Writers’ Retreat November 2018

Twenty deserving students have recently returned from the latest Graduate Research School Postgraduate Writers’ Retreat at Vaughan Park in Long Bay. The group stayed at the retreat from 5-8 November, dividing their time between writing, receiving one-on-one and group support from academic writing experts Associate Professor Jennie Billot and Dr Julie Trafford, and enjoying the peaceful beach atmosphere.

Here’s what the attendees had to say:

“It was a privilege to be part of this retreat and to get the chance of working without distraction and negative vibes in this inspiring and beautiful environment.“ Duaa Al-Hamid

“The retreat not only provided an excellent opportunity for focused writing but also to reflect, enhance writing skills through optional sessions, get feedback from experts and exchange strategies with peers. What more could you want! I am thankful to Assoc. Prof Jennie Billot, Dr Julie Trafford and Graduate Research School for providing such an experience.” Nitika Kumari

“The Retreat created a great atmosphere and an intimate writing community where I doubled my productivity, ate, learnt from and shared experiences with the other participants. The network we might have created there may prolong into the future.” Steve Huynh

“It is the perfect opportunity for researchers at all stages to gain perspective. It gave me a lot of clarity in terms of what I want to achieve and provided me with a nurturing, conducive environment to progress with my writing. The serenity of the retreat centre encourages you to get in the right headspace. Highly recommended!” Munaal Abdali

“As a newly started doctoral student, I found AUT Writers’ Retreat as a wonderful opportunity to get a good start, think broadly, learn from others and network with researchers in various disciplines. It’s a privilege to get this opportunity to escape from day to life style and stay four consecutive days with a fascinating environment at Vaughan Park with  warm hospitality. The guidance, encouragement and support I received from Julie and Jennie during these days are incredible.” Hanshika Herath

“I got so much out of this retreat. It helped me to focus on my thesis with no distractions for four days. I felt i got more done in this short space of time then i had in months. The support from  Julie, Jennie and peers helped me remain focused while the ambiance of the venue created an overall  sense of comfort, relaxation and motivation to write.” Dympna Mulroy

The next GRS Writers’ Retreat is scheduled for April 1-4, 2019. Keep an eye out for notices here on Thesislink and in the PG Express e-newsletter closer to the time if you’d like to apply. If you are accepted to the retreat, your accommodation and food costs will be covered. All you need to do is get yourself (and your writing materials) to the venue!

About Graduate Research School (Auckland University of Technology)

The Auckland University of Technology Graduate Research School offers support and resources to all postgraduate students at AUT. Come and visit us on the 5th floor of the WU building.

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