Group of researchers gathered around a table

Professional Skills for Research Leaders (PSRL) Programme

A DCU LEARNING & ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND RESEARCH SUPPORT INITIATIVE  

LAUNCHING 14th NOVEMBER 2023

Want to enhance your research leadership, management and engagement skills? Or expand your professional research network?

DCU's Professional Skills for Research Leaders (PSRL) is a blended-learning programme for researchers designed by researchers, academics and Learning and Development professionals. 

Target Audience:

Postdoctoral researchers and early-career academics

Objectives:

This programme will help you develop your career strategy in a broader research context. On successful completion of this programme, the learner will be able to:

  • recognise steps to take to keep their careers on track
  • advance their grant writing skills
  • build their capabilities as a team leader
  • navigate DCU's research support structure and funding landscape
  • establish and maintain fruitful research collaborations
  • develop their research communication skills in a variety of capacities

Format:

The programme comprises a blend of 6 Epigeum (Oxford University Press) online modules complemented with attendance at the first workshop on Getting the Best from the PSRL and 4 out of the 6 remaining workshops lasting 1 to 3.5 hours each. 

Application Process:

To register for the PSRL, please only sign up for the INTRODUCTION workshop below.

The 4 workshops are chosen after the Introduction workshop and you an also opt out then if you so wish. 

Online Course

Online Workshop

Introduction to Professional Skills for Research Leaders 

INTRODUCTION: Getting the Best From the PSRL – Tue, 14/11/2023 - 10:00 to 11:00

To apply for the programme, sign up for this workshop (you can opt out after).

Developing and Consolidating your Research Career

WORKSHOP 1: Developing and Consolidating your Research Career – Thursday Nov 30th 2023 - You can choose between an AM session (9-12.30) or a PM session (1.30-5) in CORE | Both sessions are the same | One-to-ones timeslots TBD

Funding your Research

Funding your Research (2 workshops)

WORKSHOP 2: Developing your Research Funding Plan – 24th of January 2024

WORKSHOP 3: Grant writing - Wednesday 7th Feb 2024, 10-12.30

Managing a Research Team

WORKSHOP 4: Managing a Research Team – Thursday 7th March 2024

Research Collaborations

WORKSHOP 5: Research Collaborations – Wednesday May 15th 2024

Communicating your Research

WORKSHOP 6: Communicating your Research - Thursday June 13th 2024

These interactive workshops extend and discuss the online content and present new and up-do-date material and research relevant to the theme of focus.

Contributors include Principal Investigators and experts on the topics. Participants must achieve a pass mark of 70% for the course by completing an online quiz for each of the on-line elements.

Group mentoring (when available)

Group mentoring is a hugely beneficial approach of sharing knowledge with peers, exploring career paths and challenges, and receiving advice from seniors in the field of research.

All participants on the programme will be invited to take part in group mentoring, led by a Principal Investigator as mentor. The group will meet monthly to explore solutions to challenges that mentees face and potential areas for career development. Mentees will also benefit from peer to peer support and the opportunity to network and build relationships.

Fee: 100 euro charged to your school or research centre 

If you have specific questions on the PSRL, please contact learning.development@dcu.ie


Key Contributors: