Other Useful Links

Other training providers and useful contacts for researchers

National GRADschools
Why would a GRADschool suit you?
Course content
Style of working on a GRADschool
The Research Commons
The Postgraduate Union
The Library
Enhancing your Employability: Employability and Graduate Development
The International Office
INTO
The University of Exeter Student Counselling Service
'AccessAbility' - the Disability Resource Centre
IT Services
Other External Training Providers and Contacts for PhD Students
Researchers in Residence
Research Councils UK (RCUK)
The National Postgraduate Committee (NPC)

National GRADschools

National GRADschools are organised and run by VITAE and are designed to help you reflect upon and develop the skills you have as a postgraduate researcher. The courses encourage you to consider how you can apply your skills now and in the future and aim to help you make more informed choices about the next step of your career.

Many researchers who attend the course have a transformational experience - empowered to take charge of their own learning and career.

GRADschools are designed to enable you to:

develop your personal effectiveness
identify ways to communicate effectively
make more informed choices about your future and own and manage the next step of your career.

For more information on National GRADschools follow this link.

Course content

Every course is unique and they are tailored to the needs of the regional institutions and may have a specific emphasis, such as interpersonal skills, or focus on a particular sector.

While retaining an individual design and focus, all GRADschools aim to develop a specific set of competencies from the Joint Statement of the Research Councils' Skills Training Requirements for Research Students.

Style of working on a GRADschool

All GRADschools adopt an experiential learning style, usually working in small groups, and operate on the principle of 'challenge by choice'. We create a safe environment where everyone is encouraged to experiment and work in unfamiliar areas. No one has to take on any challenge with which they feel uncomfortable. Throughout the course, time is taken for reflection and discussion.

We do ask participants to come with an open mind and be prepared to contribute to the course. The courses are hard work but enjoyable: learning is genuinely fun. The timetable may be intensive, but the courses are very lively and informal.

Benefits of attending a GRADSchool

GRADschools are exceptionally highly rated by attendees. They are designed specifically for postgraduate research students.
All participants are asked for feedback at the end of the course, and a number are also asked three months later and through ongoing annual surveys, to assess the long-term benefits. This is what previous participants have said:

Skills development

95% became more aware of their skills and attributes (3 month feedback).
85% were more confident in their communication skills (3 month feedback).
92% were more confident at working in teams and more confident in their ability to work effectively in new situations (post course feedback).
"I surprised myself with what I was actually capable of."
"I still use the negotiation skills with my staff and boss that I learned on the course."
"I never thought that I could learn so many things about myself: the way I work and how to improve, in such a short time. Even though I was quite cynical about the whole thing to start with, I realise that it has helped me a great deal." (3 year survey)

Effective research management

85% felt they were more able to find creative solutions to problems.
93% felt they were more able to negotiate with and influence others (post course feedback).
72% said they managed their research better (3 month feedback).
"I had become stuck in an experimental rut for too long. The course taught me how to gather everything together and organise myself to get my PhD moving again."
"It probably made the difference between finishing and not finishing, and certainly made my third year bearable."

Career management

94% believed they were more employable (3 month feedback).
95% were more able to sell themselves at interview (3 month feedback).
"It was almost entirely because of the course that I researched, applied for and got my current job. The skills I learned at the school were exceptionally useful at the selection stages." (3 year survey)
"It highlighted the fact that I had already learned skills that were useful across different work areas and helped to show ways in which I could present these skills to a potential employer." (3 year survey)

Motivation

"90 highly disbelieving and cynical students, gathered in a conference room, wondering exactly what we were doing there and how the week ahead could possibly fulfil all the wild claims of the publicity. Five days later we returned home inspired, motivated and bursting with confidence about our abilities and the future."
"I feel this is a pivotal point in my life - I now have the self-confidence and skills to hopefully shape my life."

Recharging your batteries

"DON'T LISTEN if you are told you can't afford the time: you can't afford to miss this course."

New insights

"An entirely new world of possibilities opened up to me and allowed me to follow a career path which I feel will be more rewarding than my original choice"
"The sense of genuine achievement was very tangible. I can honestly say that the course has changed my attitude to work, research and work colleagues quite fundamentally"

Still don't believe all the hype?

