The University’s flagship graduate event GradEX provides valuable opportunities for students to present their work, build professional networks and discuss and secure career opportunities ahead of graduation.
Throughout May and June, around 200 industry guests attended a series of events held on campus to meet students and award prizes to the best work on show – spanning Games, Biomedical Science, Education, Sports, Psychology, Forensics, Policing, Creative Industries, Computing, Engineering and Esports.
Guests this year included Stoke-on-Trent Central MP Gareth Snell, who attended the Staffordshire Games Institute GradEX event to hear directly from students about their projects. Bringing together nearly 300 graduating students and over 100 industry guests, it is one of the most significant student games showcases in Europe.
The annual exhibition has become a key platform for students to gain professional exposure and for employers to discover new talent. This inevitably leads to an impressive number of graduate job offers and excellent feedback on the quality of student work.
GradEX 2026’s Big Portfolio Review, for example, saw 16 industry and alumni guests join students for a morning of sharing portfolios, gathering advice and building the all-important connections that act as a bridge between university projects and professional careers.
Following the event, five Creative Industries students secured offers of summer internships with Cheshire-based creative agency Thrive.
The online GradEX portal is also now live, connecting University of Staffordshire’s Class of 2026 with potential employers around the world.
Featuring projects from students across a wide range of subject areas, the portal includes links to students’ LinkedIn profiles, portfolios and CVs. Last year, the online platform attracted more than 78,000 page views from 70 different countries across the globe.
GradEX reflects University of Staffordshire’s growing reputation for graduate employability. It was recently named University of the Year by the Graduate Futures Institute at the Academic Employability Awards 2026, in recognition of its strong outcomes and inclusive, sector-leading approach to preparing students for successful careers.
Carolina Salinas, Head of Employability and Graduate Outcomes, said: “GradEX provides a unique opportunity for our students to celebrate their achievements and gain professional exposure. We are extremely grateful to our industry guests and expert judges who have helped to make this year such a success. Congratulations to our GradEX prize winners and all of our talented students who took part!
“Events like this are essential to boost employability and prepare students for their next steps. It is more than just an exhibition, it is a gateway to real career opportunities and valuable industry connections.
“Our online GradEX portal will remain accessible throughout the summer, presenting even more employers with the opportunity to browse the incredible talent we have at University of Staffordshire.”
Discover more about GradEX 2026 and browse all the student projects at https://gradex.staffs.ac.uk/.