It is with great pleasure that we, the Postgraduate Research Society (PGRS) Swinburne Sarawak present to you our plan of activities to engage HDR students academically and socially in 2026. As the new committee kick starts their term, we wish to request your support for our annual program.
The events are open to all postgraduate students in Swinburne Sarawak. The purpose of these events is to foster academic participation, encourage research students to interact and share their experience with each other, foster social interaction, and to ensure well-being and interest of the students. Do note that the events listed are tentative and may change as time progresses.
| Date | Event | Description |
| 11 March 2026 | Meet & Connect: Postgrads’ Welcoming Party | The Welcoming Party aims to introduce new HDR students to the Postgraduate Research Society (PGRS), familiarise them with the 2026 committee, and provide an overview of the Society’s planned activities for the year. This event creates a friendly environment for recently enrolled postgraduates to meet peers, build early connections, and seek guidance as they begin their research journey. |
| 8 April 2026 | 3 Minute Thesis Competition | The Postgraduate Research Society (PGRS) is organizing the 3-Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition, designed to challenge HDR students to communicate their research clearly and concisely within a three-minute limit using a single static slide. The event aims to strengthen participants’ academic presentation skills, promote research visibility, and encourage intellectual exchange within a supportive environment. Outstanding presentations will be recognised through awards to acknowledge research excellence. Additionally, this event provides 20 GRADPD points for HDR students enrolled after 21 April 2025. Eligible participants must meet Swinburne’s GRADPD requirements to receive the points. This initiative supports early-stage HDR students in progressing toward their academic development milestones. |
| 13 May 2026 | Mini Colloquium 1, FBDA | Mini Colloquium 1 is a full-day event for Higher Degree Research (HDR) students, primarily from the Faculty of Business, Design and Arts (FBDA), with FECS HDR students also welcome. It focuses on strengthening research communication, academic skills, and interdisciplinary engagement. Attendees can earn 30 GRADPD points, with eligibility based on full-day attendance and official certificates issued separately for each component event. The program includes structured sessions on effective conference presentations, poster presentations, and writing skills to build competencies for formal academic platforms. Two FBDA Swinburne lecturers will be invited as speakers, with appreciation plaques presented to each speaker. The poster presentation will be judged by three assessors, and a Best Poster Award will recognize outstanding research communication. |
| 10 June 2026 | Board Game Night | This casual social event is designed to strengthen community-building among postgraduate students and will be hosted at a board game café in Kuching, providing a comfortable and dedicated space with a wide selection of board and card games. The relaxed setting encourages interaction across faculties while fostering teamwork, problem-solving, and peer support, helping students de-stress, build connections, and enhance overall postgraduate engagement. |
| 18 July 2026 | Beach Cleaning | The PGRS is organising a beach cleaning event to give back to the community by ensuring environmental sustainability and to preserve marine ecosystem. This also supports SDG 14 (Life Below Water), specifically Target 14.1, which aims to prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds. At the same time, this allows the postgraduates to bond and escape research temporarily and to gain clarity and alternate perspectives. |
| 20 August 2026 | Pickleball |
This activity encourages students to stay active through a fun and beginner-friendly pickleball session held at a suitable recreational venue. Participants will have the opportunity to learn and play pickleball in an inclusive environment that promotes physical wellbeing, teamwork, and light-hearted competition, while providing a space for students to connect, de-stress, and build camaraderie outside their research routines. |
| Fundraising 1 June – 20 August 2026 Visit to Sarawak Society for the Deaf 27 August 2026 |
Charity Visit to Sarawak Society for the Deaf | Join us for a charity event supporting the Sarawak Society for the Deaf. This event brings our community together to raise funds and awareness for a meaningful local cause, while creating a welcoming space to connect and contribute. All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Sarawak Society for the Deaf to support their programmes and services for the Deaf community. Everyone is welcome to attend and support, every contribution, big or small, makes a difference. |
| 9 September 2026 | Mini Colloquium 2, FECS | Mini Colloquium 2 is a full-day event for Higher Degree Research (HDR) students, primarily from the Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Science (FECS), with postgraduates from other faculties welcome, designed to strengthen technical communication and research presentation skills. Attendees can earn 30 GRADPD points, with eligibility based on full-day attendance and official certificates issued per workshop. The program features structured workshops on Adobe tools for creating visually compelling research materials, producing journal-ready graphical abstracts, and practical data visualization using Microsoft PowerPoint and Excel. Two FECS Swinburne lecturers will be invited as speakers, and the Graphical Abstract Presentation will be judged by three assessors, with a Best Abstract Award recognizing outstanding research communication. |
| 13 October 2026 | How to Build Your Researcher Profile | The Writing Skills Workshop supports postgraduate and Higher Degree Research (HDR) students in developing a strong and distinctive academic identity. It focuses on building confidence in presenting scholarly expertise, enhancing research visibility, and improving long-term career prospects in academia and industry. Participants will learn practical strategies for positioning themselves effectively as researchers, including writing a professional biography and managing an online presence through platforms such as ORCID, ResearchGate, Google Scholar, and LinkedIn. Delivered by Swinburne’s Top 2% lecturers invited by PGRS, the workshop offers expert insights into academic self-presentation. Eligible participants will receive 5 GRADPD points upon meeting attendance requirements. |
| Nomination Period 27 October – 2 November 2026 Voting Period 3 – 9 November 2026 AGM 12 November 2026 |
PGRS 2027 Elections and Annual General Meeting | The Elections will be held which will reach all postgraduate students of Swinburne Sarawak. All postgraduate students will have a chance to nominate the next executive committee and standard committee members as well as vote for them. The AGM is where the results of the PGRS 2026 Election will be revealed. PGRS 2025 will officially yield to PGRS 2026 on this day with the PGRS Advisor and Director of School of Research as witnesses. Here, the new President will announce his wishes and goals for his reign as well as introduce his committee to all postgraduate students. |
| 20 November 2026 | Annual Dinner | The Annual Dinner is a signature PGRS event celebrating the achievements, milestones, and contributions of postgraduate students. This formal gathering brings together HDR students, academic staff, and the School of Research to foster a sense of community and appreciation. It serves as a moment of recognition for the hard work of the postgraduate cohort and an opportunity to strengthen relationships across faculties. |