Postgraduate
Research Welcome
Skills Training for PG Research Students
Dr Jon Turner
Skills Training for Postgraduate
Research Students
Dr Jon Turner
Director, Institute for Academic
Development
www.ed.ac.uk/iad
The Expectation
Research
Councils;
Funding
Councils, other
PhD sponsors,
The University
and employers
all expect you to
develop skills
beyond your
research.
What can you do?
Become President
of a Society?
Professor Lesley
Yellowlees, is the
first female president
of the Royal Society
of Chemistry
PhD - Chemistry
Win a Nobel Prize?
Peter Charles
Doherty won a
Nobel Prize for his
research in Medical
Sciences
PhD – Veterinary
Medicine
Become Prime
Minister?
Gordon Brown
was leader of the
Labour party and
Prime Minister
PhD – History
Write a(nother)
book?
Philippa Gregory
is a best-selling
novelist.
PhD - 18th century
literature
The skills
you need…
• To get started…
• During your
research…
• Finishing your
research…
• For your future
career…
The skills you need….
• To get started with
your Research
• During your
research
• Finishing your
research
• Future career
Language, computing, literature
searching, project planning and
design
Statistics, research methods, IP,
project management, supervisor
management, communication,
team work
Critical analysis, paper and thesis
writing
Awareness of skills developed,
Career planning,
commercialisation
Research
Prior experience
Supervisor Support
School
Courses
External
Courses
External
Activities -
Skills
Development
e.g. schools
outreach
Individual advice Skills Training
& support
Programme e.g. careers
IAD
Web-based
information &
resources
Central courses
- library, computing
services
Getting off to
a good start…
• Graduate School
Courses and events
• IAD: Postgraduate
Essentials
• COMPASS: Induction
for international
students
PG Essentials
www.ed.ac.uk/iad/doctoral
• online course for
postgraduate
researchers
• Flexible and interactive
• Aimed at equipping you
with the essential
knowledge needed to
make the best start
possible
• Offered in semesters
1&2
Edinburgh COMPASS Programme
• Orientation courses and social events for
International Postgraduate Research Students in
Edinburgh
• A chance to socialise, gain an understanding of
academic culture in the UK and build a network
of peers from a variety of disciplines, universities
and locations
• Induction Event: Wednesday 14th October
• http://www.ed.ac.uk/iad/compass
University of Edinburgh
International Office
Keep going…
with tailored provision
Pick and choose
from a wide variety
of training
opportunities to
suit your personal
needs
www.iad.ed.ac.uk
Example of IAD Courses
• Preparing for Conferences – Posters and
Presentations
• Project Management
• Bitesize workshops – Conference and Event
Organising, Effective Slide Design
• How to be an Effective Researcher
• Finding Academic Literature
• Statistics
• Time Management
• Speed Reading
• Preparing for the Viva
Postgraduate-led
Initiatives
• On-line journals
– Experience of academic
publication &
communication
• Workshops and seminars
• Networking and social
events
• Competitive funding is
available
(IAD Researcher-led
Initiative Fund)
Three Minute Thesis
Competition (3MT)
• University Final June 2016
• Presentation skills training available
• Previous 3MT Final videos available
on University’s YouTube Channel
Contributing to
policy & social impact
Edinburgh Beltane
• Public and policy engagement
– Skills, opportunities and
contribution
• Public Engagement Network
– Connections between researchers,
publics, policy makers,
organisations like museums and
science centres
IAD SUPPORT FOR
TUTORS AND
DEMONSTRATORS
We support tutors and demonstrators across the University in
their teaching roles. We offer:
• Courses for new teachers on tutoring, demonstrating and
marking
• Courses on developing teaching further for more
experienced teachers (lecturing, supervising, one-to-one
advising, designing courses)
• Support for seeking accreditation for your teaching
• Online courses and resources
• Individual consultation (short appointments)
• Networking and social events
Other Sources
of Training
and Support
• Careers Service
• Library
• Information
Services
• English Language
Teaching Centre
• And much, much
more….
Vitae Research
www.vitae.ac.uk
What to do next…
• Refer to your
Graduate School for
more information
• Visit the IAD
webpages
• Check details of
content, target
audience (year of
study, discipline) and
eligibility
• Consult supervisors
• Ask other students
• Give it a try!
Thanks
All photos courtesy of our international students 2011:
International Global Horizons Competition