The Centre for Victorian Studies colloquium held on 30 April 2026 was a highly successful and intellectually vibrant event, attracting around 25 early career researchers alongside an international cohort of speakers participating both online and in person.

The calibre of the papers was exceptionally high, with particularly strong contributions from our own PGR students, and the event showcased genuine interdisciplinarity, bringing together staff and students from English, History, and Geography, as well as colleagues from Archives and Cultural Services. The colloquium demonstrated the strength of Victorian Studies at RHUL, the Centre’s growing international reach, and the significant visibility it brings to the university, underscored by the fact that several eminent US scholars proactively contacted us at the CFP stage to request participation. The success of the event was due in large part to the outstanding leadership of Bonnie Liu, English PGR and CVS postgraduate co director, whose intellectual vision, meticulous organisation, and warm professionalism were central to its delivery, supported by the continued excellent stewardship of the Centre by Dr Helen Kingstone. The event made a clear contribution to RHUL’s reputation as an international hub for Victorian Studies, and we are grateful for the departmental support that helped make it possible.