1 . As a qualified teacher of art and design, Theresa Harwood offers short online courses on drawing and painting to help students both young and old develop into confident artists.

Academic drawing course

This course is for absolute beginners of any age who are not sure on what to do or how to use a pencil. The course will be limited to only six participants, 5 sessions, once a week.

Start date: June 5

Time:10:00 am～11:00 am

Price: $380

Water color painting course

This course is for anyone who is interested in developing skills for water colour painting. Through a series of 6 projects we learn wet on wet and wet on dry. The course will be limited to only twelve participants. 6 sessions, once a week.

Start date: April 23

Time:4:30 pm～5:30 pm

Price: $380

Landscape drawing course

This course is suitable for anyone from 11 to 90 years who are interested in developing skills for landscape drawing. The only requirement of the course is that you want to learn to draw! The course will be limited to only ten participants. 5 sessions, once a week.

Start date: May 24

Time:8:00 pm～9:00 pm

Price: $380

Western art history course

This course is for students, aged between 9 and 12 years. It looks at the fun facts of the key artworks of each art movement and explains why the artists painted certain views or people. The course will be limited to only eight participants. 6 sessions, once a week.

Start date: May 7

Time:10:30 am～11:30 am

Price: $380

These courses have limited spaces and are often sold out quickly, so do book your spot soon!

7 . Big Thinkers Series

The 2022 Big Thinkers Series from New Scientist events features four online talks, covering a wide range of topics by world-class scientist speakers and experts. If you are curious about your planet or your universe, then this series is your place to hear the latest research.

Save £20 off the standard ticket price by purchasing a series ticket to all four talks in the Big Thinkers Series (available on-demand) or purchase single tickets for just £13 per lecture (available by early booking).

Reality+: From the Matrix to the Metaverse with David Chalmers

In this talk, philosopher David Chalmers argues that Metaverse-style virtual worlds experienced through headsets are also genuine and meaningful realities and we can live a meaningful life in VR.

What we don’t know about gravity with Claudia de Rham

We are all familiar with the concept of gravity. In this talk, Professor Claudia de Rham will explore how much we actually know about gravity and how much more there is left to uncover.

A Brief History of Timekeeping with Chad Orzel

From Stonehenge to atomic clocks, here is the 5, 000-year history of how science is used to mark time. Chad Orzel, the internationally bestselling author of How to Teach Quantum Physics to Your Dog, offers us a witty journey through scientific theory and quirky (反常的) historical detail.

Physics at the End of the universe with Katie Mack

The Big Bang theory tells the story of the beginning of the universe for the last 13. 8 billion years. But how does the story end? Join astronomer Katie Mack as she shares what modern astrophysics tells us about the final fate of the universe.

8 . Peer ( 同伴 ) Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) is a peer-facilitated learning programme available to students enrolled ( 注册 ) in most core units of study in our business school.

PASS involves weekly sessions where you work in groups to tackle specially prepared problem sets, based around a unit of study you’re enrolled in.

PASS doesn’t re-teach or deliver new content. It’s an opportunity to deepen your understanding of the key points from lecture materials while you are applying your skills to solve problems.

You work interactively with your peers. As a peer group, you decide what is covered in each session. That way, PASS directly responds to your needs and feedback.

Registration in Term 2 will open at 9 am, 21 September 2022.

Waiting lists

If a session is full, you can register for the waiting list. We will email you if a place becomes available or if a new session is to be held.

When you are placed on a waiting list, we will email you a number which tells you where you are on the list. If you are close to the front of the list, you have a good chance of gaining a place in the programme in the near future.

Deregistering

If you miss two PASS sessions in a row, you will be deregistered and your place will be given to someone on the waiting list. Make sure you fill in the attendance sheet at each session to record your attendance.

You’ll be informed by email if you are being deregistered as a result of missing sessions. If you believe you have received the email in error, email the PASS office at   passoffice@umbs. edu..

9 . HSBC/British Council Mandarin Chinese (普通话) Speaking Competition

Does your school teach Mandarin Chinese? Enter your students into the HSBC / British Council Mandarin Chinese Speaking Competition and they could be heading off to Beijing in April next year!

The competition is for UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man secondary school students and college students.

Regional heats will take place in Newcastle on 6 December and in Glasgow on 16 December this year and the final will be held at the British Museum in London on 10 February next year. The prize is a week-long cultural visit to Beijing in April next year for the winning students and the teacher from the school of the winning group.

Entry rules:

A school may enter up to a maximum of 3 students for the competition. Students entering the Beginner. Intermediate (中级的), Intermediate+ and Advanced categories:

*must be non-native speaking learners of Mandarin Chinese;

*may not be from a Chinese speaking household;

*may not have lived in a country where Mandarin Chinese is an official language.

Beginner category is for students who have learnt Mandarin Chinese for less than 1 year. Intermediate category is for students who have learnt Mandarin Chinese for 1-3 years. Intermediate+ category is for students who have learnt Mandarin Chinese for 4-5 years. Advanced category is for students who have learnt Mandarin Chinese for more than 5 years.

The closing date for entries is 13 October this year. For enquiries, please contact the British Council: Tel: 0161 957 7755; E-mail: chinaschools@britishcouncil.org.

10 . Museums are places where you can appreciate something visually inspiring and deepen your understanding of the world.

The Red Brick Art Museum, Beijing

Located in the northeast of Beijing, the museum promises a relief from the urban busy life. Using red bricks as a basic element, the museum was designed as a unique garden with a contemporary touch, making it an excellent example of marriage of art and architecture. It is also populated with artworks by world-famous artists as well as cats, ducks and black swans, presenting an atmosphere of peace, elegance (优雅) and playfulness.

Philadelphia Museum of Art, Pennsylvania

Established in 1876, the museum now houses more than 220, 000 artistic pieces from around the globe, including paintings, prints, drawings and decorative artworks spanning more than 2,000 years. The museum also highlights its Asian collections, including paintings, sculpture and ceramics from China.

Smithsonian National Museum (SNM), District of Columbia

Located in Washington DC, the Smithsonian National Museum is the most visited museum in the world, attracting more than 7 million visitors annually. It takes pride in more than 126 million specimens (标本), including plants, dinosaur fossils, minerals and tools used by early man. The museum tour is truly an adventure, offering you an amazing science experience.

The Museum of Transport, Switzerland

The museum of transport, opened in 1959, is Switzerland’s most popular museum and features many exhibitions and theme parks. The museum is also a place for very special meetings and events. The outstanding range of extraordinary rooms and the option of using parts of the museum itself ensure a unique atmosphere for memorable events. Experience and enjoy the energetic atmosphere, an inspiring setting for those taking part in meetings, and many other events.