Events and activities
The Global Study Lounge offers a variety of academic, social and cultural events and activities. Staff and students are welcome to attend and host events and activities in the Global Study Lounge free of charge. See Booking and Contact Information for further details.
You can find out more about events in the Global Study Lounge below. Check out the Global Study Lounge's timetable(s) to see when events are happening.
The Global Study Lounge's timetable is available on CMISGo. Follow the guidance for finding rooms on CMISGo. To find the timetables for the Global Study Lounge, search for the following:
- Edith Morley 230 for the Lounge itself.
- Edith Morley 230POD1 for enclosed bookable Pod 1.
- Edith Morley 230POD2 for enclosed bookable Pod 2.
- Edith Morley 230POD3 for semi-enclosed bookable Pod 3.
In addition to the Conversation Cafés, the Global Study Lounge hosts or runs the following:
Our Friday Get-Togethers take place every 2 weeks during Semesters 1 and 2. They are informal so you can drop-in and take part in a variety of different activities and meet new people! It’s a chance for you to socialise and do something completely different from your studies at the end of the week to help you relax and unwind before the weekend. Activities include, but aren’t limited to, crafting, origami, mindfulness colouring, Zine-making, quizzing and board gaming. Get-Togethers also have a specific focus for festive and seasonal celebrations throughout the year! Check out the timetable for specific dates and times by clicking on 'Friday Get-Togethers' above.
Every weekday during semesters, the Academic English Programme (AEP) runs their free ‘Ask the AEP Team’ service in the Global Study Lounge. Between 13:00-14:00 on Monday-Friday, you can talk to an Academic English tutor about Academic English, language skills, and assessment and writing styles. The Lounge also hosts bookable individual AEP consultations.
Specific foundation modules run their drop-in sessions in the Global Study Lounge. You can consult a foundation module tutor on any module-related matter during these free timetabled sessions as part of your programme of study.
Our foundation programmes also use the Lounge for registration and induction events, academic tutorials and attendance meetings, and for activities on their social programmes. Keep an eye on the Lounge's timetable to see what’s happening in the Lounge specifically for our foundation students or ask your tutors.
The Institute-Wide Language Programme (IWLP) hold their Language Taster Sessions in the Global Study Lounge. These run during welcome week in September and at other points during the academic year. All staff and students can attend a free 30-minute taster session in any of the following languages: Arabic, British Sign Language (BSL), Chinese (Mandarin), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Modern Greek, Russian and Spanish.
The International Student Advisory team help and support international students. They often run sessions in the Global Study Lounge, including activities and events focused on the International Student Experience. Past events have included bingo, Christmas activities such as gingerbread house design, quizzes, tea and biscuit meet-ups and many more. Check out the Lounge's timetable to see what's coming up!
The Study Abroad team hold many events, such as drop-in Q&A sessions, in the Global Study Lounge for both incoming and outgoing mobility students. See ‘Global Opportunities’ for further information about Study Abroad.
The Global Study Lounge hosts a number of workshops based around the University’s Global Graduate attributes. Attendance of these can be used towards your Red Global Engagement Award. Past workshops include 'Exploring intercultural encounters' and 'Becoming a global graduate'.
Reading Students’ Union Clubs and Societies
Reading Students’ Union has over 150 clubs and societies. Many choose to run their events in the Global Study Lounge. There is no charge for clubs and societies to run an event in the Lounge, see Getting Involved and Booking Information to find out more, however participants usually have to be a paid member of the club or society. Clubs and Societies who have run events in the Lounge in the past include the Photography Society, the International Society, the Chinese Society, the Ukrainian Society, and the Kuwaiti Society.
Global Study Lounge Affiliated Events
Sometimes the Lounge isn't large enough to accommodate wider cultural events and celebrations, such as events for the Lunar New Year. These events are often hosted at alternative venues on campus such as in the Palmer Building or in the Reading Students' Union building.
Other Events
If you would like to lead or run an event or have an idea for an event that can take place in the Global Study Lounge, see Getting Involved and Booking and Contact Information for more information.
Staff events are also welcome in the Global Study Lounge. Past staff events have included departmental, school, and Community of Practice meetings, CPD and training sessions, Open Day events, book launches, and as a conference venue. The Lounge also hosts research and scholarship dissemination and talks.