The UEL Researcher Development Programme (RDP) is a suite of skills development workshops and online resources designed to meet the needs of research students and staff at UEL. The RDP is managed by Dr Caroline Dunmore, UEL's Researcher Development Manager. If you have any questions or suggestions regarding the RDP, please contact Caroline on c.dunmore@uel.ac.uk.
To book a place on a workshop, please e-mail Caroline on c.dunmore@uel.ac.uk. When booking, please be sure to state your School and job title / PGR programme as well the workshop you would like to book.
The Researcher Development Statement (RDS) has been drafted by Vitae, the national organisation championing the personal, professional and career development of doctoral researchers and research staff. The RDS sets out the knowledge, behaviours and attributes of effective and highly skilled researchers appropriate for a wide range of careers.
The RDS is structured in four domains, which encompass what researchers need to know to do research, to be effective in their approach to research, when working with others, and in contributing to the wider environment.
Domain A: Knowledge and intellectual abilities
The knowledge, intellectual abilities and techniques required to do researchDomain B: Personal effectiveness
The personal qualities and approach required to be an effective researcherDomain C: Research governance and organisation
The knowledge of the standards, requirements and professionalism required to do researchDomain D: Engagement, influence and impact
The knowledge and skills required to work with others and ensure the wider impact of research
The Researcher Development Statement is an evolution of the Research Councils’ Joint Skills Statement (JSS) and replaces the JSS as the key reference statement for the development of postgraduate researchers’ skills and attributes and researchers employed in higher education.
Follow this link for more information about the new Researcher Development Statement.
Follow this link to see the previous framework, the Joint Skills Statement.
Spring 2012
Tue 24 Jan 10 to 4.30 |
Teaching Skills for PGR Students Dr Julie Baldry Currens |
Stratford RB.1.16 |
Thu 26 Jan 2 to 4.30 |
Regulations on PGR Supervision Dr Alan White and Dr Caroline Dunmore |
Docklands EB.1.39 |
Mon 30 Jan 10 to 4 |
Writing Articles for Publication in Peer-Reviewed Journals - Josie Dixon | Stratford RB.2.23 |
Wed 1 Feb 10 to 1 |
Presentation Skills for Researchers Dr Caroline Dunmore and Dr Jo Cordy |
Queen Mary Mile End |
Wed 1 Feb 2 to 5 |
Public Engagement Dr Caroline Dunmore and Dr Jo Cordy |
Queen Mary Mile End |
Tue 7 Feb 9.30 to 1 |
Writing Your Thesis Dr Caroline Dunmore and Dr Jo Cordy |
Stratford RB.1.16 |
Wed 8 Feb 10 to 4.30 |
Effective PGR Supervision Prof John Wakeford |
Stratford RB.1.01 |
Fri 10 Feb 10 to 4.30 |
Teamwork Skills for Researchers Dr Caroline Dunmore and Dr Jo Cordy |
Queen Mary Mile End |
Tue 14 Feb 2 to 5 |
Preparing For Your Viva Dr Caroline Dunmore and Dr Jo Cordy |
Queen Mary Mile End |
Thu 16 Feb 10 to 4.30 |
Managing People in a Research Environment Dr Caron King |
Stratford RB.G.16 |
Thu 23 Feb 2 to 5 |
Research Ethics and Governance Prof Neville Punchard |
Docklands EB.1.39 |
Tue 28 Feb 9.30 to 12 |
Regulations on PGR Examination Dr Alan White and Dr Caroline Dunmore |
Docklands WB.2.04 |
Wed 7 Mar 1 to 4.30 |
Best Practice in PGR Examining Prof Tony Fell |
Stratford RB.1.01 |
Thu 8 Mar 9.30 to 12.30 |
Funding Bid Clinic: Improving Your Bid Success Rate - Prof John Wakeford |
Stratford ED.4.03 |
Thu 8 Mar 2 to 5 |
Funding Bid Clinic: Improving Your Bid Success Rate - Prof John Wakeford |
Docklands EB.1.43 |
Fri 9 Mar 10 to 1 |
Time Management for Researchers Dr Caroline Dunmore and Dr Jo Cordy |
Queen Mary Mile End |
Mon 12 Mar 12 to 2 |
Teaching Skills for PGR Students: Follow-up Clinic - Dr Julie Baldry Currens | Docklands EB.1.62 |
Wed 14 Mar 10 to 1 |
Maintaining Momentum in an Academic Environment - Dr Caron King | Stratford RB.1.01 |
Wed 14 Mar 2 to 5 |
Ensuring PGR Students Complete on Time Dr Caron King |
Stratford RB.1.01 |
