Did you know that the UofG has over 40 official Twitter profiles? In fact, our University currently has 139 different social profiles on the official list—which might have had something to do with our recent award for Best in UK on Social Media. There's no denying that, in today's technological climate, it is important for institutions to have a social media presence. But how do you decide which accounts to follow when the sheer volume can be overwhelming? The aim of this post is to help you with exactly that.

Whether you are fundamentally Facebook or an avid member of the Twitterati, the UofG has a social platform for you.

The Blog Team

No self-respecting blogger would write a post like this without using it as an opportunity for self-promotion! With that in mind, the first UofG social profile you absolutely need to follow is...

1. The Official PGR Blog Twitter Account

Get it done or we’ll blog about you in a negative way! Only kidding (we love you too much). If you’re reading this then, chances are, you already keep up with the blog and are looking for other social profiles to connect with. Let’s start with the basics…

Me: I’m always looking for friends. As they say in Glasgow: ‘I’ve got nae pals!’ Follow me on Twitter, Instagram and even connect with me on Facebookfor rubbish chat and pictures of Richard (my cat).

Jade can be found on Twitterand Instagram. She notes that her Twitter name might sound a bit dodgy, but it was created during her Hunterian Associate days when she literally searched through William Hunter’s Manuscript collections for references to rebellion. And who doesn’t like picture of dogs on Instagram?

James has his very own website dedicated to sharing his information online but, if you want to dive straight into a conversation, you can connect directly with him on Twitter. James also blogs for Naturally Speaking: a place where you can keep up to date with the cutting edge research from the Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health & Comparative Medicine.

The rest of the blog team are also spread across various social media platforms. But—just like you—they are extremely busy and haven't had time to respond to my email asking whether they wanted included in this post.

2. The University

With multiple channels on offer you are absolutely spoiled for choice when it comes to the University as a whole: check out the Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Youtube channels for all things UofG. There’s even a snapchat channel (UofGlasgow) and the UofG Social Media Blog deserves a special mention for being a great source of information. If you haven't already signed up to their mailing list then you’re missing out on some awesome chat.

3. What’s on at the University?

If you’re more interested in what’s going on around campus, then the UofG Events Twitter Channel is definitely for you. Following this blog is also a good call.

4. The Careers Service

The careers service also has lots of outlets for you to keep up to date with the latest news: Facebook, Twitter and a dedicated Blogare all great resources for part-time and full-time opportunities.

5. The Library

What could a library possibly use an Instagramaccount for? Lots of interesting and useful photos. Seriously, check it out. Their Blog, Twitter and Facebook are also great ways to keep up to date with events, issues and other information.

Another great account you should follow is the University of Glasgow Archives and Special Collections Twitter feed. It's packed full of interesting images from the archives.

6. Equality & Diversity

At the UofG we are big on equality and diversity. From Postgrad and Pregnant to LGBT History Month, our very own blog has tried to promote different perspectives for our readers to consider. But if you want more information, then check out the official UofG Equality Channel on Twitter.

There are also two dedicated Athena SWAN accounts: one for the entire university and one for the Institute of health and Wellbeing. If you’re not sure how Athena SWAN ties in with equality and diversity then check out my previous post on the subject: Diversity is not a Dirty Word.

You should also have a look at the recently launched UofG Young(ish) Parent’s Network on Facebook: one of the positive things that has come as a result of my post on PhDs and Parenting.

7. PGR Specific

There are lots of perks to being a PGR at the University of Glasgow: our Blog is just one (do I even need to link this?) and the Gilchrist is definitely another. We even have our very own dedicated Twitter Guru on hand to provide updates on all things PGR.

8. The Colleges

The College of Science and Engineering comes first on this mini-list within a list, but only because it’s MY college (and us scientists and engineers look out for each other...). You can follow the Graduate School on Twitter and Facebook for more student orientated information: or connect with the College itself on Twitter for news and events.
MVLS: the College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences has a handy Facebook Page to keep you both informed and entertained.
The College of Arts has Facebookand Twitter too.
While the College of Social Sciences is more of a Facebookfan.

I have tried to find ALL the profiles for each college, but I’m aware that the College of Science and Engineering has more. Is this an example of unconscious bias? The best way to find out if your own college has more profiles than I have listed is to contact them through the ones that I have.

9. The Schools

There are so many social profiles for individual schools at the UofG that it wouldn’t be practical for me to list them all. The School of Physics & Astronomy, Engineering, Maths and Statistics and Humanitieswere all easy to find by searching through Facebook and Twitter. If you want to follow your own school, then I’d recommend simply searching for them on your social platform of choice and checking out your School Moodle site and webpage. The School of Critical Studies, for example, has direct links to Facebook and twitter on their home page.

10. UofG Sports

I know, I know: not everyone enjoys running sport as much as me. But, as Jiska mentioned in her post on World health Day, physical activity is an important part of your health and well being. Whether you simply want to stretch your legs or take part in something more competitive, it’s worthwhile keeping an eye on Twitter, Facebook& Instagram,where there is lots of information on the latest events and campaigns run by UofG Sports.

11. The Internship Hub

How does one become a blogger at the University of Glasgow? I hear you ask. You keep an eye out on the Internship Hub for a whole host of opportunities to gain some extra experience. Their Facebookand Twitterfeeds are a good start.

12. Public Engagement & Communication

From the Three Minute Thesis Competition to the Pint of Science Festival, there are loads of ways to flex your communication muscles. To find out about more events like these—as well as to gain some tips on good communication practices—follow Jamie Gallagher on Twitter.

13. And More...

There are lots of super-specific social media accounts associated with the UofG which never made it onto my list. I thought I would leave those to you: add any profiles you use to the comments or share them with us through Twitter. Whether they’re useful for everyone, or subject specific, we want to hear about them.

Feature Image: Social Media by kropekk_pl [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons