Introduction to the DCU Researcher Professional Development (RPD) Programme

 Course code: DCU023 (SIGN UP FOR THIS PROGRAMME TO FIND OUT MORE AND REGISTER IF YOU DECIDE TO)

The DCU Researcher Development Programme is designed to support researchers at various levels in their career. 

The Aims of the programme include:

1. Leadership & Team Management
Elevate Your Influence: Acquire proven leadership and management frameworks to effectively lead, motivate, and mentor a high-performing research team.

Drive Research Success: Build your capability to organize research activities, delegate tasks efficiently, and manage resources to ensure timely and successful project delivery.

2. Funding Acquisition & Strategy
Master Grant Writing: Advance your grant writing skills by learning strategic proposal development and language structuring that significantly increases your likelihood of securing competitive research funding.

Navigate the Landscape: Become proficient in mapping and navigating the complex DCU research support structure and the wider external funding landscape to efficiently target and apply for the most relevant grants.

3. Professional Network & Collaboration
Establish Key Partnerships: Develop the strategic skills necessary to establish, cultivate, and maintain robust, mutually fruitful national and international research collaborations.

Expand Your Network: Engage in group mentoring sessions led by Principal Investigators (PIs) and connect with peers to create a strong, lasting professional network that supports career progression and new research initiatives.

4. Career Progression & Communication
Define Your Trajectory: Formulate a clear, targeted career strategy by recognizing the necessary steps and milestones required to successfully transition from an early-career position to a senior research leadership role.

Communicate for Impact: Refine your research communication skills, enabling you to persuasively present complex findings to diverse audiences—from funding panels to the general public—maximizing your research's impact and visibility.

This session will help you too to:

• Personalise your experience of the programme and identify the most beneficial areas to focus on
• Explore the key features of the RDP course and how to navigate the on-line modules
• Gain an understanding of the recent trends in the Higher Education sector and how these will impact on your career as a researcher.