Opportunities in and near Glasgow

Explorathon is a public festival celebrating the wide range of research happening across Scotland and showing how that work affects everyday life. This ARC Public event brings the festival to the University of Glasgow’s Advanced Research Centre, with family-friendly activities and exhibits designed to make research engaging and accessible. Visitors can expect a drop-in event with interactive displays and hands-on experiences covering topics from engineering through to arts and humanities. Additional workshops are also available to book online, offering a chance to explore the research in more depth. The event forms part of Glasgow Doors Open Day and the University’s birthday celebrations, making it a lively way to discover the campus and the ideas behind current research.

Join small-group public tours of the University of Glasgow's Advanced Research Centre and see researchers at work in a behind-the-scenes setting. Visitors can learn more about the world-class research taking place at the ARC and hear directly from the researchers about the work they are doing. The event is designed to give the public a closer look at the centre's facilities and research environment, and to inspire future thinkers and curious visitors of all ages. It is part of a wider public engagement programme and fits into a family-friendly open-day style visit. Tours last around 40 minutes and run in several slots across the afternoon. The event is free but ticketed, booking is essential, and children must be accompanied by an adult.

The Lovelace-Hodgkin Symposium 2026 is a one-day in-person event at the Glasgow University Union exploring how artificial intelligence shapes society in ways that are often hidden or overlooked. It is designed for anyone with an interest in technology, society, creativity, ethics or social justice, and is open to more than just academics and technology specialists. The programme combines talks, workshops, games and artworks to examine how AI systems work, what they make visible or invisible, and whose voices are included or excluded. Topics include large language models, missing and misrepresented data, surveillance, mapping and power, and the environmental and cultural impacts of digital technologies. The symposium will finish with a screening of the LifeMosaic documentary Mapping & Monitoring in Indigenous Territories, followed by a discussion with the film’s producer. The day is framed around fairness, inclusion and the public good, and asks how people can participate more meaningfully in the future of AI.

Open House at The Glasgow School of Art invites prospective students to experience studio life across the GSA campus. Over the Autumn Open Days (Friday 30th and Saturday 31st October) visitors can tour workshops and facilities, attend programme-specific talks and tours, and meet current students and teaching staff to learn what it is like to study at GSA. The event includes guided campus tours, GSA Halls of Residence tours for Margaret Macdonald House and Blythswood House, and The Marketplace where support departments, student ambassadors and student-led societies are available to answer questions. Admissions staff and the Open Studio team (Portfolio Preparation) will be on hand to discuss applications and how to submit a strong portfolio. The Open House also highlights student support services (learning support, disability support, counselling), sustainability, archives, international exchange and careers services. The event is presented as an in-person opportunity to get a practical insight into life and study at The Glasgow School of Art.

This year-long, weekly in-person short course is for people aged 16 and over who are new to acting and want to learn core drama techniques. Working with an experienced tutor, students are challenged to develop technical and creative performance skills in a friendly and supportive environment. No previous drama experience or qualification is required. The course is divided into three modules that run across the academic year: Skills Development (SeptemberDecember), Ensemble and Collaboration (JanuaryMarch), and Acting with Text (AprilJune). Students build skills each week through practical exercises, ensemble work and text-based practice. The course runs on Tuesday evenings, with term dates: Term 1: 15 September 15 September 15 September

Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) Open Days invite prospective undergraduate students to explore campus life, courses and facilities and to meet staff and current students. Attendees can join campus and accommodation tours, speak with academics about specific degree programmes, and get advice on applications, student finance and next steps. The page lists Undergraduate Open Day dates for 2026 (examples given: 4 September and 3 October) and notes that the 2025 open days have concluded. Campus tours are available for both the Glasgow and London sites and can be attended either virtually or in person. GCU also runs targeted events for college students, and separate sessions for teachers and careers advisers. Registration is required for the Open Days (links are provided on the page), and the UK Student Recruitment team offers guidance and support for attendees and schools.

