Alumni Association : University of East Anglia (UEA)

14/10/2026

Actor and children’s author Hugh Bonneville, known for Downton Abbey, Paddington and Notting Hill, visited University of East Anglia this week alongside his publicist and UEA graduate Rosi Crawley (AMS05). Hugh discussed his on-screen career with Steve Waters, Professor of Scriptwriting in UEA’s School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing.

Hugh shared stories of his time with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the filming techniques behind Paddington and his friendship with Kenneth Branagh. He also revealed that they hadn’t expected Downton Abbey to make it beyond its first season!

It was lovely to welcome Rosi back to campus, and we hope to see her again soon.

Pictured:
1. Hugh Bonneville and Rosi Crawley
2. Hugh and Prof Steve Waters

08/10/2026

We'd like to let you know about some exciting events taking place in London this November, in celebration of 50 years of Film Studies at UEA.

Through a series of talks and discussions, this anniversary programme explores the history, influence and future of one of the UK’s most pioneering film studies departments.

From talks on the history of Film Studies at UEA to discussions on feminism in film, Dr Who and James Bond - there's something for everyone and it's a great chance to catch up with fellow Film Studies alumni.

See the BFI webpage for more info and to book: https://whatson.bfi.org.uk/Online/default.asp?BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::permalink=film50-at-bfi-reuben-library&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::context_id=

01/10/2026

“As a mature student and single mum with four young children, I needed a university that felt supportive rather than intimidating, and UEA delivered exactly that."

This September marks 50 years since social work began at UEA, with a range of events planned in to celebrate five decades of success in education, supporting communities, and impactful research to help shape social work policy and practice.

The anniversary falls in the same month that UEA was recognised among the UK’s best for Social Work, ranking sixth nationally in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2027, reinforcing the School of Social Work UEA’s long-standing reputation for excellence in social work education.

For Mercy Akomah (SWK18), this anniversary offers a chance to reflect on how far her own journey has taken her, having initially embarked on her studies as a BA (Hons) Social Work mature student in 2018, after being out of education for more than a decade. Read more here: https://www.uea.ac.uk/about/news/article/uea-celebrates-50-years-of-social-work-success

Mercy was also interviewed on BBC Radio Norfolk about her career and UEA Experience (from 1:35:33): https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0031s6t

24/09/2026

Ready, set, bake! 🧁

Did you catch UEA graduate and paediatrician Dr Yannis Ali (MED16) on The Great British Bake Off last night?

Yannis graduated from Norwich Medical School in 2023. During his time at University of East Anglia, he was a member of the Bengali Society and founded the UEA Emergency Medicine Society.

We’re watching and cheering you on, Yannis. Good luck! 👏

Read his story:

The UEA community is hoping Norwich Medical School graduate Dr Yannis has the perfect recipe for Great British Bake Off glory.

17/09/2026

Earlier this summer, we were delighted to welcome the returning ENV78 cohort back to campus.

Almost 40 alumni made it back to Norwich and enjoyed a weekend of reunions, field trips and friendship.

You can read their report of the reunion on our blog page: https://www.uea.ac.uk/about/news/blog/env78-reunion-a-reflection

15/09/2026

Return to campus (Lecture Theatre 1) at 6:30pm on the evening of 25 November 2026 for the Autumn Lasdun Lecture, or attend online!

Join global bestselling author and creator of the Jack Reacher series, Lee Child, as he reflects on his remarkable career and the craft of writing some of the world’s most celebrated thrillers. As one of the defining voices in modern crime fiction, Lee has helped shape contemporary suspense writing for generations of readers.

Tickets for both the in-person and online event are available free of charge, but we encourage you to consider making an optional donation to our Undergraduate Difference Scholarships when signing up. With your support, we can reach more students and change more lives.

In-person tickets are selling very quickly - book now to avoid disappointment: https://host.nxt.blackbaud.com/registration-form/?formId=41cd8b07-9d6d-4238-b4f4-4cbc6dae0875&envId=p-7PKazsGnG0a-7KPIqiWjcw&zone=eur

11/09/2026

Earlier this year, we were saddened to hear of the death of Richard Wilson, who taught for many years at UEA in the School of History. He was a key figure in the Norfolk Record Society and was Research Director for the School of History.

One of his contemporaries, Martin Sheppard, has written an obituary detailing Richard's life, with contributions from other UEA History figures. We know that many of our History graduates will remember Richard's work at UEA.

You can read the full obituary here: https://www.uea.ac.uk/about/news/blog/remembering-richard-wilson

09/09/2026

A writer, Stuart Eggleton, has been in touch seeking memories from alumni about former UEA Professor and Creative Writing pioneer Sir Angus Wilson.

Stuart writes: I am a playwright and I’m writing a non-fiction book about Sir Angus Wilson and his partner, Tony Garrett. I’ve been lucky enough to speak to many of Angus’s contemporaries for the book. Angus Wilson helped set up the Creative Writing course at UEA with Malcolm Bradbury and taught on it for many years. I would be interested in talking to any former students who remember Angus or Tony. If you have a story or memory that you would be willing to share with me, please get in touch with me: please get in touch with me: [email protected]

04/09/2026

60 years ago, we welcomed some of the very first members of our alumni community. 1966 saw our first Bachelor's graduation ceremony where 78 students celebrated completing their studies and becoming some of the very first UEA graduates.

Members of the original UEA cohort have been kind enough to get in touch and share some photos of the ceremony, along with some press cuttings. Thank you to Richard Belcher (BIO63) and Simon Littlejohn (BIO63) for their photos, and to Adrian Smith (BIO63) for sourcing the press cuttings.

01/09/2026

UEA has made it to National Geographic! 🎬🌍

Academics from across University of East Anglia feature in Threads of Connectivity, a new mini-documentary series narrated by Andy Serkis.

Through cinematic storytelling and expert insight, the series explores the technologies and networks shaping how we live, work and communicate – including smart cities, biotechnology, power grids and transport.

The first five episodes are available now, with five more coming this autumn.

What development in technology or connectivity has had the biggest impact on your life since leaving UEA?

Read more: https://www.uea.ac.uk/about/news/article/uea-academics-feature-in-new-national-geographic-mini-series

Image: Prof Tom Hargreaves