95% said the course was successful in meeting their personal objectives (3 month feedback).
96% of attendees encouraged other students to attend (3 month feedback).

Visit the VITAE website for more details or visit Level 7 in the Laver Building.

The Research Commons

The Research Commons is housed in the Old Library building on the Streatham campus near the University Chapel.

The newly refurbished facilities house a dramatic world-class research library space with a new reception, exhibition hall, café-style break out space and terrace area. There is a new special collections suite and a deep well of 10 kilometres of shelving for research collections. A large, light new reading room, multi-media seminar space and 56 new reader seats provide library users with a quiet and inspiring space to study during the Forum works in the Main Library. The Reading Room is also Wi-Fi enabled and the PC desks all have data access.

The Research Commons houses our Special Collections, the Bill Douglas Centre for the History of Cinema and Popular Culture, the Arabic and Islamic Collection, Official Publications, print copies of Science Journals and the Drama Sets. It also contains older and other less used research items.

To request items on the catalogue with the location "Roborough Basement" please book in advance by contacting the Research Commons.

The building is open on week days and weekends but times vary during the year. Please check the current opening hours for up to date information.

The Postgraduate Union

The Postgraduate Union is the part of the Students' Guild dedicated to postgraduates. The PGU committee is made up of current students who represent postgraduates at University and Guild meetings and organise social events for postgrads throughout the year.

There are specific reps for International students, those in Cornwall and on St Luke's campus, taught and research course reps and social event organisers. There is also a core committee responsible for the running of the PGU and so whatever your background they should be able to cover anything that arises.

They plan the postgraduate programme for welcome week, several trips and socials throughout the year and the Postgraduate Ball every January in honour of the Winter Graduation ceremony. This gives everyone ample opportunity to meet other postgrads in our community and celebrate our successes as well as to relax from studying occasionally.

Together the committee tries to ensure all postgraduates get the most from their time at the University of Exeter. They make sure the voice and issues of the postgraduates are raised and work closely with the Guild to achieve this. Their website is linked from the Students' Guild website and, amongst other things, includes a list of contacts if you have any questions.

PGU activities fall into four key areas:

Representation: providing a voice for postgraduates at the upper levels of the Guild and University.
Communication and participation: publicising the PGU and its role, to encourage postgraduates to get involved.
Support and cohesion: working with the Guild to promote the development of social and intellectual networks amongst postgraduates.
Resources: working to ensure quality and parity of provision in training, supervision, and workspace for postgraduate research students.

Central to all of this is involvement; we want to create links between postgraduates from different schools so that students’ support networks extend beyond the environment of individual schools. A focal point for many of our activities is the Postgraduate Centre (Clydesdale House), which offers a range of facilities for both work and play. The Postgraduate Centre is also the venue for many events in the Effective Researcher Skills Programme, which offers an impressive range of sessions for research students at all levels of their PhD. The Skills Programme continues to attract positive feedback from postgraduates, so we do encourage you to engage with it during your time at Exeter.

For further details visit the PGU website.

The Library

Libraries have always paid an indispensable part in the research process. Even the most heavily laboratory-based project requires familiarity with the written reports of predecessors in the field, most often in the form of a long trail of journal articles, while the researcher who concentrates on texts will need a complex network of articles, books, reports and, perhaps, primary sources.

Establishing the existence and whereabouts of these materials – we have well over a million volumes on our shelves at Exeter – demands skills in the use of such finding aids as catalogues, indexes and bibliographies, to an extent not needed at undergraduate and Master’s levels. The situation is both enriched and complicated by the increasing availability of online versions of books and journals (we subscribe to 9,500 online journal titles), along with their finding aids. More than ever PhD students have a treasury of material available to them at Exeter, and more than ever they need to equip themselves with the skills to find their way round it, as well as running various library sessions for Education Enhancement, specifically for PhD students, as detailed in this booklet.

Also visit the Library website for more details.

Enhancing your employability: Employability and Graduate Development

The Careers and Employment Services staff have a wealth of expertise and will be able to help you to plan your future irrespective of whether you are firmly committed to a particular career or are completely undecided about which path to follow.

Its services are available to all research students, including international and mature students, both while you are studying here and after you have graduated. In addition to formally contributing to the Effective Researcher Development Programme, the service runs a comprehensive programme of its own events, including individual guidance interviews, psychometric testing, employer presentations, practice job interviews and individual guidance on preparing your CV and making your applications.

