Researcher Development Programme: Frequently Asked Questions
Am I eligible to attend?
All research degree students – PhD, Professional Doctorate, Integrated Doctorate, MD, MPhil and MRes students – are eligible to attend our workshops, irrespective of funding status or mode of attendance.
How much development should I expect to undertake?
If you are a full-time student, you should aim to undertake the equivalent of at least ten days of development activity each year of your degree programme (five days per year for part-time students).
We define ‘development activities’ very broadly, alongside participating in our workshops, development activities include the Graduate School induction events, subject specific workshops, and specialist conferences related to your research. E-Learning programmes, internal research seminars and any relevant work experience also form part of your development activities.
How do I decide which workshops to attend?
Apart from the Doctoral School inductions, there is no one mandatory route through the programme. However, your supervisor may have recommended workshops they feel are particularly relevant to you. You are also able to identify areas of development by using the Vitae Researcher Development Framework (RDF). These can be identified by the icon next to each workshop title.
Are the workshops mandatory or compulsory?
The only mandatory workshop in the programme is the Doctoral School Induction, attendance at all other workshops is voluntary. You should attend those workshops that are relevant to your development and will enhance your skills profile and future career. Please discuss with your supervisor which workshops you should attend. Once you have booked your place you are expected to attend.
What if i need development in something not offered?
Our programme provides development and training relating to core research methods, career development, and transferable skills. There may also be more specialised training that you require and this is provided through your College, School or supervision team, please contact them for further information about what is available at that level.
Please also contact the Doctoral School regarding any suggestions for workshops that you would like to see within the wider Researcher Development Programme.
Do I need my supervisor's permission to attend?
You will discuss your skills training as an integral part of the supervision process and your supervisors will help you to identify, acquire and review your skills on a regular basis.
How do I get information about workshops and book my place?
All the information you require can be found on the Doctoral School webpage, where we have a dedicated online booking system. All of our workshops places are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis so please book early to avoid disappointment.
Our programme provides development and training relating to core research methods, career development, and transferable skills. There may also be more specialised training that you require and this is provided through your College, School or supervision team, please contact them for further information about what is available at that level.
Please also contact the Doctoral School regarding any suggestions for workshops that you would like to see within the wider Researcher Development Programme.
Is there a charge?
All workshops are free of charge for University of Lincoln postgraduate research students. Please note that making bookings and not turning up on the day prevents others from attending. Should you book on a workshop, but then fail to attend without providing a valid reason, your supervisor and Head of Department will be notified.
Our programme provides development and training relating to core research methods, career development, and transferable skills. There may also be more specialised training that you require and this is provided through your College, School or supervision team, please contact them for further information about what is available at that level.
Please also contact the Doctoral School regarding any suggestions for workshops that you would like to see within the wider Researcher Development Programme.
What should I do if a workshop I want to attend is fully booked?
If a workshop is fully booked you will automatically be added to the waiting list. If additional places become available these are allocated in waiting list order, and you will be offered a place via e-mail. This offer will expire after 24 hours, so we recommend that you check your email frequently or arrange for it to be auto-forwarded to an email account you check regularly. We regularly review our workshop bookings and endeavour to organise additional sessions for our most popular workshops.
What should I do if I can no longer attend a workshop?
The Researcher Development Programme is very popular and for many workshops we have waiting lists of students wishing to attend. Hence, if you book a place on an event you are expected to attend. If you realise that your attendance is going to be impossible you can cancel your booking by emailing: doctoralschool@lincoln.ac.uk
Please do so as early as possible (and at least 48 hours in advance) so that we can offer your place to another student.
Why am I missing out on information from the Doctoral School?
The ‘system-wide’ email messages from the Doctoral School are sent to you via your student email address. If you do not use this address as your main email account, you may find that you miss out on useful information. You may wish to set up an automatic forwarding process to transfer emails from your student account to another account.
Who can I contact with questions?
Who can I contact with questions?
Please contact the Doctoral School:
Email: doctoralschool@lincoln.ac.uk
Telephone: 01522 837 725 or 01522 837 726