Thu 15 Mar 12 to 2 |
Using the "Research Professional" Funding Information Service - Dr Aygen Kurt-Dickson | Docklands IT.C.02 |
Thu 22 Mar 10 to 4.30 |
Academic Writing for Publication Prof Norman Staines |
Stratford RB.2.23 |
Thu 22 Mar 12 to 2 |
Using the "Research Professional" Funding Information Service - Dr Aygen Kurt-Dickson | Stratford CC.1.08 |
Tue 27 Mar 10 to 1 |
Presentation Skills for Researchers Dr Caroline Dunmore and Dr Jo Cordy |
Queen Mary Mile End |
Tue 27 Mar 2 to 5 |
Public Engagement Dr Caroline Dunmore and Dr Jo Cordy |
Queen Mary Mile End |
Mon 16 April 2 to 5 |
Preparing For Your Viva Dr Caroline Dunmore and Dr Jo Cordy |
Queen Mary Mile End |
Mon 30 April 10 to 1 |
Assertive Communication Dr Caroline Dunmore and Dr Jo Cordy |
Queen Mary Mile End |
Mon 30 April 2 to 5 |
Negotiation and Influencing Skills Dr Caroline Dunmore and Dr Jo Cordy |
Queen Mary Mile End |
Tue 1 May 2 to 5 |
Making the Most of Academic Conferences Dr Caroline Dunmore and Dr Jo Cordy |
Queen Mary Mile End |
Wed 16 May 10 to 1 |
Presentation Skills for Researchers Dr Caroline Dunmore and Dr Jo Cordy |
Queen Mary Mile End |
Wed 16 May 2 to 5 |
Public Engagement Dr Caroline Dunmore and Dr Jo Cordy |
Queen Mary Mile End |
Thu 24 May 10 to 4.30 |
Developing Your Professional Reputation Dr Caron King |
Docklands EB.1.39 |
Many people struggle with academic writing, both technically (i.e. an understanding of what constitutes "good" prose), habitually (i.e. simply making the time to write) and strategically (i.e. understanding what editors value and what makes a good paper). This workshop tackles these three elements and provides participants with a toolkit to help them to get down to writing a paper that people will actually want to read. We will explore how best to consider your audience, choose your words and structure your ideas into a cogent article. We will do this in an interactive way, both in groups and as individuals. So come prepared to critically review other authors' works and undertake some writing of your own.
A one-day workshop for UEL staff in the humanities and social sciences wanting to improve their strike-rate in getting articles published in peer-reviewed journals. Led by Josie Dixon, an experienced academic publisher and research training consultant, the course is designed to develop your skills with practical advice and exercises on presenting a scholarly argument, thinking about your readership, and how to define and highlight your contribution to the field. It also includes valuable insights into what journal editors look for, the peer-review process, and the production and afterlife of a journal article, with implications for what to submit.
This is a one-day workshop for early-career researchers and doctoral research students who have little or no experience of academic publishing. The emphasis will be on publishing your research and scholarship, and in the workshop we will look at the nature and demands of academic publishing and how you can prepare and submit a paper to a chosen journal. We will consider how to conceive and assemble a manuscript, how to draft and edit it, placing an emphasis on becoming a critical and productive serial writer who uses evidence-based argument. The objective is to make your writing sit comfortably with the other demands on your energies. The session will involve presentations, discussions, small group work and exercises on critical reading of published papers and the active writing of a first draft of a paper you would like to publish. Do come prepared to talk and write about your research and your ideas.
A half-day workshop for postgraduate researchers. We will start by discussing what a thesis needs to do and what your examiners will be looking for, and examine how successful theses tend to be structured. Then we will consider some project management approaches to help you organise your work and plan your time. Finally we will explore some techniques to support you in generating the actual writing, as well as looking at how you can help yourself cope with the stress associated with completing a thesis.