The Careers and Employment Service is based at Reed Mews on the Streatham Campus where its extensive careers library has information on the full range of graduate occupations and publicity in the form of books, leaflets and videos from a huge number of employers.

You can also access on-line services from the Employability pages for postgraduate students.

The International Office

The International Office warmly welcomes international postgraduate research students and we will do everything we can to ensure that you benefit fully from your academic studies and receive support and friendship during your stay here. International students often find the UK education system different to their previous experience. In particular you may notice that the UK PhD offers a higher level of independent study and more of an emphasis on developing or expressing ‘critical judgement’, which means an ability to assess whether an argument is coherent and well supported by evidence rather than an ability to remember lots of facts and figures. Some international research students find it difficult to adjust to these different learning and teaching methods at first but there are lots of sources of information to help you.

Linda Shand, the International Student Advisor whose office is in Northcote House can provide a copy of the UKCISA Guidance Notes on UK Study Methods. This pamphlet explains some of the common academic terms and gives some helpful study tips. You can also read this yourself on the UKCISA website.

You can visit the International Office in Northcote House, or visit our International Students website for more details.

The International Office also encourages international students to be aware of the UK Council for International Education (UKCISA) which provides useful advice and information to international students studying in the UK. Amongst other resources a useful factsheet on study methods in the UK, which also apply to PhD programmes, can be printed from the UKCISA website - see UKCISA's page on Study Methods in the UK.

INTO

INTO offers a range of classes for international students at the University, including postgraduate research students, who feel they need, or would like, help and support studying through the medium of English.

The INTO Centre is a pleasant building in the centre of the University campus. It has 11 newly renovated classrooms with a light and airy feel. Up-to-date audio-visual equipment enables teachers to use a variety of interesting techniques for teaching English. There is a dedicated computer room for INTO students where they can develop their language skills by using the special software and web-based programmes, and there is also an Independent Learning Centre with a selection of printed and audio materials. Digital T.V. is also available with 30 channels. Wireless internet access is provided throughout the Centre. A student coffee lounge provides an informal meeting place, where students can sit and relax and read the daily newspapers between classes. A social programme is also organised, which includes evening activities and weekend excursions to places of cultural interest.

INTO offers:

expert staff
individual support from personal tutors
a variety of teaching approaches
university facilities for study and leisure
a beautiful university campus
social activities with British and International students
good student accommodation
easy access to a safe and friendly city

Visit the INTO website.

The Student Counselling Service

The Counselling Service is available to any student who wishes to discuss personal difficulties that may be getting in the way of a successful postgraduate experience. Embarking on a postgraduate degree can be demanding. Sometimes these demands can become overly stressful or worrying, or may cause students to question the value of their degree. Whatever your situation, counselling offers the opportunity to explore personal issues in a confidential setting. Many students find that talking things over with a trained listener can offer them a different perspective and a renewed sense of purpose.

Students can refer themselves directly to the Service, either by booking in person or by telephoning 01392 264381 during reception hours. The Service is based in Reed Hall, Hailey Wing, on the Streatham Campus. Reception is open daily from 9.30 -1.00pm and from 2.00-5.00pm in term. A reduced service operates during the vacations.

Visit the Student Counselling website.

AccessAbility - the Disabilty Resource Centre

The University warmly welcomes and supports postgraduate students with disabilities. 'AccessAbility' aims to support students with a range of disabilities, including dyslexia and mental health difficulties by providing advice, guidance, signposting to other services and face to face support with accessing learning and teaching opportunities in preparation for and during academic programmes.

Our staff are qualified professionals and can offer a range of experience and expertise. All enquiries will be dealt with confidentially and promptly enabling Exeter students and staff to benefit from the support we offer. We have strong links with national and regional sector organisations and so keep up to date with current developments in best practice and responses to relevant legislation. We liaise effectively with local support in the Exeter community and can help to direct students and staff to other sources of support if required.

Exeter University promotes equality of opportunity and aims to prevent discrimination wherever possible; 'AccessAbility' is an important part of this ethos. We not only exist to support students but we also have an important role in advising on policy development and take an active role in committee work aiming to embed accessibility in everything we do.

