Welcome Week Term one 

7–14 September 2026

Ayr, Dumfries, Lanarkshire & Paisley Campuses

West Fest is your welcome festival as you begin your university journey at UWS.

You can expect to find games and fun activities as well as stalls with useful information about the wide range of support available at UWS. You can also visit the student support drop  in space to meet the teams and ask any questions you may have.

Top ten things to do at West Fest:

  1. Get to know your classmates
  2. Tour your new campus
  3. Meet the Student Buddies
  4. Sign up for a Student Society
  5. Visit the Union Freshers Fair
  6. Check out Team UWS sports teams
  7. Learn about extracurriculars & development opportunities
  8. Attend a specialist talk or listen to some live music
  9. Enjoy some snacks
  10. Grab some freebies!

What on Welcome Week 

Who’s coming to WestFest?

There’ll be lots of organisations and local groups joining us throughout the week, including:

  • Renfrewshire Carers
  • Lanarkshire Carers
  • MCR Pathways
  • Glasgow Gladiators
  • EIS Teachers Union
  • Ayr Rugby Club
  • Ayrshire Independent Living Network
  • Lush
  • NHS 24
  • Endometriosis UK
  • Glasgow Science Centre
  • Gaelic Community Team
  • Play Fayre
  • Greggs
  • And more!

Please note: not all organisations will be available at every campus or on every day.

UWS Support Teams
UWS support teams will also be available throughout the week to help you with everything from funding and enrolment to wellbeing, IT, sustainability and getting involved in student life.

Freshers Fair
Meet your Student Officers, Students’ Union team and student societies, get involved in activities and find even more organisations, activities and freebies!

Available throughout WestFest

Ayr, Lanarkshire and Paisley
UWS Induction, Campus Tours, ID Card printing, Resolution Zone support, space for spiritual/non-spiritual contemplation and Team UWS club sign-ups will be available throughout the week.

Dumfries
Activities will take place on selected days – check the programme below for details.Online: UWS Induction will be available online.

By campus and day
Find out what’s happening at your campus each day of WestFest.

Paisley Campus Schedule

  • Funding & Advice: new to UWS drop in, from 9.30am Student Hub
  • Funding & Advice: balancing study & family, drop in from 2pm Student Hub
  • Mental Health Society Wellbeing & Connectivity event, 4pm Paisley Union Level 1
  • Languages Society Gathering, 6pm Paisley Union Level 1
  • Resolution Zone: help with finance, enrolment, IT, Level 3 library
  • Art & Photography exhibition, P Block
  • WestFest, Hub & Level 4 Library
  • Freshers Fair, Union
  • Sports Fair, Outside P Block
  • Library Scavenger Hunt
  • Quiet Arts & Crafts Zone, The Cranny
  • Space for spiritual/non-spiritual contemplation, The Sanctuary (F109), all day
  • Join a Team UWS sports club
  • UWS Induction
  • Campus Tours
  • ID Card printing
  • Gym Tours
  • Resolution Zone: help with finance, enrolment, IT Level 3 library
  • Debating Society Freshers Games Night, 6pm Paisley Union Level 2
  • Law Society Opening Night, 6pm Paisley Union Level 1
  • Library Scavenger Hunt
  • Quiet Arts & Crafts Zone, The Cranny
  • Space for spiritual/non-spiritual contemplation, The Sanctuary, F109, all day
  • Join a Team UWS sports club
  • UWS Induction
  • Campus Tours
  • ID Card printing
  • Gym Tours
  • Wellbeing Bike Ride, 1.30pm
  • International Student Support Walk ‘n’ Talk in Paisley Town Centre, 2pm meet at Student Hub
  • Resolution Zone: help with finance, enrolment, IT Level 3 library
  • Quiet Arts & Crafts Zone, The Cranny
  • Space for spiritual/non-spiritual contemplation, The Sanctuary, F109, all day
  • Library Scavenger Hunt
  • Join a Team UWS sports club
  • UWS Induction
  • Campus Tours
  • ID Card printing
  • Gym Tours
  • Funding & Advice: new to UWS drop in, from 9.30am Student Hub
  • Social Walk in Paisley Town Centre, 1pm meet at Paisley Union
  • Funding & Advice: balancing study & family drop in, from 2pm Student Hub
  • Resolution Zone: help with finance, enrolment, IT Level 3 library
  • WestFest – Hub & Level 3 Library
  • Freshers Fair, Union
  • Sports Fair, Outside P Block
  • Library Scavenger Hunt
  • Quiet Arts & Crafts Zone, The Cranny
  • Space for spiritual/non-spiritual contemplation, The Sanctuary, F109, all day
  • Join a Team UWS sports club
  • UWS Induction
  • Campus Tours
  • ID Card printing
  • Gym Tours
  • Anime Society Games Night, 4pm Paisley Union Level 2
  • Resolution Zone: help with finance, enrolment, IT Level 3 library
  • Library Scavenger Hunt
  • Quiet Arts & Crafts Zone, The Cranny
  • Space for spiritual/non-spiritual contemplation, The Sanctuary, F109, all day
  • Join a Team UWS sports club
  • UWS Induction
  • Campus Tours
  • ID Card printing
  • Gym Tours

