GRADskills

Key details: GRADskills is operated by CEED for St Leonards College and supports the development of research postgraduate students to improve their research capability and widen their employability inside and outside of academia.

Booking not required

Audience

  • PG research

Programme information

GRADskills is a suite of workshops and activities designed specifically for research postgraduate students (i.e. PhD, MPhil), delivered by the Centre for Education Enhancement and Development (CEED) for St Leonard's Postgraduate College. GRADskills aim is to support the development of all research postgraduate students at the University of St Andrews, to improve their research capability and widen their employability inside and outside of academia. gradskills-pgr@st-andrews.ac.uk. 

Workshops are grouped into thematic bundles which roughly follow the trajectory of the research degree (first year, mid-way, final year). 

Further online or asynchronous resources can be found on the GRADskills webpages.

More information on Vitae's Researcher Development Framework (RDF) and how you can use this to plan your professional development can be found here.

Individual workshop booking links

Links below indicate an upcoming event, but please note booking for each will open approximately five weeks ahead of each one. If a workshop title is not actively linked below, then dates for the current term have already passed and dates for the upcoming term have not yet been chosen. Further enquiries and last minute bookings (online bookings close the day before an event) should be directed to gradskills-pgr@st-andrews.ac.uk.

If you can no longer attend a workshop, please cancel your booking at least 2 working days in advance. Failure to do so may mean that future bookings are not approved. This PDMS intro video shows how to find, book and later print a certified training record.

As part of our ongoing commitment to enhancing the overall learning experience, we are pleased to inform you about some significant updates to our courses. Starting Semester 2, 2024 for our PGR Courses. We will be implementing a new course etiquette; model policy and cancellation procedure specifically tailored to streamline administrative processes and provide clear expectations for students participating in workshops. 

Key Changes: 

Course Etiquette: 

To foster a more collaborative and respectful learning environment, we have introduced a set of course etiquettes. These guidelines aim to promote constructive communication, inclusive participation, and a positive atmosphere during workshops. We believe that adhering to these etiquettes will contribute to a more enriching educational experience for everyone involved. 

Model Policies for Workshop Participation: 

Our new model policies outline the expectations and responsibilities of students participating in workshops. These policies cover various aspects, including attendance requirements, active engagement, and cancellations. By establishing clear guidelines, we aim to ensure that all students have a comprehensive understanding of what is expected of them, thus facilitating a smoother administrative process. 

Cancellation Procedures:  

The new procedure outlines a step-by-step process for course cancellation, making it more transparent and straightforward for our students. We believe that this enhanced clarity will contribute to a more seamless experience for all participants. 

The updated policy includes specific timeframes and requirements for cancellations, helping students understand when cancellations can be made and what information is needed to facilitate the process. This specificity is designed to eliminate confusion and promote a more efficient administrative workflow. 

We encourage you to thoroughly review the new course etiquettes and model policies, which will be available here ( link here will be provided for the webpage below). Familiarising yourself with these guidelines will ensure a smoother transition into the updated learning environment. 

Should you have any questions or need further clarification on any aspect of the new guidelines, please do not hesitate to reach out gradskills-pgr@ or ceed@ We are here to assist you and ensure that you have all the information you need. 

We appreciate your cooperation and understanding as we implement these changes. Our goal is to create an educational environment that is conducive to your success, and we believe that these updates will contribute significantly to achieving that goal. 

Thank you for being a valued member of our learning community. 

Theme 1) Getting started

6 courses - these are all optional.

  • An introduction to Endnote
    • Thursday 10 April 2025
  • Getting and staying organised for success
  • Positive habits for your doctorate: Managing your time and wellbeing
  • Postgraduate Researcher Welcome - Induction and Essentials
  • Rapid, critical and strategic reading
  • Welcome event for taught postgraduates

Theme 2) Carrying out my research

10 courses - these are all optional.

  • Build a research website in under three hours
  • Copyright for research
  • Copyright for teaching
  • Finding funding during your PhD
  • Let's Discuss...Imposter Syndrome (Postgraduate Researcher)
  • Managing your research and working effectively with your supervisor (Arts)
  • Managing your research and working effectively with your supervisor (Sciences)
  • NVivo (day 1): Introducing the software and qualitative analysis
  • NVivo (day 2): Advanced features and customising your approach
  • Research Data Management Plans: Starting from Scratch

Theme 3) Dealing with my data

6 courses - these are all optional.

Theme 4) Conferences, networking, and public engagement

10 courses - these are all optional.

  • 'This is what I do'...talking about your research
  • Build a research website in under three hours
  • Finding funding during your PhD
  • Funny research: Bright Club stand-up comedy workshop
  • Get podcasting! Creating your own podcast
  • Introduction to Working with Policymakers
  • Online Kintish Networking Courses - https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/osds/my-development/kintish/ - PGR
  • Pitch perfect: public speaking, networking & engaging
  • Speak up for success: Voice coaching for everyone
  • Writing conference abstracts, proposals and bios

Theme 5) Writing and publishing (in various media)

31 courses - these are all optional.

Theme 6) Teaching

12 courses - these are all optional.

  • AI in education: algorithmic decision making
  • AI in education: conversation online and the impact agenda
  • Artificial Intelligence writing tools and assessment
    • Wednesday 2 April 2025
  • Assessment and academic misconduct: an introduction (Arts)
  • Assessment and academic misconduct: an introduction (cross-faculty)
  • Assessment and academic misconduct: an introduction (Science)
  • Diversity in the workplace online training module
  • Stepping into Teaching: Effective Lecturing for Postgraduates
  • Student services: supporting students and teachers
  • Teaching at St Andrews: an introduction (Arts)
  • Teaching at St Andrews: an introduction (cross-faculty)
  • Teaching at St Andrews: an introduction (Science)

Theme 7) Finishing up: what's next?

13 courses - these are all optional.

  • Career planning: exploring careers beyond academia
  • Career planning: pursuing an academic career
  • CVs and job applications: getting onto the short-list
  • From PhD to postdoc: making the transition (Arts/Divinity)
  • From PhD to postdoc: making the transition (Sciences/Medicine)
  • Fundraising your first postdoc
  • Grant writing: writing for success
  • HEA Associate Fellow Application workshop
  • HEA Senior Fellow Application workshop
  • Influencing skills: How to handle challenging conversations to achieve your goals
  • Interview skills: academic and competency based interviews
  • Preparing for your Viva
    • Wednesday 7 May 2025
  • Submitting your final thesis to the Library: What you need to know

Programme organiser

IELLI
Email: ielli@st-andrews.ac.uk