This one-day workshop is designed for colleagues who are relatively new at bidding for research funding. We will discuss what you need to consider before making an application for research funding: how to develop your research idea, how to engage collaborators, how to identify potential funders and so on. We will also discuss how you should go about making an application, and what to do if your application is unsuccessful. Participants will be invited to submit a brief outline of a research idea they currently have in mind (maximum one page, and just a paragraph will do); six or so of these will be selected to be used in a group exercise to work up initial research ideas into plans for funding bids. All outlines will be treated in confidence. Colleagues can follow up this workshop by attending the half-day Funding Bid Clinic on Thursday 8 March 2012.
This half-day workshop is your opportunity to get feedback on a funding bid you are currently working on. The workshop is primarily aimed at colleagues who have some experience of writing bids for research funding, but is also suitable for early-career researchers who have attended the Funding Fundamentals workshop and are interested in learning about good practice in bid-writing by means of reviewing colleagues’ bids. Participants can bring along copies of a funding bid they are working on, either a bid still in draft or a bid that has been unsuccessful. Three or four bids can be considered in the workshop, and participants will work in small groups to analyse their strengths and weaknesses. Expert advice will be offered by the workshop leader. When booking a place, please indicate whether or not you plan to bring along a bid for review; if you are bringing a bid, then you need to e-mail an electronic copy in advance. All bids will be treated in confidence and copies will be returned to the author at the end of the workshop.
A two-hour workshop suitable for all research staff and postgraduate research students. This is a practical hands-on training session in how to use Research Professional (formerly called ResearchResearch) – “the newspaper for the research world, the world’s most reliable source of policy news and funding opportunities”. Participants will learn how to carry out simple and advanced searches, set up tailored alerts on funding opportunities and news stories, and create e-magazines of bookmarked funding opportunities and news articles for e-mailing to research groups.
A half-day workshop suitable for postgraduate research students and early-career researchers. An understanding of what is really meant by assertive communication is fundamental to improving your ability to work effectively with colleagues. This workshop introduces techniques designed to help participants communicate clearly and confidently and build effective working relationships within the research environment.
This one-day workshop is an opportunity to reflect on the impact of your research – how to identify it, how to articulate it and whom you need to tell. The workshop will explore how impact can be communicated effectively, and will include tips for communicating any message clearly and succinctly, whether written or spoken, planned or ad hoc. We will also look at what gives you presence when you are communicating your research, and how to answer the ‘So what do you do?’ question impressively, whether you are asked at a networking event, at an academic conference or at a job interview. This is a highly interactive workshop, and participants will get plenty of practice at applying the learning to their own research and current situations.
There is no doubt about it, the academic life is as challenging as it is rewarding. There is a constant need to balance the demands of research, teaching and management. Added to this is the need to progress your personal reputation so that you can be seen to be adding to the impact of your CV, your research, your department and your institution. This workshop will look at the elements that make up your professional reputation, and what you can do to enhance them without taking precious time away from delivering on your commitments. The workshop is suitable for postgraduate research students as well as colleagues in lecturing roles.
Doing research is one of the most rewarding, and most challenging, activities that you can ever undertake. Initially it can be full of excitement but over time it can become much harder to retain your enthusiasm in the face of looming deadlines, difficult results and increasing pressure to succeed. This highly interactive session will examine how our motivation works and provide practical ways of making progress when things get difficult. By the end of the session participants will have a much greater understanding of their own motivation, and will have strategies for identifying, managing and sustaining their own motivation and that of others.
A half-day workshop designed for students and staff who have not yet had much experience of attending academic conferences. We will discuss how to plan for attending a conference, what to expect when you get there, and what to do after the conference in order to make the most of your experience. We will also look at presenting conference posters.
As researchers many of us are dependent upon other people to get work done. And while we are skilled at our own research, many of us have limited understanding of how to manage other people to get things done. This highly interactive session gives an overview of the basics of people management: setting targets and delegating work; managing expectations; management styles and working styles; dealing with difficult people, managing conflict and poor performance; and staying resilient. We will also look at the skills you need to be an effective manager of researchers and research tasks, and how you can best enjoy the process.
