Bristol Futures
Become a Bristol Futures learner and involve yourself in a new way of educating yourself with our innovative learning resources and extracurricular activities.
Learn about global challenges and fulfil your academic and personal potential through our Bristol Futures initiative.
Designed for our students and keen external learners, Bristol Futures provides you with an opportunity to tackle the key challenges in Global Citizenship, Sustainable Futures and Innovation and Enterprise. If you’re already studying with us, it provides you the opportunities to develop core academic skills and key personal attributes to help you become a tenacious, inventive and confident graduate. You can use 'My Skills' to identify the skills and attributes you'd like to develop.
Bristol Futures allows you to:
- Take time to reflect on your skills, and track them in a purposeful way using the University’s online skills platform, My Skills.
- Develop your academic skills through our Study Skills resources. Access online, interactive resources and attend one-to-one tutorials, drop-in tutorials and small-group workshops.
- Explore interdisciplinary topics through Optional Units. Use new learning resources to complement your structured learning environment.
- Collaborate with others at the University and around the world. Join an Open Online Course and enjoy a flexible way of learning about the global challenges that impact our society.
- Connect with others in the city of Bristol and beyond. Participate in a range of Engagement Opportunities that will help you make connections, enhance your employability and prepare you for life after University.
What is 'My Skills'?
Co-designed by students, academics and external partners, including graduate employers, My Skills focuses on nine essential skills, that we have grouped into three categories:
Academic skills
- How to think beyond my discipline
- How to express my ideas
- How to develop effective learning strategies
Research skills
- How to conduct my own research
- How to evaluate the research of others
- How to think critically
Knowledge handling skills
- How to develop ideas and solve problems
- How to think creatively and innovatively
- How to analyse and present data.
Work well independently
- Organise myself effectively
- Act with integrity
- Recover from difficulties and set backs
Work well with others
- Work well as part of a team
- Communicate confidently and appropriately in a range of settings
- Develop and maintain healthy relationships
Work well across communities
- Recognise and value the views and differences of others
- Engage positively with local communities
- Engage positively with global issues.
Proactive about your wellbeing
- Good at caring for my physical and mental health
- Able to develop my self-awareness
- Able to develop a positive mindset
Clear about your direction
- Clear about my motivations and values
- Confident in expressing my strengths
- Ready for my next steps
Ready for the future 
- Confident in using digital tools
- Able to identify and work with technological advances
- Ready to adapt to changing and challenging environments.
Get started by completing the skills self-assessment on My Skills, searching our community engagement opportunities or signing up to an Open Online Course.