News archive – July 2026
What’s on in July?
01 Jul 2026
Welcome to July’s edition of ‘What’s on?’. Here you will find everything you can get involved in for free each month, ranging from cultural, extracurricular and celebratory events and activities.
Research ethics team rises to one university challenge
01 Jul 2026
Delivering Manchester 2035 – how our first ever Research ethics forum and resulting resources and support build our strategy Foundation, Organised for success: one university.
Catch up: All colleague townhall
01 Jul 2026
Responding to your questions from the Taking action on colleague feedback townhall which took place on Thurs, 18 June
Building a strong Fellowship community
02 Jul 2026
Celebrating our Research Fellows’ outstanding contribution to our University’s research ambitions and environment – and our inaugural Research Fellows of the Year.
Purple Place - July Offers
02 Jul 2026
From TUI holidays and Alton Towers adventures to cinema trips, Jodrell Bank visits and money-saving ideas, discover exclusive summer offers in Purple Place
Who should we call in an emergency?
03 Jul 2026
Review and update your emergency contact details in MyView by Friday, 31 July
Creative Manchester appoints new Director
03 Jul 2026
Michelle Phillips to bring her “passion and experience to help spark new ideas and collaborations” at our interdisciplinary research platform focusing on arts and culture in Manchester, across the Northwest and beyond.
South Asian Heritage Month 2026
03 Jul 2026
Unity in diversity
Winners of the 2026 Ideas with Impact Awards Announced
03 Jul 2026
Meet the donor-funded entrepreneurs driving impact through innovation
Working together in “the spaces where we meet the world every day.”
06 Jul 2026
Professor John McAuliffe and our Cultural Institutions help colleagues develop transformative, interdisciplinary research from our treasure troves across the University.
Manchester’s Global Impact: New Sustainable Development Goals Report
06 Jul 2026
Our new Sustainable Development Goals Report highlights Manchester’s local and global impact
Planned Metrolink improvement works to affect tram services from 13 July to 2 August
06 Jul 2026
Colleagues who use Metrolink services are being advised to plan ahead this summer due to significant improvement works taking place across the tram network.
Celebrating your partnerships
07 Jul 2026
University launches its first ever Partnership Excellence Awards to recognise outstanding collaborations and knowledge exchange that create meaningful impact, a key part of our Manchester 2035 strategy – nominate now!
SMS emergency alerts now active
07 Jul 2026
SafeZone SMS alerts are now being rolled out across the University, enabling us to send urgent safety information directly to colleagues and students during emergencies.
Hedgehog heroes: University celebrates milestone for campus biodiversity
08 Jul 2026
Since September 2025, a dedicated network of University of Manchester colleagues and students have been working to protect one of Britain’s most loved species in and around our campus.
Rylands Special Collections take centre stage at The Odyssey film launch
09 Jul 2026
Find out how the Library recently partnered with Universal Pictures to promote The Odyssey movie.
NSS results 2026 – another year of improvement, in a fast-moving sector
09 Jul 2026
A message from our President and Vice-Chancellor, Duncan Ivison and Vice-President for Teaching, Learning and Students, Jenn Hallam
Met Office issues amber weather warning for 9-12 July
09 Jul 2026
Amid rising temperatures, the Met Office has issued an amber weather warning for the North West region, which will remain in place until Sunday, 12 July.
Registration open for M365 Security, Privacy and Data Q&A session
10 Jul 2026
Colleagues can learn more about security, privacy and information management within the University’s Microsoft 365 (M365) environment in a webinar taking place on Thursday 16 July at 10am.
Stay vigilant against spoofed Teams calls and messages
13 Jul 2026
Colleagues are urged to remain alert to a growing cyber security threat involving spoofed Microsoft Teams calls and chat messages.
University chosen as a founding member of new Defence Universities Alliance
14 Jul 2026
The new Defence Universities Alliance is a major UK-wide partnership designed to strengthen collaboration between universities, government and industry on research, innovation and skills.
International Non-Binary People's Day 2026
14 Jul 2026
Celebrating our non-binary community
Applications now open: £100,000 investment opportunity for responsible AI innovators
14 Jul 2026
The University and The Jeremy Coller Foundation launch new competition to support early-stage ventures utilising AI for the benefit of people and society.
Summer Graduations underway: The stories, people and moments behind every graduate
14 Jul 2026
Every graduate has a story. As summer graduations get underway, three students look back on the people and experiences that shaped theirs.
"Big massive party": preparing the grounds for graduation
14 Jul 2026
Every year in the lead up to graduation, teams come together to make sure campus is ready for our graduates and their guests.
A rite of passage: graduation through the eyes of a head of school
14 Jul 2026
We spoke to Professor Thomas Schmidt, Vice-Dean and Head of the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures, following the first of our 2026 graduation ceremonies, to hear what graduation means to him, and why every ceremony still feels special.
Thank you: Manchester graduates on the colleagues who helped them get here
14 Jul 2026
Behind every graduate is a network of colleagues who helped them along the way. Hear from three students preparing to cross the stage.