A half-day workshop suitable for postgraduate research students and early-career researchers. This workshop explores the various styles of negotiation that have been analysed and gives you an opportunity to identify your natural preferences when seeking to influence colleagues. By the end of the workshop, participants should be able to: recognise the importance of listening and understanding the other person’s position; identify and employ the approach that will be most effective in a given situation; improve their chances of achieving successful outcomes when dealing with colleagues.
A half-day workshop that takes a practical approach to academic networking. We will explore techniques to help you in face-to-face networking situations, such as academic conferences, as well as considering how to make the most of all the online resources that are now available to researchers for “desk-based networking”. You will have the opportunity to participate in some fun activities designed to help you improve your ability to make contacts and market yourself and your research.
This one-day workshop, which builds on the “Project Management for Researchers” workshop offered in 2010-11, is suitable for both postgraduate research students and post-doctoral researchers. Participants do not need to have attended the previous workshop, but do need to be familiar with the basic principles of project management. (If you are not, then please sign up for the relevant online course.) This workshop explores the basic principles in more detail, and is designed to help you keep your research project on track. The workshop covers: identifying what to focus on; the key plans required for thorough project management; change management and stakeholder engagement; managing the performance and output of others; key performance indicators. Participants will need to be prepared to use a current project as a model throughout the workshop.
A half-day workshop suitable for postgraduate research students who are approaching their viva. By the end of the workshop, participants should be able to: understand the purpose, structure and possible outcomes of the viva; identify the key preparatory tasks they should carry out before their viva; and increase their confidence levels regarding what their experience of the viva will be like.
A two-part workshop for early-career researchers and postgraduate research students. In Part 1 we will consider the essential elements of giving a good presentation, first preparation and then delivery. We will look at the different types of presentation that researchers are called upon to give and explore how to structure your presentation and how best to use Powerpoint as a visual aid. We will also look at the effective use of voice and body language and how to handle nerves. In Part 2 you will have the opportunity to give a presentation on your research and receive constructive feedback.
A half-day workshop for research staff and postgraduate research students. We will explore what is involved in presenting your research to a general audience rather than an academic audience. We will start by examining what are the potential benefits to researchers of getting involved with public engagement. Then participants will have the opportunity to practise talking about their research in a journalistic context. Finally we will consider what is involved in designing a successful public engagement event.
This half-day session is suitable for all research staff and postgraduate research students and provides an introduction to UEL’s ethics policy and procedures. The information covered is essential for researchers whose research involves human or animal participants, and for academic staff responsible for supervising students whose experiments involve human or animal participants. The session explains how the Research Ethics Committee operates, and offers several case studies for consideration; examples of good practice are identified and discussed.
A half-day workshop designed for MPhil/PhD students just starting their programme and for Professional Doctorate students just starting the research element of their programme. We will explore what a doctorate entails (i.e. what your examiners will be looking for), planning and time management, the resources and networks you can use to support you, how to get the best out of your relationship with your supervisor, and how to develop your research skills. This workshop is a high-level introduction to the main issues you will need to think about when embarking on doctoral research.
A one-day workshop designed for postgraduate research students who are new to teaching. We will cover the basics you need to face your first class with confidence. Topics covered include session planning, icebreaking, lectures, seminars, marking and assessment. There will also be space to look at individual concerns. If you teach up to eight hours in a semester you are strongly advised to book onto this workshop.
A one-day workshop developed in collaboration with Queen Mary, University of London. We will explore some theory and undertake some activities relating to how people interact in teams. You will have an opportunity to reflect on your behaviour and its impact on others when working in different groups and on different tasks. You will leave the workshop with an enhanced understanding of how to develop and maintain effective working relationships with supervisors, peers and other colleagues.
A half-day workshop suitable for postgraduate research students and research staff who are interested in improving their abilities to manage their priorities and workload. By the end of the workshop, participants should be able to: recognise the importance of having long-term and short-term objectives; identify and address their own time management issues; employ good time management practices using tools and techniques introduced in the workshop.
This is a short interactive workshop delivered by Graduate School staff. It is designed to give participants a good working knowledge of the regulations and code of practice regarding the supervision of postgraduate research students up to but excluding the examination. For new supervisors, this short session serves as the ideal precursor to attendance at the one-day workshop, Effective PGR Supervision (PGR-S2 & PGR-S3), which explores issues relating to postgraduate research supervision in much more detail. This workshop can be delivered on additional dates over and above the main RDP schedule, if required.
