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Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê Doctoral School

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First Steps

These are things you should do in your first month as a Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê student.

Doctoral School Welcome Event

All research students should attend the Doctoral School Welcome event.

Introduction to Skills & Research Log

The Introduction to Skills & Research Log offers an extensive catalogue of courses available for free via Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê's Organisational Development team.

°­±ð²âÌý³¦´Ç²Ô³Ù²¹³¦³Ù: od@uc.ac.uk

After attending this induction session, you should start using the . Start by making sure your log is set up, and you've completed the initial section and assessment.

Programme of mandatory training

In addition, there is a programme of mandatory training that all research students are required to complete. This consists of eight modules. The first seven overlap with the staff mandatory training. The final one is unique to research students.

1. Fire Safety

The needs to be completed on your first day at Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê, in addition to a local fire safety induction run by your Department’s fire evacuation marshal.

2. Safety induction

The will help you identify hazards and mitigate risk of injury or ill-health. You should also receive a safety training as part of your local induction, which will cover any safety information specific to your area of work.

3. Information Security Awareness

The will help you with understanding information security threats at Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê.

4. Data Protection and Freedom of Information

The covers legal requirements relating to GDPR, the Freedom of Information Act and related legislation.

5. Disclosing and Managing Conflicts of Interest

The will teach you how to recognise, report and manage conflicts of interest.

6. Understanding and Protecting Intellectual Property

The will demo how Intellectual Property applies to your role at Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê.

7. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion training

The  details the key concepts that should inform our ways of working and interactions with staff and students across Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê.

8. Research Integrity

All research students should complete training on research integrity. You should also read Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê’s Statement on Research Integrity.  

The Research Integrity website content has been streamlined to reflect the researcher experience: it covers research integrity principles and provides an easy way to access the Code of Conduct for Research, which outlines researchers’ responsibilities as well as Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê’s responsibilities.

The pages outline the training available for PGR students, particularly the mandatory self-paced Research Integrity course that fulfils the research integrity requirement for the PGR upgrade. There is also information on the new iteration of the Research Support and Integrity course at Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê: a live course which takes place over a week and includes sessions on research integrity, research ethics, data protection, library skills, copyright, open access, research data management, and research IT. The course will run three times in the 2024/25 academic year. Please see the Doctoral Skills Development Programme (DSDP) website for dates and for information on how to register on InkPath.

Some Departments may also offer local training such as the Dilemma Game. Your supervisor or PGR administrator should be able to advise on whether your department offers local training. 

Find out more via the Research Integrity website and the Doctoral School's Research Integrity and Ethics page.

Recommended training

In addition, we recommend research students to complete the , which helps combat sexual misconduct, bullying and harassment at Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê.


Additional mandatory training courses for PGTAs

Further to the above, for those students who are Postgraduate Teaching Assistants (PGTAs) there are a few further mandatory training courses you will need to complete as a Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê staff member.

PGTAs are entitled to receive payment for these trainings, but not for any training that they are required to complete anyway as students (i.e. any of the seven modules above such as the Fire Safety training).

1. Change Possible – Be Part of a Sustainable Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê

The is focusing on sustainability at Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê and how to improve your impact.

2. Prevent Duty

Understand your as a member of staff, what to do if you are concerned about someone and information about freedom of speech and organising events.

3. Gateway

The Gateway course helps prepare you for your teaching responsibilities.

Additional mandatory training may also be required for certain roles such as working with animals, or under-18s and adults at risk.

Optional Training

We recommend PGTAs also take the optional Teaching Associate Programme, which can help you develop as a PGTA and work towards HEA Fellowship.


Step 2: Registration and enrolment

Step 4: Getting to know Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê