at our local farmers' market, named Best Food Market in the Great British Market Awards 2020.
You can expect to find fresh fruit, veg and mushrooms, high welfare meat, fish and eggs, cheese, honey, baked goods, doughnuts, fudge, cider, beer and natural skincare.
Follow the market on Facebook or sign up for the newsletter for details of the line-up of traders each time.
Date: Saturday 4th October 2025
Time: 08:15 – 12:00
Venue: Cattle Market, Great Knollys Street, Reading, RG1 7HU
Price: FREE
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Welcome Week
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[COMING SOON] Watch this space for events happening during Welcome Week 2025!
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