The University of Glasgow’s Undergraduate September Open Day is an on-campus event for prospective undergraduate students to explore the Gilmorehill Campus and learn more about studying at UofG. The event takes place on Wednesday 2 September 2026 from 09:00 to 15:00 and is an opportunity to get a feel for campus life, facilities and the academic environment. Throughout the day attendees can visit subject and service stands to speak with academic staff, university services and current students, and attend talks and sessions to experience a sample lecture and learn about courses, student support and what to expect as an undergraduate. Visitors are recommended to attend both talks and stands to get the most from their visit. Book your place via the University of Glasgow open days webpage.

The Medic Life provides free, NHS-aligned medical work experience and workshops to help aspiring medics gain authentic insight into healthcare. Offerings include free online and in-person workshops featuring talks from NHS doctors and medical students, virtual work experience options (including signposting to RCGP Observe GP for students aged 16+), and connections to hospital and GP shadowing placements through a nationwide mentor network. The programme emphasises high-quality reflection and mentoring: students receive reflection worksheets, one-on-one feedback and guidance on using experiences in personal statements and interviews. In-person placements are coordinated with NHS trusts and GP practices; formal clinical placements generally require participants to be 16 or older, though some Year 10-11 observational opportunities exist. The Medic Life also runs year-round online sessions and larger one-day workshops at university venues. Participation is free and UK-wide. Students are encouraged to register via the websiteʼs Free Events section or to complete the Work Experience request form with their location, age/year group and preferences. The Medic Life also offers follow-up resources and community support to help students turn experience into strong medical-school applications.

This intensive five-day Music Production Summer School at ICMP introduces students to music production using Ableton Live or Logic Pro. Across hands-on daily software workshops you'll learn sampling, drum programming, arranging, mixing and mastering, and gain practical experience with the Ableton Push instrument. Sessions include guest masterclasses from industry professionals and collaborative ensemble work to develop original compositions. The course includes dedicated studio time at ICMP's recording facilities, where you'll practice recording techniques and produce a finished track with tutor support. The programme is suitable for beginners and intermediate learners alike; no previous software knowledge is required, though a strong interest in music is expected. Courses run at ICMP campuses across the UK (London, Leeds, Glasgow and Liverpool). Booking and enquiries are handled via the ICMP short courses site; fees vary by location and date.

Smart Futures is a youth programme run by the EY Foundation that combines paid work experience, interactive employability skills training and mentoring for young people in Year 12 (England) or S5 (Scotland). The programme is run with employer partners and is designed to give participants practical insight into different industries and working environments while building transferable skills and confidence.

Participants take part in up to two weeks of employability training and workshops, receive a business mentor who supports them through the programme and beyond, and complete paid work experience placements during school holidays. Programmes are industry-specific in some locations (for example Business & Finance, Tech Futures, STEM Futures, Real Estate Futures, Data/Actuarial streams) but are suitable for young people unsure of their exact career path.

Smart Futures runs across many UK locations (including London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Newcastle, Leeds, Liverpool, Bradford, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Reading and Luton) with multiple term-time, February, Easter, spring and summer cohorts. Applications are via an online form and shortlisted applicants are invited to a short telephone interview.

Tune Supply’s online "Dance the Tune" workshop with Nic Gareiss explores the musical potential of percussive step dance. Through imitation, idiomatic ornaments, and extended techniques for shoe sounds and textures, participants learn how to shape rhythm lines that echo melody and create rhythmic counterpoint, while developing listening, responsiveness, and sonic awareness.

The workshop is designed for dancers and interested instrumentalists of all levels. It is taught by ear and recorded for registered students, so you can join live or catch up later. Participants should wear comfortable smooth-soled shoes with a low or no heel to get the most from the session.

Hearing the Archive is an online Tune Supply workshop led by Cleek Schrey that explores how contemporary traditional musicians can learn from historic audio and digitized field recordings. The session focuses on listening deeply to archival sound, identifying what counts as musical information, and translating older styles into present-day playing.

Participants will take part in shared listening, close analysis of specific historic performances, and practical discussion of the technical, technological, and aesthetic challenges of working with archive recordings. The workshop is designed for players of all melody instruments and all levels, and it is presented in a way that welcomes both new and experienced participants.

Attendees receive a curated roadmap of historic performances, a resource guide for finding online traditional music archives, and a framework for turning style, tone, and inflection from old recordings into usable ideas in their own music-making. Registered students also receive the class recording after the session, so they can revisit the material later.

