The workshops are appropriate both if you are working as the PI/Co-I on a grant application or if you are supporting the writing of an application. The workshops have been designed to develop your grant writing skills and optimise the chance of success with future grant submissions.

You may choose to attend all/most of the sessions or those most relevant to your needs.

• Introduction to Research Funding- getting started and the research funding lifecycle - Wednesday, 14 January 14.30-16.00 This session will help you understand where to position your research ideas to align with current priorities and signpost to the support available through the research services team.
• Data Management and Reproducibility in your grant application - Tuesday, 20 January 11.00-12.00 Having problems with the reproducibility statement? Don’t know where to start with your Data Management Plan? This funding workshop will answer your questions big and small, and take a look at data management plans from previous funding applications..
• Future Leaders Fellowships (FLF) Information session - Wednesday, 28 January 13.00-15.00 This session will provide an overview of UKRI's prestigious Future Leaders Fellowships scheme. You will hear from some of our current FLF holders, find out about the University's internal selection process and have opportunities to ask questions.
• Developing Successful Research Proposals -Wednesday, March 18, 2026 14.00-15.30 This workshop will help you understand the process for planning, preparing, and writing a quality proposal for external research funding.
• Narrative CV's - Thursday, 26 March 12.00-15.00 This session explores NCVs for grant applications and career development. You will get started on drafting your own CV, peer review those of others and be able to tailor for different purposes. This workshop is led by Dr Taryn Bell, Researcher Development Advisor (Careers) at the University of Leeds.
• Developing a Successful Expressions of Interest (EoI) - date to be determined For many funding applications a successful EoI is needed before you can submit a full proposal. In this interactive workshop you will review a number to identify the features of a successful EoI.

Future workshops:

• Research Outputs
• Writing Quality Proposals
• Building your networks - internally and in industry
• Building your networks - EU
• Ethics, Trusted Research and Export Control

Email: researchculture@lancaster.ac.uk to express your interest in attending any of these future workshops and we will notify you as soon as it has been scheduled.

For researchers, much professional development and advancement is linked to successfully delivering projects. Any post-doctoral or early–career researcher will have had to organise, analyse and present an enormous amount of information, set goals and review progress.

Facilitated by Dr Steve Hutchinson this programme will equip you with applied project management skills and an overview of various project-planning tools and techniques.

Project Management for Researchers registration - this registers you for both the sessions detailed below.

Session I – Research Project Management Essentials - Wednesday, 21 January 13.00-15.30 (Online)

This first session introduces the essential elements of research project management and equips you with a series of tools to help with:

• Understanding the value of coherent management in research projects and recognising contextual difficulties.
• Identifying and protecting the scope boundaries with a project (i.e. helping identify and work with what any given project IS and IS NOT.)
• Project planning and recognising the life-cycle of a project
• Understanding, identifying and communicating with stakeholders
• Communicating objectives and timelines
• Managing risks and uncertainties within a project

Session 2 – Enhanced Management Practice - Wednesday, 28 January 13.00-15.30 (Online)

This session will explore:

• Keeping things on track - Monitoring and Status Reporting
• Working with collaborative project teams
• Handling project changes, issues and crises
• Influencing project stakeholders

Please note:

You are asked on registering for this event to make a commitment to attend both sessions. We understand that unavoidable circumstances can prevent your attendance. In this instance, please cancel your place at the earliest opportunity so that a colleague can be offered your place.

This workshop explores how to build, maintain, and proactively manage effective student-supervisor relationships using the UKCGE framework.

In this workshop, you will begin to consider:

• The core principles of the UKCGE framework and how they apply to supervisory relationships
• Expectations and responsibilities of both students and supervisors
• Techniques for building trust and maintaining effective communication
• Strategies for navigating common challenges and resolving conflicts
• A practical toolkit for proactively managing your role in the supervisory dynamic
• Lancaster's rules and regulations relating to PhD Supervision
• Opportunities to reflect on your current practices and share insights with peers

Who is it for:

This workshop is designed for postgraduate research supervisors at all career stages-whether you're newly appointed or looking to refresh and refine your approach. It's ideal for those who want to deepen their understanding of supervisory dynamics and foster more productive, supportive relationships with their students.

