We’re excited to share our on-campus taster days, where your Year 12/13 and Level 3 students can explore our industry-ready courses, meet experienced professionals, and get hands-on in state-of-the-art facilities like our virtual production stage, nursing wards, TV studios, and music suites and our newly opened Institute of Technology. They’ll also hear from expert speakers, including our alumni.
Take a look at upcoming events below and get in touch by emailing tasterdays@solent.ac.uk if you would like more information or complete this form.
Solent Sound: A Unique Music Experience for Student Bands
Slots available 3 -7 November 2025
Do you have talented student bands eager to take their performance to the next level? Solent Sound offers an unforgettable opportunity for young musicians to rehearse, refine, and showcase their skills in a professional university setting.
Your students will spend time on campus at Solent University, rehearsing in our state-of-the-art music studios and gaining hands-on experience with cutting-edge production and performance facilities. They’ll benefit from expert guidance and constructive feedback from industry professionals, giving them real-world insight to support their development.
The experience culminates in an exciting live Battle of the Bands competition at Easter, where student groups return to the stage to perform in front of a judging panel. Winners will be awarded prizes, and every band will leave with new confidence and experience of performing in a professional environment.
To make the experience even more valuable, the final performances are filmed by Solent’s Media Production students — providing bands with high-quality footage to use for their portfolios, college work, or future promotion.
Why bring your students?
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Access to professional-standard studios and facilities
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Expert coaching and feedback from industry specialists
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A chance to perform and compete on a university stage
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Portfolio-ready performance footage
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A memorable and inspiring campus experience
Creative Industries Staff CPD
Thursday 13 November 2025, 13:00 - 16:00
Join us for our FREE CPD & Networking EventÂ
We’re excited to invite school, FE and Sixth Form College tutors, lecturers and careers advisors to Southampton Solent University for an afternoon of hands-on creative workshops/professional training, and social time for networking.Â
What to expect:
Workshops (choose one): Photography, Visual Communication (Graphic Design/Illustration), Fashion Media, Houdini for games and CGI, Music – and more to be announced!
Networking & refreshments with Solent staff and colleagues from other schools/colleges.
The chance to explore creative degree pathways, get hands-on with our facilities, and gain fresh insights into careers in the cultural and creative industries.
Why attend?
Refresh your subject knowledge and try something new.
Learn more about how you can support students considering a future in the creative industries.
A great way to meet and connect with colleagues at other institutions who are teaching in similar areas, and share good practice and build contacts in a relaxed and social setting.
Who is this aimed at?
Tutors, lecturers and careers advisors with an interest in creative industries.
To book your free place, please complete this short form. For any questions, please contact Celine Scott at celine.scott@solent.ac.ukÂ
Social Inequalities Conference
27 November 2025, 09:30 - 14:30
Explore the issues shaping our world at the Social Inequalities Conference.
Join our Sociology and Criminology teams for a thought-provoking day on campus, where students will examine real-life case studies and uncover the factors that drive inequality in today’s society.
Through interactive sessions and guided debates, students will challenge assumptions, explore multiple viewpoints, and build their confidence in critical thinking and discussion.
This is an inspiring opportunity to experience university-level learning, meet our expert academics, and deepen understanding of social issues that matter.
Health and Sport Showcase
5 December 2025, 09:30 - 16:00
Our Sports Matters showcase is back for 2025 — and this year it’s all about change and innovation.
Join elite athletes, top coaches, and leading experts as they share how sport is evolving — from breakthroughs in performance and health, to fresh career opportunities in the industry.
You’ll hear inspiring stories of resilience and success, explore how innovation is shaping the future of sport, and discover practical steps you can take on your own journey.
Whether you see your future on the pitch, in coaching, or in the wider sports industry, Sports Matters will give you the insight, motivation, and connections to help you get there.