This online Tune Supply workshop focuses on building strong tune sets for traditional music performance and session playing. Participants will explore how to construct consonant sets by paying attention to keys, moods, and the movement from one tune to the next, including both seamless and more dramatic transitions.

The session draws on historic sets as a template, but it is also highly practical and participant-led: learners will work with family favourites and ideas shared in the Zoom room. The workshop is suitable for all melody instruments, and accompanying players may also find useful material for their own playing.

The class is taught by ear and is open to all levels. Registered students receive the recording after the workshop, so it can be useful both for live participation and later review.

This workshop looks at the music of Pádraig O’Keeffe through his manuscript notation and the slides and polkas that have come down through the Sliabh Luachra tradition. It introduces the ideas behind his notation methods and how his bowing directives shape the rhythmic personality of these tune types. Participants will learn a number of tunes from the manuscripts while also gaining context about one of the most influential Irish traditional musicians of the twentieth century. The class combines ear learning with sheet music, and the recording is made available to registered students after the workshop.

This conversational workshop explores the elements that make a beautiful Irish slow air, with an emphasis on listening, discussion, and practical application. Although the class is based around whistle playing, the ideas and techniques are framed so they can be adapted to any musical instrument. Class participation is encouraged throughout, with time for shared reflection and musical exploration. The workshop is taught by ear and includes a recording for registered students, so it can be enjoyed live or revisited later.

This online Tune Supply workshop explores how to build tasteful variations into traditional Irish flute and whistle playing. The session focuses on why tunes often change subtly from one repeat to the next, and how players can use chord structure, rhythmic shifts, and melodic ideas to create variation that still feels authentic and musical.

The workshop goes further into the instrument-specific details that shape variation on flute and whistle, including octave jumps, breathing placement, and characteristic notes such as the hard D and bent C natural. Participants will also look at how these ideas can be applied to specific well-known traditional tunes, making the material practical and directly usable in performance or session settings.

The class is suitable for flute and whistle players at all levels, and it is taught in a combination of ear learning and sheet music support. Registered students receive the class recording immediately after the workshop, so it is designed to work both for live attendance and for later viewing.

This workshop focuses on effective chord shapes and progressions for Irish guitar playing in standard and drop-D tuning. The class is centred on building ease and fluidity in accompaniment, with an emphasis on supporting traditional Irish music and songs. The session is taught by ear and is designed for players who want practical tools they can use straight away in session or performance settings. A class recording is provided to registered students, making it suitable for both live attendance and later practice.

Lancaster University’s Practical Budgeting webinar is designed for applicant students who are due to commence their studies in the 2026/27 academic year. It introduces practical money-management skills for young people who may be living independently for the first time, covering everyday costs such as meals, rent, household items, toiletries, haircuts and bus tickets. The session aims to help attendees understand how to budget effectively and make smarter spending decisions as they prepare for university life. There will be time at the end for questions, giving applicants the chance to get advice and clarify any concerns about managing money. This is an open event and registration is required. Participants can use an alias when signing up and do not need to switch their camera on, making it easy to attend comfortably and privately.

Mentoring United’s MU Mentorship Programme is a year-long mentoring offer for boys aged 11 to 18 in the UK. It is designed to help students strive for excellence in their studies, careers, and communities through structured support and guidance. The programme includes online group sessions built around the PAGE curriculum, which focuses on purpose, career awareness, good grades, and emotional intelligence. Participants also take part in in-person enrichment trips, one-to-one coaching calls, essay writing feedback, and a personal development report to track each student’s progress. The programme is offered on a rolling basis and spaces are limited.

This online careers talk gives an overview of the wide range of careers available in the creative industries, with a particular focus on Art and Design. It is designed to help prospective students understand how creative study can connect to different career paths and destinations after university. A member of the academic team will be joined by current students and graduates to discuss the courses offered, the experiences and opportunities available during study, and the kinds of roles graduates go on to pursue. The session also highlights ways students can build industry experience while studying, including placements, live projects, collaborations, and other professional development opportunities. Attendees will also hear first-hand insights from the student and graduate panel and can ask questions using the live chat function. The event is suitable for school groups in Year 12 and Year 13, as well as individual sign-ups, especially for those already applying or thinking about applying to study Art and Design.