Lanarkshire Campus Schedule

  • Building 3, outside lecture hall – quiet zone
  • Space for spiritual/non-spiritual contemplation, The Sanctuary, Room 1.0.13 all day
  • Campus Tours
  • Resolution Zone: help with finance, enrolment, IT
  • ID Card printing
  • Gym Tours
  • Funding & Advice - new to UWS drop in, from 9am Student Hub
  • Social Walk campus woods with Union, 1pm meet at main entrance
  • Funding & Advice: balancing study & family drop in, from 1pm Student Hub
  • Resolution Zone: help with finance, enrolment, IT
  • WestFest – The Street
  • Freshers Fair– The Street
  • Sports Fair – The Street
  • Space for spiritual/non-spiritual contemplation, The Sanctuary, Room 1.0.13 all day
  • UWS Induction
  • Campus Tours
  • ID Card printing
  • Gym Tours
  • Space for spiritual/non-spiritual contemplation, The Sanctuary, Room 1.0.13 all day
  • Resolution Zone: help with finance, enrolment, IT
  • Campus Tours
  • ID Card printing
  • Gym Tours
  • Space for spiritual/non-spiritual contemplation, The Sanctuary, Room 1.0.13 all day
  • Resolution Zone: help with finance, enrolment, IT
  • Campus Tours
  • ID Card printing
  • Gym Tours
  • Funding & Advice: new to UWS drop in, from 9am Student Hub
  • Funding & Advice: balancing study & family drop in, 1pm Student Hub
  • Resolution Zone: help with finance, enrolment, IT
  • WestFest: The Street
  • Freshers Fair – The Street
  • Sports Fair – The Street
  • Space for spiritual/non-spiritual contemplation, The Sanctuary, Room 1.0.13 all day
  • UWS Induction
  • Campus Tours
  • ID Card printing
  • Gym Tours

Ayr Campus Schedule

  • Quiet Zone - GT3
  • Secret Garden Games
  • Space for spiritual/non-spiritual contemplation, The Sanctuary, Room 2.069 all day
  • Campus Tours
  • Resolution Zone: help with finance, enrolment, IT
  • ID Card printing
  • Gym Tours
  • Quiet Zone - GT3
  • Secret Garden Games
  • Space for spiritual/non-spiritual contemplation, The Sanctuary, Room 2.069 all day
  • Campus Tours
  • Resolution Zone: help with finance, enrolment, IT
  • ID Card printing
  • Gym Tours
  • Quiet Zone - GT3
  • Secret Garden Games
  • Social Walk Ayr River ,1pm meet at statue by uni café
  • Funding & Advice: new to UWS drop in, from 9am Student Hub
  • Funding & Advice: balancing study & family drop in, from 1pm Student Hub
  • Wan Singer Wan Song – Snug, 2pm – 3.30pm
  • Resolution Zone – help with finance, enrolment, IT
  • WestFest – Atrium level 2
  • Freshers Fair - Atrium level 2
  • Sports Fair - Atrium level 2
  • Space for spiritual/non-spiritual contemplation, The Sanctuary, Room 2.069 all day
  • Campus Tours
  • ID Card printing
  • Gym Tours
  • Quiet Zone GT3
  • Secret Garden Games
  • Space for spiritual/non-spiritual contemplation, The Sanctuary, Room 2.069 all day
  • Resolution Zone: help with finance, enrolment, IT
  • Campus Tours
  • ID Card printing
  • Gym Tours
  • Quiet Zone GT3
  • Secret Garden Games
  • Space for spiritual/non-spiritual contemplation, The Sanctuary, Room 2.069 all day
  • Resolution Zone: help with finance, enrolment, IT
  • Campus Tours
  • ID Card printing
  • Gym Tours

Dumfries Campus Schedule

  • Gym Tours
  • ID Card printing
  • Resolution Zone: help with finance, enrolment, IT
  • Space for spiritual/non-spiritual contemplation, The Sanctuary, Room 2087 in Dumfries and Galloway College
  • Gym Tours
  • ID Card printing
  • Resolution Zone: help with finance, enrolment, IT
  • Space for spiritual/non-spiritual contemplation, The Sanctuary, Room 2087 in Dumfries and Galloway College
  • Gym Tours
  • Resolution Zone: help with finance, enrolment, IT
  • Space for spiritual/non-spiritual contemplation, The Sanctuary, Room 2087 in Dumfries and Galloway College
  • Gym Tours
  • Resolution Zone: help with finance, enrolment, IT
  • Space for spiritual/non-spiritual contemplation, The Sanctuary, Room 2087 in Dumfries and Galloway College
  • WestFest
  • Freshers Fair
  • Sports Fair
  • Gym Tours
  • ID Card printing
  • Resolution Zone: help with finance, enrolment, IT
  • Space for spiritual/non-spiritual contemplation, The Sanctuary, Room 2087 in Dumfries and Galloway College

Getting started at UWS

Learn more about enrolment and induction at UWS.

Find out more about Get to know UWS
Get to know UWS

Get to know UWS as you prepare for your new academic year. With campus information, insight into our health and wellbeing support and more.

Find out more
Find out more about Student induction
Student induction

Induction is a really important part of your university journey and there will be opportunities for you to engage in activities throughout this period.

Find out more
Last updated: 02/09/2026