University of Birmingham

2025 marks 125 years of the University of Birmingham, and we’re celebrating with an exciting programme of events throughout the year!
A highlight will be a FREE community festival and open-air concert on our Green Heart on Saturday 21 June 2025.

Experience the thrill of live music with a special Brummie twist; from the music of ELO to Elgar, pop to rock, classical to folk, and everything in between, we celebrate the music of Birmingham and its people.
It will also feature the University Philharmonic Orchestra, Jazz Orchestra, and a host of guest singers, bands, and entertainment.

Don’t miss this special event - tickets will be available very soon so keep an eye on our social channels for news.
Find out more about the anniversary celebrations by visiting our website: www.bham.ac.uk/125

The first sites for a new global trial to find a cure for rare childhood cancer, have opened.

The trial, run by this University, will look at multiple new treatments and offer better chance of survival for hundreds of young people around world.

Find out more about this trial and why it marks a step change for children with rare diseases
https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/2024/global-trial-finding-a-cure-for-rare-childhood-cancer-opens

Could 2025 be the year when you resolve to be a better traveller?
In 2024, many tourists were on the receiving end of a very loud and very clear message; in some of Europe’s most popular holiday destinations there were large protests against the negative effects of mass tourism.

Dr Veselina Stoyanova, Associate Professor in Strategy and International Business, has some suggestions on how to create a sustainable and inclusive future for tourism.
Read her thoughts here: https://theconversation.com/travelling-in-2025-heres-how-to-become-a-regenerative-tourist-245719

The University is now closed for the Christmas break and the social media team will also be taking a well-earned rest during this time!
Thank you to everyone who has messaged, engaged and joined in with our channels this year and made this space a great place to be ❤️

We will not be responding to messages or direct messages during this time, but will be back from January 6, 2025.

Many of our students remain on campus over this period, so here's a link with details to all the opening times and support available: https://intranet.birmingham.ac.uk/student/dates/christmas/opening-times.aspx
Merry Christmas all! 🎄

Just how aerodynamic is Santa? 🎅

As NORAD tracks Santa’s global progress in delivering presents on Christmas Eve, researchers from our Space Environment Research Group look into his route and how it's perfectly optimised for reducing atmospheric drag!
https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/2024/how-aerodynamic-is-santa

Looking for a fun day out in or around Birmingham this festive season? Visit the Barber Institute of Fine Arts - our free-entry world-class art gallery on campus! 🎨

Experience our new immersive exhibition 'Scent and the Art of the Pre-Raphaelites', where you can quite literally smell a painting! 🌷 Or explore our collection of masterpieces, featuring works from the Renaissance to Impressionism.

Be inspired by the vibrant colours of Claude Monet, the expressiveness of Vincent Van Gogh, and the skill of Sandro Botticelli - all right here at the University 😊

Our Christmas opening hours are:
• 18 – 22 December: Open
• 23 – 26 December: Closed
• 27 – 29 December: Open
• 30 December – 1 January: Closed

Find out more: https://barber.org.uk/

Did you know you can watch your loved one graduate wherever you are in the world? 🎓
All our Winter Graduation ceremonies are being livestreamed via our YouTube channel.

Don't miss out, watch and join in here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5TjiPIpilP9rPhDZcfnwyf7lD-KURfh8

Did you know that you can discover the Lapworth Museum of Geology, University of Birmingham here on campus from anywhere in the world?

Take a stroll through the main galleries and collections to discover the rocks, fossils and geological gems - and our resident dinosaur Roary!

Visit Virtual Lapworth now: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/facilities/lapworth-museum

Don't miss out, Christmas on campus starts today!
From craft and market stalls to the light switch on AND a visit from Santa himself, find out everything happening on campus 🎄🎅
https://intranet.birmingham.ac.uk/christmas

Did you miss our annual Baggs Happiness Lecture on campus last month, given by beloved British writer Michael Rosen?

Michael has authored around 200 books, including The Sad Book, a reflection on grief, and We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, the hugely popular children’s book.

The Baggs Memorial Happiness Lecture began in 1976. Born in Birmingham in 1889, Thomas Baggs was an alumnus of the University who went on to become a teacher, journalist and a war correspondent for the Daily Mail before a successful career in advertising for the USA automobile industry.
When he died in 1973 Thomas bequeathed money to the University to provide for an annual public lecture on the theme of ‘Happiness - what it is and how it may be achieved by individuals as well as nations.’

You can watch Michael's lecture now on our YouTube channel and find out what happiness means to him 👇
https://youtu.be/OaGen3iMOwE?feature=shared