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Recently there has been growing interest in an alternate business model, social enterprise. This is a different way of doing business that trades for a social purpose whereby the social or environmental aims of the business are of equal importance to its commercial activities. Consequently the skills required for running a successful social enterprise combine those typical of enterprise activities generally with a strong motivation and passion for social improvement. We have found that this aspect is useful in engaging researchers because at the heart of social enterprise is a strong commitment to achieving a better society, a motivation that resonates with that which typically drives the research agenda and researchers themselves. This collaborative project with Vitae has been successful in developing written and associated video materials to explore enterprise skills with early career researchers. There are plans to disseminate the resources via Vitae as part of the ongoing move to produce development resources that are freely available to HEIs as part of the research skills development agenda, this is likely to be in January 2011.

This conference showcases presentations and posters from UoP research students. We offer research students a valuable opportunity to practice presenting, listen to presenters, test their posters, view the work of other research students and, participate in the overall experience of a cross-discipline researcher conference.

As a follow up to our ‘SmartStart’ PhD inductions (see practice 929) that we organise or the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry (PCMD; in collaboration with the University of Plymouth) we hold an ‘Annual Researcher Event’. All doctoral students at PCMD are required to attend the two-day residential event, where they present on an aspect of their research to an audience consisting of their peers and academic staff from PDMC. Each year two students receive an award for their outstanding presentation and abstract. The event is also complimented by an annual dinner.

We have developed a PGR progress tracking system called ‘MyPGR’ which is an online tool capable of managing and monitoring PGR students. The system provides a record of interactions between students, supervisors and professional services staff. It also allows for the prompt provision of management information related to PGR students. The system will be operational for all students on MPhil/EdD/Phd programmes from commencement of the 2010/11 academic year.

A drop-in day at the Careers Advisory Service for postgraduate researchers, with bespoke resources and mini-presentations advertising the range of services available.

A five-part progamme covering all aspects of career management, from choosing what career is right for you, through the application process and beyond to continued career 'healthchecks'.

Public exhibition of photographs of research, accompanied by the researchers themselves, depicting research taking place at the University of Bath.

This one day session allows PGRs and research staff to participate in media training. Delivered by two accomplished ex-journalists, this session provides a practical approach to communicating research to the media and wider public through written, radio and TV interviews.

These two half day sessions are designed to develop key communication skills for the viva. The main focus for 'debating skills' is on developing practical skills that will be useful for students in both presenting an argument (in a thesis or an academic paper), and in defending those ideas in a viva or a seminar. The main focus for 'the thesis defence' is to provide a valuable opportunity for students to practice defending their thesis.

PhD students are given a budget to use to organise their own seminar series, both of their peers, who typically are not invited to Departmental seminars and 'big' names who are often monopolised by staff.