Although you know heaps about your chosen subject, there are many other skills that you’ll need to develop to help you through your PhD. The Researcher Development Programme provides year-round support through workshops, webinars, and online modules. Our events cater for all stages of your doctoral studies, and cover:
- Library & Academic Skills
- Personal Effectiveness
- Doctoral Process
- Communicating Research
- Academic Writing
- Engagement & Impact
- Technology
You can register online for any of our workshops and a record of your training appears in Sussex Direct.
In this video, researchers and staff talk about the importance of training:
For software training, please visit the ITS website.
Training Needs Analysis
Each year, you’ll need to complete a Training Needs Analysis with your supervisor. By reflecting on your training needs, you can identify areas for development and then attend specific workshops through the Researcher Development Programme and beyond. Your TNA will be considered by the panel assessing your academic progress as part of your annual review. Your School or funding body might require you to complete a specific form, too.
Researcher Development Framework
Developed by Vitae, an organisation dedicated to supporting early career researchers (ECRs), the Researcher Development Framework (RDF) sets out the skills needed to be successful in research. You can access a range of resources related to the RDF via the Vitae website. Sussex subscribes to Vitae, so registering with your Sussex email address gives you full access to all the content.
The framework set out the wide-ranging knowledge, intellectual abilities, techniques, and professional standards expected of researchers, along with the personal qualities, knowledge and skills to work with others to ensure the wider impact of your research.
You can use the RDF as a guide to your development as a professional researcher. It will hep you to identify your strengths and to set priorities for further development. Some funding bodies will expect you to map your training to the RDF, and the domains (shown below) are also recognised by some employers.