We encourage all students with dyslexia, a physical disability, long term medical condition or mental health issues to declare their needs on their application form or at registration. This will not affect your application and will only enable us to plan and prepare for your arrival and support. If we do not know that you need support, we cannot arrange it. You may discuss your support needs at any time during your programme; even if you feel that you do not want any support, you can drop in to discuss what might be available at the current time or at any point in the future.

Details of the support we provide for staff and students along with other useful documents, progress on various project and various links can be found on the Disability Support website.

Email: disability@exeter.ac.uk
Tel: 01392 263880

IT Services

IT Services provides a wide range of facilities and services designed to help you while you are a student at the University. These services may change frequently in order to take advantage of advances in technology. IT Services runs introductory and some advanced courses in the use of the major systems and software packages that the university provides and supports.

Visit our IT website for more details.

Other external training providers and contacts for PhD students

The VITAE Programme

The role of the VITAE Programme is to ensure that all postgraduate researchers are fully equipped and encouraged to complete their PhD and to make a successful transition to their future careers.

VITAE recognise that Doctoral researchers are some of the country’s most talented individuals: you have the potential to make a significant difference to the economic competitiveness of the UK. The VITAE Programme has a key role in enabling you to realise your potential.

VITAE offers:

‘Just for Postgrads’ website - their extensive website provides advice and guidance on:

managing yourself: evaluating your skills and setting personal objectives.
managing your research: time management, managing your supervisor and understanding support mechanisms.
planning your career: building a career plan and effective networking.
launching an academic career: publications and project management.
marketing yourself to other employers: CVs and applications, and interview techniques.

National GRADschools - if you are looking for inspiration, skills and motivation to help you to complete your research effectively, and an opportunity to think about your next move, then a VITAE course is for you. National GRADschools can help you improve your personal effectiveness, project management abilities and communication skills, leaving you better equipped to complete your doctorate. Attending a national GRADschool can also help you to think about your future career options.

The University of Exeter strongly encourages all research students to attend a national GRADschool, irrespective of funding status. Here is a typical comment from a previous participant:

“The GRADschool was an amazing experience which helped me to develop both as a researcher and as a person.” PhD student, University of Warwick.

Visit the VITAE website for more details.

Researchers in Residence

Researchers in Residence is a placement programme funded by the UK Research Councils and the Wellcome Trust. The scheme enables PhD students to work alongside teachers and pupils in school. There is no financial cost to the school as all of the costs are met by the project. There is no charge for research council funded students, but a fee does apply for non-research council funded students.

Who are Researchers in Residence?

Researchers working on a PhD, at the cutting edge of research, but willing to make a contribution to making school science more relevant and exciting for young people. The researchers are enthusiastic and excellent role models who can help with anything from projects and investigations, to careers advice.

What do Researchers in Residence do?

They will work with teachers and pupils in a secondary school, providing them with a different perspective on science. But how is down to the researcher and the school. How about getting the researcher to help your classes with their science investigations or projects, helping on field trips and science fairs, or setting up a 'murder mystery' forensic science activity?

How long are Researchers in Residence in school?

That's down to you and the school, but it needs to add up to about 25 hours, usually spread over a number of visits, many schools opt for 6 or 8 half day visits, some prefer full days, but that's for negotiation too! The placements can be arranged for any time during the school year to create flexibility for both the teacher and the researcher. Sheffield Hallam University will supply all the necessary information and support material to make the placement a success. The researchers may choose to return to their former school, others opt for a school close to their university.

What should I do now?

The earlier that schools and researchers are put in touch with each other, the quicker the placement details can be sorted out.

For more information and to register with the project, telephone 0845 365 7470 or email researchersinresidence@aeat.co.uk

Research Councils UK (RCUK)

RCUK is a strategic partnership through which the UK’s eight Research Councils work together to champion the research, training and innovation they support. See the RCUK website for more information. The individual Research Council contacts are as follows:

The National Postgraduate Committee (NPC)

The National Postgraduate Committee is a charity to advance, in the public interest, postgraduate education in the UK. They are made up of postgraduate student representatives from educational institutions. The NPC aims to promote the interests of postgraduates studying in the UK, while remaining politically non-aligned. The Committee holds an annual conference, and publishes various guidelines and codes of practice.

Visit the National Postgraduate Committee site for more details.