Graduate School

Development Programme frequestly asked questions

How much development activity should I expect to undertake?

If you are a full-time student you should aim to undertake the equivalent of at least ten days development activity each year of your degree programme (five days per year for part-time students). We define ‘development activities’ very broadly. In addition to participating in some of our workshops  the term includes: the ‘Welcome and Getting Started with your Research events;  ‘Specialist Academic English for Postgraduates’; specialist conferences related to your research; e-learning programmes; internal research seminars; relevant work experience etc. 

How do I get information about workshops and book my place?

We have a dedicated online booking system at www.port.ac.uk/skillsforge. We encourage you to bookmark Skills Forge in your browser and visit the webpage regularly. Some workshops are very popular and places are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis so please book early to avoid disappointment. Once you have booked your place you are expected to attend. If you find that you are not able to meet your commitment to attend you must ensure that you cancel your booking using the Skills Forge system so that someone else can be offered the chance to attend.

Do I have to attend workshops if I am studying for my PhD ‘at a distance’?

Almost all research degree students at the University of Portsmouth are registered as either a full-time or a part-time student but as there is no residence requirement in Portsmouth it is possible to undertake your research ‘at a distance’. All students, regardless of their distance from the University are expected to participate in development activities to support their programme of research in line with RCUK requirements of the equivalent of ten days development activity per year for full-time students and five days per year for part-time students. If you are ‘at a distance’ you may choose to undertake your development making use of e-learning materials or other training or support opportunities that are available to you closer to your home. You should also arrange to attend the University once or twice each year and we advise you to attend relevant workshops on the occasions of your visits to the University.

What should I do if I need to cancel my booking?

If you book a place on an event you are expected to attend. If you realise that your attendance is going to be impossible you can cancel your booking through the Skills Forge system. To cancel a booking go to the Reports link on the Skills Forge front page > Development Transcript (which lists events you have booked) > details > cancel (link at the bottom of the page).

Where will the workshops take place?

Most GSDP workshops take place in the state-of-the-art Graduate School teaching rooms at the St Andrews Court Building although some (for example, IT-enabled or Library skills sessions) make use of other University facilities. The location of the session you are booking will be clearly stated on the Skills Forge system.

Am I eligible to attend?

All research degree students (PhD, Professional Doctorate, MPhil, MRes) are eligible to attend our workshops, irrespective of funding status or mode of attendance. Contract researchers may also be eligible to attend as their project allows.

Are the workshops compulsory or voluntary?

Attendance at Graduate School workshops is voluntary. You should attend those workshops that are relevant to your development and will enhance your skills profile and future career. You should discuss with your supervisor which workshops you should attend. Once you have booked to attend a workshop you should ensure that you attend.

Is there preparatory work for the workshops?

There will be preparation for you to undertake on some of the workshops. Where you should undertake an e-learning module prior to attending then this will be shown in the brochure. Other pre-workshop preparation will be communicated to you via your student email address.

How do I decide which workshops to attend?

Apart from the Welcome and Getting Started with your Research events, there is no one formal route through the Graduate School Development Programme. Your priority development needs will change as you progress through your research programme so we encourage you to take responsibility for your professional and personal development. The PRaXiS planning process provides an opportunity for you to review your Professional Research and Excellence skills on a regular basis and is linked to the four areas of research excellence recommended by the UK Research Councils Researcher Development Framework. In addition, Skills Forge is not only a workshop booking tool but also enables you to keep track of your priority development needs and maintain a record of the training you have undertaken. Students undertaking the MRes programme must attend the workshops that form part of their course pathway as indicated in their unit handbook.

Do I need my supervisor’s permission to attend?

You will discuss your skills training as an integral part of the supervision process and your First Supervisor will help you to identify, acquire and review your skills on a regular basis. Your First Supervisor has access to the record of the training you have undertaken through Skills Forge and to information about what development events you have booked to attend. You can use Skills Forge to keep a record of the meetings you have held with your supervisors. 

How can I be sure that the workshops are well designed and delivered?

Workshop leaders are both experts and enthusiasts in their area. We take the quality of our Graduate School Development Programme very seriously and exercise a good range of quality assurance and enhancement measures.  We will ask you to complete a feedback form after each event that you attend. This ensures that we receive accurate feedback and allows us to take appropriate decisions to maintain and enhance quality in our workshops.

What if a session that I would like to attend is already fully booked?

If you book a workshop that is already full you will receive an email and your name will be added to the waiting list. We will email you if places become available. For very popular events, we try to organise repeat sessions at a later date.

Is there a charge?

All workshops are free of charge for University of Portsmouth postgraduate research students. Please note that making bookings and not turning up on the day prevents others from attending. Supervisors and Senior Faculty staff will be notified if this occurs persistently.

Who can I contact with questions?

Please email gsdp@port.ac.uk and the Graduate School Development Programme Administrator will direct you to the most appropriate person to deal with your specific enquiry. Any discussion will remain in strict confidence if you so wish.

What if I need training in something that is not offered?

GSDP provides development and training relating to core research methods, career development, and transferable skills. There may also be more specialised training that you require and this is provided through your faculty, department or supervision team. Contact the Chair of your Faculty Research Degrees Committee to find out more about the opportunities that are available to you at a faculty level.

I have accessibility and special requirements – who should I inform?

Please email gsdp@port.ac.uk about any specific requirements. Where the planned venue for a workshop is inaccessible for those with mobility impairments we will make every effort to have it relocated. Please also inform the Graduate School if you would like to receive this brochure or any workshop materials in an alternative format.

What if I am studying part time or at a distance?

Most of our workshop events take place on a face-to-face basis in Portsmouth. We also offer a range of Research Skills elearning materials and we are committed to expanding the online resources available to postgraduate research students. However we also find that many researchers are glad that they made the journey to Portsmouth to attend the workshops and combine their visit with some work in the University Library and meetings with their supervisors and other colleagues. Our schedule of workshops is publicised well in advance; includes some sessions that are scheduled in the early evening; and operates a ‘burst mode’ so that you can plan to maximise the number of workshops you are able to attend on any one visit to the Portsmouth campus.

What about e-learning?

The Graduate School has invested in a suite of fifteen high-quality courses covering all aspects of research development. These leading edge materials have been developed by fifteen universities in UK and Ireland to give researchers like you the skills you need for your research degree and career. 

English is not my first language – what support is available?

For your research degree you will be expected to adopt a formal academic writing style which you may never had encountered before, from grammar and vocabulary, writing reports and case studies, to referencing systems, critical thinking skills and even presentation skills. We recognise these challenges and every researcher that does not have English as a first language is invited to take courses in ‘Specialist Academic English for Postgraduates’ free of charge. The course will help you to identify your own needs and, working together with your language teacher, will help you to develop further your use of academic English.

Why am I missing out on information from the Graduate School?

At University of Portsmouth all ‘system-wide’ email messages (for example from the Library or from the Graduate School) have to be sent out to you on your student email address (e.g. ABC12345@myport.ac.uk or UP123456@myport.ac.uk). If you do not use this address as your main email account you may find that you miss out on useful information. Therefore you may wish to set up an automatic forwarding process to transfer emails from your student account to your main account. You can find out how to do this through the link at this address: http://www.is.port.ac.uk/staff/email/googlemail.