Why attend:

Supervisory relationships are at the heart of successful research journeys. By attending, you'll gain actionable strategies to enhance your practice, address concerns in a safe and supportive environment, and connect with fellow supervisors to exchange ideas and build useful connections. You'll leave with renewed confidence, a toolkit of resources, and a clearer sense of how to navigate the complexities of supervision with empathy and effectiveness.

Facilitator: Steve Hutchinson

This is a full day in-person workshop:

Tuesday 24th March 2026, 9.30 am - 4.30 pm

The Research Integrity online course is designed to help you understand your responsibilities as a researcher in upholding high standards of rigour and integrity. It identifies the principles and responsibilities you need to apply throughout your research project from planning your research through to data analysis and presentation. There are 13 modules in the course, more specialised ones include:

• Trusted Research and Export Controls
• Scholarly Publication
• Intellectual Property
• The Care and Use of Animals

Who needs to complete the training?

Everyone involved in research - staff and students would benefit from completing the courses.

The University Executive Board (UEB) has made the decision that New staff on research or research and teaching contracts are required to complete the Research Integrity and Ethical Research courses for staff within 3 months of their start date.

Research Integrity for Staff course

The Ethical Research course is designed to provide you with the core skills needed to become an ethical researcher. The modules explore research ethics in its broader sense including the ethical challenges of different research methods and being aware of your own biases when interpreting results. You will learn about ethics approval, giving you an understanding applicable to your research project and/or as your career progresses.

Who needs to complete the training?

Everyone involved in research - staff and students would benefit from completing the courses.

The University Executive Board (UEB) has made the decision that New staff on research or research and teaching contracts are required to complete the Research Integrity and Ethical Research courses for staff within 3 months of their start date.

Ethical Research for staff course

The Engagement learning and development portal features toolkits, digital guides, videos and case studies to support the engagement activities of Lancaster University staff.

Aimed at researchers and professional services staff with a responsibility in this area, the portal is a one-stop-shop to support staff in delivering engagement and partnership activities including how to run events, working with the media, communicating research findings, influencing and negotiating and engaging with policymakers. It demonstrates how engagement can help further your career and has signposting to the teams and individuals at the University who can support your engagement activity.

Public Engagement

Are you working with communities or the general public as part of your work at Lancaster University?

If so, a public and community engagement network has been set up, bringing together colleagues from across faculties and departments to share experiences and opportunities. It will also be a place for training and development sessions, sharing resources and good practice - all with the ultimate aim of learning from each other and promoting the benefits of public and community engagement.

Whether you are a researcher or member of Professional Services staff, the new network is for everyone, at any stage of their career no matter what your experience with public and community engagement.

The network will be shaped by your input and feedback whilst also providing a great way to get your insights as we develop a strategic approach to public and community engagement across the institution.

Public engagement network (Lead: Jess Shaw)

The Research Impact online course explores how your research can achieve positive change or benefit to research participants and wider society. It encourages you to plan for impact from the start of your research, identifying how you are going to engage with stakeholders and communicate your research. Modules include plenty of real-world case studies, inspiring stories and video interviews representing a range of researchers from across disciplines and at different career stages.

Research Impact course

Further support for research impact can be sought though your Faculty Impact Development Manager, details below:

Dr Laura Hanks and Dr Samuel Rust, Impact Development Managers (FST)

Gill Harrison, Faculty Impact Manager (FASS)

Dr Matthew Pawelski, Impact Development Manager (LUMS, FHM and Psycholgy)

The majority of open research training sessions are delivered through the Library Skills @Lancaster programme 'Researcher Development' pathway, which is designed to support both students and staff to develop the Information Literacy and Open Research skills they need to progress in their research and careers.

Each Library Skills @Lancaster session has a unique set of learning outcomes and can be experienced as a standalone session. These objectives closely align with the Information and Academic Literacies Vision, Model and Framework and can be mapped against the Vitae Researcher Development Framework.

The pathway runs on a termly basis and covers the following themes:

• Understanding the principles of Open Research
• Engaging with Open Research practices
• Managing research data and creating Data Management Plans
• Publishing research outputs
• Understanding Open Access
• Utilising researcher profile tools and bibliometrics
• Evidencing research impact

The REF is the UK’s system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. In this session you will explore why the REF is important for the University and what it means for you and your research.

Becky Gordon, Head of Research Quality and Policy will lead the session, with input from senior academic colleagues involved in previous REF exercises.

This is an in-person event and will be held in the Library Events Space.

Wednesday, 29 April 14.00-15.00

Lancaster University is part of the Mid-Career Researcher (MCR) Mentoring Scheme - a collaborative initiative with partner institutions across the north of England. The scheme has run for several years and has received excellent feedback from both mentors and mentees.

Why join?

Mid-career researchers often find themselves with fewer structured development opportunities compared to early-career researchers (ECRs). Joining this scheme as a mentee helps to fill that gap by offering access to mentors from other universities, broadening your networks and perspectives and providing tailored career development support.

For Mentors

We are inviting experienced senior researchers and research leaders to share their expertise and help shape the next generation of research leaders. Mentoring is light-touch, involving approximately three to four meetings, usually online, over four to six months, starting in February 2026. This is an opportunity to contribute to the research community and build connections across institutions.

The number of mentee places at Lancaster depends on how many colleagues sign up as mentors. Please help support mid-career researchers by signing up as a mentor.

Key Details

• Deadline for applications: Friday, 23 January 2026
• Participating institutions: Lancaster University, Manchester Metropolitan University, University of Manchester, University of Salford, Sheffield Hallam University, Leeds Beckett University and University of Huddersfield.
• Definition of a Mid-career’ or ‘established’ researchers: you will have developed an independent research reputation, have likely been promoted and have a long active career ahead. You are no longer an early career researcher (ECRs) (an ECR is usually defined as someone who is no more than five to eight years post-PhD (dependent on discipline) or up to ten years with career breaks or has equivalent experience). Typically, your role will be as a Senior Lecturers, Senior Research Fellow, Reader, or Associate Professor. For the purposes of this scheme MCR does not include colleagues who are mid-career chronologically, having started their career beyond academic research, but still early in their research career.
• Mentoring partnerships will run until July 2026.

How to apply:

• Register as a Mentor
• Register as a Mentee

For more information about the scheme and eligibility criteria, please visit the dedicated website or email: researchculture@lancaster.ac.uk.

Mentoring is a valuable source of development. It can help you to focus on your next move, consider new opportunities and open up a wider network.

Outside of the Cross-institutional Mid-Career Mentoring Programme there are two ways in which you can engage in a mentoring relationship:

1. Your department can allocate a mentor to you as a new member of staff (this is not the same as a buddy - a buddy is someone who will show you the ropes, local conventions such as tea and coffee routines, how to claim your expenses and general local orientation etc).
2. Direct approach to someone known to you, or recommended by your manager or colleague.

Visit the OD mentoring pages for more information on becoming a mentor and mentee.

The university has an internal coaching network, that has a small number of qualified coaches. Coaching requests can be submitted via the OD coaching pages, however individuals should be aware that due to demand, there may be delays in being paired with a coach and sessions starting

Prosper’s goal is to open up the huge talent pool that exists within the researcher community, by using an open-access portal to offer career support and guidance. It is a new approach to career development that unlocks researchers’ potential to thrive in multiple career pathways

Prosper is an interactive tool co-created with employers, and has resources, to help you:

• Reflect, - on your career development journey and look at the skills, values and interests you possess with self-assessment tools and exercises to explore your identity and skill sets.
• Explore - Find out more about careers through informational interviews and networking.
• Act - Learn how to translate your skills for any career, and the steps to take to feel prepared for your next career move and embrace change.

This resource is open to all researchers and those who support them.

Prosper is led by the University of Liverpool and was developed in partnership with Lancaster University and the University of Manchester.

A narrative CV is defined by the Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) as a CV format that provides a structured written description of a person’s contributions and achievements that reflects a broad range of relevant skills and experiences, more than can often be seen in a traditional academic CV.

Narrative CV's can be used as a tool to help plan career development and as a framework to be used in 1:1 discussions with your manager/PI.

They are commonly used to help you, or your team, evidence a wider range of skills and experience than in a traditional academic CV when applying for UKRI funding opportunities.