A graduation surprise, caught on camera
14 Jul 2026
He had no idea what she was about to say. Watch Professor David Polya's reaction as former student Anna reflects on his support, ahead of her graduation.
Save the date: The University of Manchester Innovation Festival
15 Jul 2026
Where ideas become impact. From Manchester, for the world
Media Services transfer to IT Services
16 Jul 2026
Colleagues working in our University’s Media Services team will transfer from Estates and Facilities to the Directorate of IT Services on 1 August 2026.
Beyond graduation: how our graduates are making a difference across Greater Manchester
17 Jul 2026
Anna, Emilia and Wafia's Manchester story continues beyond graduation, as they set out to make a lasting difference across Greater Manchester in environmental science, the arts and cancer care.
Refugee’s amazing journey from war zone to graduation
20 Jul 2026
"My journey has taken me from fleeing a civil war in Liberia to living in a refugee camp in Guinea and now graduating from The University of Manchester."
IT: Mapping the ‘Moments that Matter’
20 Jul 2026
IT Services is helping turn ambition into action by identifying and improving the IT touchpoints that matter most to our University community.
Have you accepted the Challenge yet?
20 Jul 2026
From Manchester, so far: the collective power delivering our Manchester 2035 strategy
“Building a research-driven, innovation-led economy.”
20 Jul 2026
From Manchester, so far - how our powerful partnerships are having an impact on our city and beyond, including reaching the new Prime Minister.
Our M365 Copilot rollout journey so far
20 Jul 2026
From Manchester, so far: As the final wave of colleagues receive their full M365 Copilot licenses, we're reflecting on how your feedback has been shaping this rollout
What do students actually need? We asked before we answered.
20 Jul 2026
From Manchester, so far: listening first, building second, the approach quietly changing how we support students and colleagues.
Collaboration and delivery...rooted in reality.
21 Jul 2026
From Manchester, so far – Professors Stuart Holmes and Caroline Jay explain how One Research Facility will support our research excellence and our research community.
Open call for UK Research and Innovation funding
21 Jul 2026
UKRI Impact Acceleration Account Social Venture Fund now open – apply now.
Catch up: ‘From Manchester, so far’ all colleague townhall
21 Jul 2026
Duncan Ivison reflects on the progress we're making together as we bring our strategy to life
New export licence reference for controlled exports
22 Jul 2026
Colleagues are advised to follow new guidelines – plus further information and support on our Research Security Hub.
Mark Rollinson to retire as Deputy Secretary, with Laura Winn appointed
24 Jul 2026
Mark Rollinson will retire from his position later this year with Laura Winn joining on 3 August.
We’re getting ready for Oracle Fusion
27 Jul 2026
The latest from Future Foundations including change champions, showcase demos and user testing.
Christie’s Café and The Beehive Restaurant closing for summer
27 Jul 2026
Both Christie’s Café and The Beehive Restaurant will be closing from Saturday, 1 August, before reopening again ahead of the new academic year.
Our response to the UKRI/STFC e-MERLIN funding announcement
27 Jul 2026
Jodrell Bank remains open and continues to play a nationally important role
A graduation celebration designed for everyone
27 Jul 2026
For every student, graduation is a moment that represents years of hard work, determination, and personal achievement. It is the chance to celebrate with the people who supported them, reflect on how far they have come, and look ahead to what comes next.
Supporting our global collaborations
28 Jul 2026
University to launch new UoM Global Fund in September 2026, helping colleagues collaborating with researchers at our partner institutions to tackle global challenges and delivering our Manchester 2035 strategy.
Purple Place - August update
28 Jul 2026
Explore August's top Purple Place offers, including home and garden discounts, local savings and opportunities to celebrate colleagues
What’s on in August?
28 Jul 2026
Welcome to August’s edition of ‘What’s on?’. Here you will find everything you can get involved in for free each month, ranging from cultural, extracurricular and celebratory events and activities.
Digital declutter: Removing old versions of files and deleted emails
29 Jul 2026
We are continuing to reduce unneccessary files and emails in the University's Microsoft 365 storage.
“Can AI read the writing on Bogotá’s walls?”
30 Jul 2026
Delivering Manchester 2035 – meet the colleagues awarded the Interdisciplinary Pump Priming Awards, whose collaborations reflect the strength and diversity of our interdisciplinary research.
Strengthening our IT foundations: key milestones achieved and next steps ahead
30 Jul 2026
Significant improvements to the University's IT infrastructure, security and digital services have been successfully delivered through the Evolve Programme, providing stronger foundations to support colleagues and students across the University.
The free 41 bus service is back!
30 Jul 2026
We're delighted to announce that, thanks to our partnership with Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), the free 41 bus is returning from Monday 3rd August for one-year.
Update on Jodrell Bank Observatory and e-MERLIN funding
30 Jul 2026
A message from Professor Sarah Sharples, Vice-President and Dean of Science and Engineering
Update on the 2026/27 National Pay Award
30 Jul 2026
National negotiations are continuing, with any agreed pay increase set to be backdated to 1 August 2026