Professional and Career Development

Professional and career development are integral to enabling researchers to develop their full potential
Advanced Professional Practice in Work and Wellbeing - what skills will I gain?

Researchers must be equipped and supported to be adaptable and flexible in an increasingly diverse global research environment and employment market.

This Principle recognises the importance of continuous professional and career development, particularly as researchers pursue a wide range of careers.

This principle is underpinned by obligations for the four key stakeholder groups, funders, institutions, researchers and managers of researchers, to realise the aims of the Concordat.

10 days professional development and training

Professional development and training encompass a broad range of activities such as workshops, training, briefings and discussion forums, mentoring, coaching, events and conferences, networks, researcher-led activities, and representation of researchers within the University and beyond. Any type of activity, opportunity or support that enables researchers to engage in their career and professional development can be included within the 10 days pro rata per year.
Examples may include:

Community and networking

Joining and contributing to:

Committees

  • Being a ECR representative on a School, Faculty, Institute or University committee
  • Creating committees within your School, Faculty, Institute
  • Being part of local Athena SWAN, Race Charter and EDI networks

Conferences

  • Organising conferences or seminars
    • Developing events as part of your School, Faculty, Institute, Centre or Group
  • Attending conferences as part of your research to explore new developments, promote yourself and your research, and build new connections

Applying for local funding

  • Applying for local funding to develop and run local initiatives (e.g Innovation funding )
  • Managing budgets as part of developing and managing initiatives

Training

Knowledge Exchange

Mentoring and Coaching

  • Access the Peer Mentoring Support, as a mentor or mentee
  • Access coaching opportunities on offer
  • Consider supporting new research staff looking to join networks, societies etc.

Recording your development

Employee Self Service allows staff to record learning experiences and update and review skills and qualifications. A user guide is available to enable you to record personal learning and upload a document / certificate.

Useful links and resources
Research staff resources SharePoint page (University of Plymouth log-in required)
Researcher Development Programme Moodle (University of Plymouth log-in required)
Vitae: realising the potential of researchers
Library Research Support Services (information resources, Open Access, Symplectic Elements, data management, citation metrics, SciVal, copyright and licensing, Plan S, ORCiD, training and 1:1 support)
Support from Research and Innovation (funding, consultancy, IP, enterprise solutions, KTPs, impact, governance, research information systems)
HR staff development (University of Plymouth log-in required)
PGR supervisors, examiners and chairs Moodle (University of Plymouth log-in required)
UK Council for Graduate Education (learning and professional development events)
Advance HE (development programmes, conferences and events)
JISC (libraries and research)
Research Design Service (NIHR) – South West
University Hospitals Plymouth Research and Development

Alt-Ac Careers for Researchers
Alternative to academic careers offer researchers many great opportunities to utilise their knowledge, skills, and interests.
This series of articles, videos, and resources has been developed to help researchers consider their career development needs and planning.
 

Faculty and Research Institutes

Contact the School of Art and Media

Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business

Guilin river and peaks. Image courtesy of Getty Images. Faculty of Science and Engineering.

Faculty of Science and Engineering

Faculty of Health and Human Sciences hero image

Faculty of Health