Business, Marketing and Accountancy Taster Day
11 December 2025, 09:30 - 14:45
Give your students a real taste of the business world at our hands-on taster day. With expert-led sessions in Accountancy and Finance or Business and Marketing, students will explore real-world challenges, develop practical skills, and discover where a degree in these dynamic fields could take them.
Accountancy and Finance Session
Beyond the Numbers: Be the Finance Team Behind the Acquisition
Step into the fast-paced world of corporate finance. In this interactive simulation, students become part of a finance team advising a company on a major acquisition.
Using real analytical tools – from ratio analysis to risk assessment – they’ll evaluate competing businesses and decide which offers the best return. The session reveals how financial data drives big business decisions, preparing students to think like professional analysts.
Highlights:
- Analyse real company data and make strategic investment decisions.
- Compete in teams to pitch recommendations and impress the ‘client’.
- Learn how analysts support growth, acquisitions, and investment strategy.
- Explore career paths in accountancy, banking, and corporate finance.
Business and Marketing Session
Take the Lead as a Social Entrepreneur
What does it take to build a business that makes a difference? In this practical challenge, students design a social enterprise tackling real-world issues — from sustainability to community impact — while keeping it financially viable.
Working in teams, they’ll move from concept to pitch, learning how creativity and strategy come together in modern business leadership.
Highlights:
- Develop a business plan that balances profit with purpose.
- Tackle real social or environmental challenges using enterprise tools.
- Gain insight into careers in business, management, and entrepreneurship.
- Experience Solent’s collaborative, industry-focused approach to learning.
Please note students will pick one of these sessions to attend throughout the day.Â
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Creative Industries Week
14–15 January 2026
Give your students a real taste of life in the creative industries and the chance to build portfolio-ready work guided by university experts.
Step out of the classroom and into the studio.
Our two-day Creative Industries Week invites A-Level and college students to experience university-level workshops across art, design, fashion, beauty, interiors, media, film, and production.
Each day focuses on a different creative branch at Solent, offering:
- Hands-on, practical projects in real university settings
- Expert guidance from academics and industry professionals
- Tangible work for UCAS applications and creative portfolios
- Access to professional-grade facilities, including our brand-new VP stage, film studios, newsrooms, and design workshops
- Teachers can book groups for one or both days, with each student selecting one workshop per day.
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Day 1: Creative Arts
Tuesday 14 January 2026
Focus: Illustration, Graphic Design, Fine Art, Fashion & Beauty, Prosthetics & Interiors
Students can choose from a wide range of sessions, including:
- From Darkroom to Zine Making
- Runway to Reality: Trend-Led Fashion Shoot
- Fine Art Workshop
- Interior Design & Decoration Activity
- How to Draw a Better Dragon
- Scamping for Editorial Illustration
- Paper Mechanics and Paper Building
- Screenprinting
- Branding Bootcamp
- Zine Machine
- Monster Mash
- Mirror & Match
- Accelerated Route to be a Master of Architecture
- Fashion and Beauty Media
- Fashion Design: 3D Design Development
Day 2: Creative Media
Wednesday 15 January 2026
Focus: Film, Animation, Journalism, Games, Events, Performance, Audio & Media Production
Workshops include:
- Pirate Podcasting
- Introduction to VR & 360 Filmmaking
- Photography: The Album Cover
- Be a Social Media Content Creator
- Love, Death and Robots – Screenwriting for Sci-Fi
- Construction and Character Design for Animation
- A Day in the Life of a Broadcast Journalist
- The Games Jam: From Making to Playing!
- Roll Sound, Roll Camera, Action!
- Virtual Production: Filming in Other Worlds
- Unlock Your VFX Superpowers
- Multi-Camera Studio: To Quiz or Not
- Sounds Great! Audio Engineering for Film and Live Events
- Performance Workshop
- Working in the Music Business
- Working in Event Management
Ideal for Year 12–13 / Level 3 students studying creative subjects such as art, design, media, fashion, film or music. Perfect for those building a UCAS portfolio or exploring future degree options.
