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The Jubilee Graduate Centre (JGC) has been exclusively developed for postgraduate students and early career researchers. It works closely with Schools on the Jubilee Campus to develop Faculty-specific training and careers events for PGRs/ECRs focusing on transferable skills, and which reflect the requirements of the Funding Councils.

Loughborough and Cambridge Universities are championing a new guide which has been developed to support the early career development of research staff. Entitled Signposting Career Paths for Post Doctoral Researchers, the guide has been developed by the Athena Forum – an umbrella organisation that oversees developments designed to advance the career progression and representation of women in science, technology, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) disciplines in UK higher education. The initiative, which was recently launched at the Royal Academy of Engineering in London, is being championed by Loughborough’s Vice Chancellor Professor Shirley Pearce, and Professor Alison Richard from the University of Cambridge. Although the guide was developed for those working within STEMM subjects, it is relevant to all disciplines. It aims to provide accessible, useful and practical advice for individuals starting their careers. To help publicise the guide, a bookmark has been produced to highlight the sources of support available to research staff at their university. It also encourages postdoctoral students to consider ten crucial questions about their career aspirations and the practical issues that might affect their progress. All members of research staff at Loughborough will receive copies of the bookmark, along with a personal letter from Professor Pearce. Professor Steve Rothberg, Dean of Engineering at Loughborough University, said: "Research staff in the STEMM disciplines will play huge roles in delivering economic recovery and future prosperity to the UK. Among them are the academic and business leaders of tomorrow. “Over the last three years we have significantly increased our efforts in support of their career development with a range of targeted initiatives including dedicated careers and professional development support and we are delighted to be championing this vital initiative from the Athena Forum with its special focus on women scientists and engineers." Further information about the Guide and links to sources of support at Loughborough are available at www.lboro.ac.uk/athenaforum http://www.lboro.ac.uk/staff/news/articles/2010/signposts.html

The Arts Graduate Centre (AGC) offers a unique social and training space which has been developed specifically for Arts Faculty postgraduates. Its main activity is grouped around building a community for postgraduates in the Arts Faculty, developing skills and improving employability. It has a centre which provides a place to study, socialise and find out information. AGC has a strong web presence which includes an interactive researcher portal using a workspace platform. This year it is piloting a compulsory training prrogramme, offering 3 days of bespoke training to Arts Faculty PGRs per year, alongside an an annual events programme (approx 30 instances) which is bespoke to the Arts Faculty and complimentary to the cross-Faculty Graduate School training offer at Nottingham. AGC also runs larger-scale conferences and networking events, often with a knowledge transfer or an interdisciplinary focus. These include interdisciplinary symposia, speed-conferencing evenings, HE fairs and research poster competitions. AGC has a strong history in arranging paid placements opportunities (30 per year) which are uniquely supported by regular guided groupwork (reflective practice sessions) and one-to-one support. AGC also supports postgraduate-led initiatives with project planning and proposal-writing advice. These have included a feminist reading group, the Nottingham Poetry Series (funded by Arts Council & Lottery Fund) and Mind the Skills Gap (funded initiaive to bring consultancy-level business training to Arts Faculty postgrads trhougha series of 8 full or half-day workshops.) . AGC also seeks additional funding annually to develop a special interest strand which speaks to training, social and networking needs amongst the postgraduate community as well as the knowledge transfer agenda. Last year we ran AGC Year of the Writer which had a Writer in Residence who coordinated a series of writing workshops (poetry, novels, for broadcast), author talks, a creative writing competition and local schools-based writing activities (co-ordinated by 2 paid postgraduate interns.) This year we received AHRC funding to run ResearcherCurator - a placement-like programme where participants are offered 4 days of specialist trainign and mentoring to design and deliver an element of public programming at the Galleries of Justice, Nottingham (see separate database entry). Part of the AGC events programme is also available to final-year undergraduates in order to support Faculty postgraduate recruitment. AGC is also piloting an alumni mentoring programme - Bridges - which is designed to match postgraduate students up with alumni already established in a range of career sectors for a 6-month e-mentoring relationship. Alumni have been an integral part of our Moving On series which uses alumni to deliver short training interventions designed to be responsive to the requirements of key potential employers. This included 'Copywriting and proofreading skills ofr publishing' (delivered by Publishing Operations Manager at Hodder & Stoughton. The Arts Gradaute Centre also works in collaboration with another Graduate Centre to offer training/information/social events to early career researchers.

•The focus of the scheme is Researcher Excellence and encompasses Professional and Career Development •Individual objectives for the 6 month relationship are defined by the Mentor & Mentee at the initial meeting. •Following a successful 6 month pilot scheme in 2009/10 the scheme to be expanded to 20 Researcher Mentor/Mentee pairs. Both Mentors and Mentees receive training. •Disseminating professional skills more widely across the Research Community, Loughborough can gain key benefits in research success, especially in preparation for the Research Excellence Framework. •The Scheme helps the University to fulfil the requirements of the 'Concordat for the Career Development of Researchers’ in supporting the career and professional development of Research Staff.

At Southampton a coordinated program of training is offered to help with the whole process of developing a thesis, which can be broadly summarized as: • The initial stage where information is managed and coaxed into a viable structure. • The “writing up”stage, where references are managed and challenging intellectual property aspects are tackled. • The final stage where the thesis is submitted electronically. This training is aimed at both PGRs and their supervisors.

The short introduction to presentation skills is aimed at postgraduate researchers in the early stages of their research. It forms part of a portfolio of programmes on different aspects of presentation skills that postgraduate researchers can use to tailor their own development. Resources required are fairly basic- a training room with projection equipment and a flipchart stand for part of the demonstration. The session is delivered by a single trainer.

An interdisciplinary initiative run by doctoral researchers to enrich their research environment, enhance their skills and facilitate exchange of ideas on Europe.

The Short Introduction to Project Management is aimed at postgraduate researchers in the early stages of their research degree. It forms part of a portfolio of Project Management programmes of different lengths and levels of depth that postgraduate researchers can use to tailor their own development. Resources required are fairly basic - a training room with projection equipment and pen and paper for the interactive sections. The session is delivered by a single trainer.

Increasing size and complexity of research projects means increasing need for effective collaborations - across the ICR, with other academic organisations, and with Industry. This workshop will look at some of the key challenges and the practical steps needed to allow successful collaborations – whether at individual, team or Institute level.

Skills Forge is a single website containing a range of modules to help track and organise research postgraduate activity. It has three key themes: 1. Reflecting on skills (currently based on the Joint Skills Statement, moving over to the Research Development Framework in Summer 2010) including research management, covering; designing systems for collating information, identifying and accessing bibliographic resources and other relevant information, and using IT appropriately for database management and recording or presenting information. 2. Identifying and recording development activities. 3. Supervisory and progression monitoring processes.