This is a one-day workshop delivered by Prof John Wakeford. It is designed so that participants can attend for just Part 1 (PGR-S2) in the morning or just Part 2 (PGR-S3) in the afternoon, if they prefer. Part 1 covers the context relating to funding issues, doctoral success rates and the QAA code of practice; what constitutes originality in a doctorate; and the time commitment, financial investment and project management approach required for a doctorate.Part 2 enables participants to discuss a selection of narratives that illustrate some of the typical issues encountered in PGR supervision; the selection will vary each time the workshop is run. Part 1 (PGR-S2) is designed for new supervisors, while Part 2 (PGR-S3) is designed to enable a mix of supervisors with varying levels of experience to share their thoughts on good practice and to discuss issues that are of current concern to them. New supervisors are advised to attend the short workshop, Regulations on PGR Supervision (PGR-S1), before attending this one-day workshop.
This half-day workshop has been designed specially for postgraduate research supervisors at UEL, and gives participants the opportunity to consider effective strategies for helping their students achieve success in the doctoral programme. It covers the following: helping your student define an effective and realistic plan that they will stick to; setting clear expectations and managing the consequences of under-performance; monitoring progress and keeping the student on track; and influencing to support the delivery of a successful thesis. The workshop is suitable for all PGR supervisors and is designed to enable colleagues to discuss issues that are of current concern to them and to share their thoughts on good practice.
This is a short interactive workshop delivered by Graduate School staff. It is designed to give participants a good working knowledge of the regulations and code of practice regarding the examination of postgraduate research students. Attendance qualifies participants to serve as the chair at PGR vivas. Colleagues who are new to postgraduate research examination, either as examiners or chairs, or simply as supervisors who want to advise their students, are advised to attend both this workshop and the half-day workshop, Best Practice in PGR Examining (PGR-E2). Colleagues who are experienced in PGR examination but who require an update on the regulations in order to chair PGR vivas are advised to attend just this workshop (although PGR-E2 will also serve the purpose if it is scheduled more conveniently). This workshop can be delivered on additional dates over and above the main RDP schedule, if required.
This is a half-day workshop delivered by Prof Tony Fell. It covers best practice in: selecting the internal and external examiners; organising the examination; reviewing the thesis document; conducting the viva; compiling the reports; and reviewing any revisions. Attendance at this workshop qualifies participants to serve as the chair at PGR vivas. Colleagues who are new to postgraduate research examination, either as examiners or chairs, or simply as supervisors who want to advise their students, are advised to attend the short workshop, Regulations on PGR Examination (PGR-E1), before attending this half-day workshop.
We have a suite of online courses in research skills developed by Epigeum, a spin-out company from Imperial College London. Each course comprises 90 minutes of multi-media e-learning material.
To gain access to one or more of the online courses, please e-mail Dr Caroline Dunmore, Research Skills Development Adviser in the Graduate School, on c.dunmore@uel.ac.uk. Please give your student number or staff network ID as well as stating the courses you would like to use.
The courses are:
For more information about these online courses, see the Research Skills Master Programme on the Epigeum website.
To book a place on a workshop, please e-mail Dr Caroline Dunmore, Researcher Development Manager in the Graduate School, on c.dunmore@uel.ac.uk. When booking, please be sure to state your School and job title / PGR programme as well the workshop you would like to book.
To gain access to one or more of the online courses, please e-mail Caroline on c.dunmore@uel.ac.uk. Please give your student number or staff network ID as well as stating the courses you would like to use.
Colleagues in Library & Learning Services offer a range of resources to support UEL researchers - click here to visit their web pages.
Vitae is a national organisation championing the personal, professional and career development of doctoral researchers and research staff in higher education institutions and research institutes.
The Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers sets out the expectations and responsibilities of researchers, their managers, employers and funders. It aims to increase the attractiveness and sustainability of research careers in the UK and to improve the quantity, quality and impact of research for the benefit of UK society and the economy. Click here to find out more about the Concordat.
The UCL Centre for the Advancement of Learning and Technology has put John Wakeford's collection of PhD diaries online - click here to visit the case study database.
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