Professional development

Skills training for postgraduate research students

We offer more than 100 courses, workshops and practice events annually, designed to enable you to undertake successful research and gain valuable transferable skills – whatever your likely future employment.

Listed below is a selection of what we offer. For full details visit our website.

These include:
- Regular welcome lunches and induction events for all researchers on their arrival, including essential information; networking and getting started with your research degree via our bespoke Speed PhD workshop.

- Health and Safety training programme offering every researcher the opportunity to revise essential foundations, strengthen working practices and gain an internationally recognised H&S certificate.

- A wide range of IT workshops aimed to re-enforce data collection, analysis and management skills such as Labview, UNIX, Fortran and Matlab, plus computer programming, software and other digital skills training to support these skills.

- Tools for strategic career planning and management; including personalised careers advice; exposure to a wide range of employers; help with interview, CV and career-break management skills.

- Specialist training for those aiming at an academic career, including grant-writing and fellowship applications based on EPSRC and NERC requirements; learning and teaching skills.

- Regular networking opportunities to explore interdisciplinary or collaborative approaches with researchers across the University.

- Resources to discuss your academic writing or maths in informal researcher-led clubs. Taking part is an excellent way to meet other researchers, exchange views and experiences.

- An innovative annual programme called Make Some Noise around public engagement with science and engineering activities including schools and community outreach, public exhibitions, Faculty researcher conference with external speaker and non-specialist peer presentations.

Researchers will receive news updates and booking information about forthcoming activities throughout the year.