The UKRI Resume for Researchers is a narrative CV template commonly used and it is made up of 4 modules:

1. Contributions to the generation of new ideas, tools, methodologies or knowledge
2. The development of others and maintenance of effective working relationships
3. Contributions to the wider research and innovation community
4. Contributions to broader research/innovation-users and audiences and towards societal benefit

Find out more about Narrative CV's by joining this workshop: - Thursday, 26 March 12.00-15.00 The session explores NCVs for grant applications and career development. You will get started on drafting your own CV, peer review those of others and be able to tailor for different purposes. This workshop is led by Dr Taryn Bell, Researcher Development Advisor (Careers) at the University of Leeds.

This was a full day session for researchers that were actively pursuing or curious about a career outside of academia.

The morning workshops had interactive sessions on CV development and exploring career opportunities. The workshops were facilitated by a colleague from the University of Liverpool through the Prosper Exchange. The excellent resources within the Prosper Hub were used within the workshops.

The afternoon included a panel session when five former postdoctoral researchers, now working outside of academia, spoke about their experience and answered questions from researchers.

Go to the Careers outside of Academia webpage for further information, slides, panel member details and key learning points.

LinkedIn can be a powerful tool to create your own unique profile, grow your professional networks and find and apply for jobs.

LinkedIn learning, available to all Lancaster staff and students, offers some excellent courses, webinars and resources to help you maximise the potential of LinkedIn.

Here are some course suggestions to get you started:

• Rock your LinkedIn profile - this course focuses on building your profile, delivered in a series of bite-sized videos, lasting just over an hour.
• Learning LinkedIn - another course with some similar content and length as the above, but with more emphasis on the use of LinkedIn for growing your professional networks and searching for jobs.

The following are links to LinkedIn web pages with easy to read, summary information taking you just a few minutes to digest:

• Creating a good LinkedIn profile
• How to search for jobs on LinkedIn
• Build your professional networks

LinkedIn learning for LU staff and students - provides access, guidance and support to get you started.

This is a positive, hands-on session designed to give you time and space to reflect on your research journey. Using a storyboard canvas approach, you’ll explore and overcome personal, practical, and emotional barriers to research.

Through visual mapping, guided reflection, and peer discussion, you’ll identify challenges, unlock enablers, and commit to meaningful action—making progress on papers, proposals, or projects feel more achievable and less overwhelming.

Why this works:

It’s face-to-face for deeper interaction and peer support. It’s about positive engagement and reinforcement from colleagues. It encourages sharing ideas, methods, and solutions through discussion.

At the end of the session, we’ll cover dos and don’ts of research proposal development—and this part is flexible. We can tailor slides to include stress management, research support processes, skills development, or alternative career ideas.

Finally, you’ll share your pledges for action—concrete steps to overcome barriers and move forward with your research goals.

Facilitator: Dr Allie Clifton, Research Development Officer

This is an in-person workshop

Thursday, 5 March 2026 13.00-15.00

Five ways to control your time (LinkedIn Learning)

Managing your time (LinkedIn Learning)

LinkedIn Learning provides access to over 21,000 online learning courses, taught by industry experts. It is available to staff at Lancaster Bailrigg, Ghana and Leipzig campuses. LinkedIn courses support skills and personal development across a broad range of topics, particularly in the areas of technology, business and creative skills.

Courses vary in length from a few minutes to several hours and are broken down into bite-size video modules. There is no limit to the number of courses you can take, and you can pause a course at any point, picking up where you left off when you next login.

Access LinkedIn Learning.

For information, please see LinkedIn Learning guidance.

The Digital Skills Training Team in ISS offer a large range of training sessions and online courses. Some of these are for all staff and students, whilst other courses may have particular interest for researchers such as:

• Quantitative data analysis with SPSS

• Qualitative data analysis with ATLAS.ti

• Qualitative data analysis with NVIVO

• Introduction to Matlab

Visit the Digital skills training webpages to view the full range of training sessions and courses available.

The Organisational Development (OD) team offer provision that is appropriate to all staff groups.

Anything that is felt to be particularly relevant to researchers will be flagged on these pages.