Resource Centre Events

Pop along to the Resource Centre in Paterson's Land and join our events. These events are for our community of lifelong learners who take courses at COL. No booking required for these events - simply come along and join us.

Ongoing Events - weekly or monthly

Join us in the Resource Centre for The First Page, led by Rolland Man, tutor in Film Studies, Literature and Drama at the Centre for Open Learning.

Rolland will share the first page of an un-named book with you. From the first page only, you'll discuss what that fragment evokes. What kind of book is it? What genre does it belong to? Where might the story go from here? And most important, does it make us want to continue reading?

When: Wednesdays 22 April, 20 May and 17 June from 16:15 - 17:15

Who can attend?

This is a welcoming, supportive space for discovering new writers and sharing ideas about literature and readers' expectations. No booking needed, just come along and take part.


If you’re new to Canvas or don’t feel confident with technology, our Resource Centre Assistants can support you one-to-one. 

Simply bring your device to the Resource Centre the next time you are on campus. The team are available to help Monday to Thursday 10.00–19.00 or Friday 13:30–16:30. 

They will guide you through the basics, so you can focus on enjoying your course. 

 


Do you have questions about finding materials, reading lists, or using the library? Do you prefer to search online for help with your assignments but want to make sure you’re doing it correctly? 

Pop into the Resource Centre for a chat with our friendly librarian SarahLouise, who will help you improve your search skills, locate key texts, and get the most out of the library services. 

No appointment needed, just drop-in to the Resource Centre on: 

  • Wednesday 25 February, 13:00 – 15:00 
  • Wednesday 25 March, 13:00 – 15:00 

You can also contact SarahLouise directly for help outside these times on sarahlouise.mcdonald@ed.ac.uk.  


Join our Conversation Circles and enjoy developing your language skills with a friendly and supportive group.

All sessions are in the Resource Centre – no booking required, simply come along and join in.

Full schedule as follows:

Swahili Conversation Circle with Seline Okeno

  • Thursday 19 March 17:30 – 18:30 – all levels welcome!

 

Italian Conversation Circle with Michela Talin 

  • Wednesday 25 February 16:15 – 17:15 B1 (Intermediate) and above
  • Thursday 26 February 16:15 – 17:15 A1 (Beginners) and A2 (Elementary)

 

German Conversation Circle with Jeannette Rissmann and Susanne Tauber

  • Thursday 5 March 13:00 – 14:00 B1 (Intermediate) and above
  • Thursday 5 March 18:00 – 18:45 A1 (Beginners) and A2 (Elementary)

 

Ukrainian Conversation Circle with Yana Proskurkina

  • Thursday 12 March 16:00 - 17:00 – all levels welcome!
     

French Conversation Circle with Calder Ferguson

  • Friday 20 March 14:00 - 15:00 A1 (Beginners) and A2 (Elementary)
  • Friday 20 March 15:00 - 16:00 B1 (Intermediate) and above

Join our Conversation Circles and enjoy developing your language skills with a friendly and supportive group.

These free sessions take place in The Nook – no booking required, simply come along and join in

  • Date: Every Thursday from 12 February – 19 March
  • Time:  17:30 – 18:30
  • Location: The Nook, Paterson's Land (LG13)
  • Important Info: B1 (Intermediate) and above

One-off Events

Celebrate the many languages that make up the Centre for Open Learning community.

Join us for a relaxed, hands-on workshop where staff and students come together to share meaningful words, phrases, or ideas from the languages and dialects they know. Participants will explore scripts, calligraphy, typography, and writing systems while contributing to a collaborative collage created with paper and fabric.

Add a word, phrase, or concept that matters to you—perhaps with a translation, some cultural context, or a meaning that doesn’t quite translate into other languages.

The collaborative artwork created during the workshop will later be displayed at the COL Festival of Languages on 11 May, celebrating the diversity of languages within our community.


Date: Monday 30 March
Time: 13:00 – 17:00 (drop in anytime)
Location: Resource Centre, Paterson’s Land, Holyrood Campus, University of Edinburgh

Who Can Attend:
All staff and students from the University of Edinburgh are warmly welcome.

Come along and celebrate the richness of our multilingual community! 


This unique student–staff co-led event offers an inclusive, equitable, and decolonised space to share your languages, explore diverse cultures, and connect with others. Discover creative outputs from language and art workshops, and take part in a dynamic programme designed to celebrate the many voices that shape our community.

When:

Monday 11 May, events running all day between 10:00-16:00, Paterson's Land

What’s On:

  • Language taster sessions
  • Cultural and art workshops
  • Talks and discussions
  • Exhibitions showcasing workshop creations

Supported by the Student Partnership Agreement Funding Scheme, this exciting new initiative aims to inspire future projects and deepen our community’s appreciation of multilingualism.

Who can attend?
All UoE students and staff are warmly invited to join the celebration and be part of an event that centres your languages and cultures.

Find out more and sign up:
Full programme of events coming soon!

You will be able to register for your FREE spot via Eventbrite - booking link opens mid March.


From Tuesday 17 March, visit the Resource Centre to see a display of work created by learners from our Intro to Sculpture short course.

The exhibition highlights the creativity and experimentation of participants as they explore materials, techniques, and ideas in our specialist arts studio. Through hands-on learning, students develop their sculptural skills while discovering new approaches to contemporary sculpture.

Our learners range from complete beginners to those seeking to expand and refine their existing artistic practice.


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