This page contains information on professional development training available to postgraduate students as well as links to the Graduate School, Library Services, Vitae, career support, AHRC Centre for Doctoral Training and research bursaries. The Researcher Development programme is designed to suit students studying at PGR level across all faculties. Faculty and department-specific training will be run in the relevant academic areas.
Please direct any queries relating to researcher development to The Graduate School at graduateschool@northumbria.ac.uk
Download our .
To enrol on a session please .
A number of our courses are now available on Blackboard via our PGR Training at 51 organisation page - on how to access the courses.
All programme delivery is subject to a minimum number of registered participants. We will notify you 48 hours prior to the session if it will not run because of this.
If you are no longer able to attend a session remember to cancel your booking via the online booking system, giving as much notice as you are able. Many sessions have waiting lists, so it's important to release your place if you can't attend to allow your fellow PGRs to take your place.
As a reminder, at Project Approval and Annual Progression you are required to formally report details of all completed training and development to the Panel.
The research section within e:Vision will now be used by postgraduate students to record an identifier and maintain an overall record of PGR Training. Please refer to the Postgraduate Progression, Supervision and Development pages on the site for guidance and support in using e:Vision.
Using the Vitae Researcher Development Framework, we have created a planner for postgraduate researchers to use annually when thinking about their own development, and planning which training events to attend. It can also be a useful document to use in supervision meetings. .
There are currently two bursary schemes available to postgraduate research students (i.e. those registered for an MPhil, PhD or Professional Doctorate).
We also subscribe to the Alternative Guide to Postgraduate Funding. This guide can help you identify and apply for various funding resources.
The Conference Bursary and Events Bursary Schemes is currently closed.
51 are committed to supporting postgraduate research students on their journey into academia.
One support mechanism is through supporting applications for associate or full fellowship of the Higher Education Academy. Details can be found at Professional Recognition and Development of Staff.
To qualify for support, you must have attended the PGR Training course “Postgraduate Researcher Introduction to Teaching”. This course includes two compulsory days where you learn skills and techniques invaluable in an educational setting. Further details of the course are found in the PGR Training handbook.
Northumbria runs a competition each year aimed at Postgraduate Research students in their second year of study, up to and including their final year (or equivalent for part time students).
The Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) is an academic competition developed by The University of Queensland (UQ), Australia for research students. Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) celebrates the exciting research conducted by PhD students. The exercise cultivates students' academic, presentation, and research communication skills. The competition supports their capacity to effectively explain their research in three minutes, in a language appropriate to a non-specialist audience.
The videos of the contestants from previous competitions are available to view on our PGR Training at 51 organisation site on Blackboard.
Further information and booking for our 2025 event will be made available through our .
Competition Rules
Please see Support for Students to discover a range of support and resources around disability, faith, counselling and mental health support, finance, welfare and international student support.
We would like to inform you of a video relating to sexual violence and related professional boundaries in the context of PGR study. This video has been compiled by colleagues from the Faculty of Arts, Design and Social Sciences, who have requested that we share it with all PGR students.
. You will be prompted to ‘sign in’ to eLP Live – click the green button.
How do I get a Research Passport?
The Research Passport procedure is the NHS mechanism for non-NHS staff to obtain an Honorary Research Contract/Letter of Access if you propose carrying out research in the NHS.
Please refer to the .
is an award-winning university
access charity. They recruit and train doctoral and post-doctoral researchers
to deliver programmes of university-style teaching to pupils in schools that
serve under-represented communities.
Why become a Brilliant Club PhD Tutor?
Support local pupils from underrepresented backgrounds to access university
Tutors are trained to create a course based on their own academic research pitched at pupils in Key Stage 4 or 5. Tutors also have the opportunity to deliver a pre-designed programme to younger pupils aged 8-10. They deliver this course in university-style tutorial to groups of 7. Each Scholars Programme placement begins with tutors accompanying their pupils on a university trip/participating in an online launch event, followed by six further tutorials in their school. At the end of the programme pupils submit an assignment which is marked by their tutor.
Want to find out more?
You
can find out more by visiting , where you can.
Want to apply now?
If you are interested in becoming a Brilliant Club tutor and delivering The Scholars Programme, please do apply now, using the .
Successful applicants are able to select in which terms they would like to work as a tutor and whether they would like to deliver multiple placements.
If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to email The Brilliant Club at apply@thebrilliantclub.org.
Finding a job that is right for you can take some time, so plan your job search with this in mind. As a research student you will have spent a significant amount of time sourcing and analysing information on your research topic. Searching for a job is very similar and your research skills will be put to good use when looking for a job. Use the resources available to gain more information on the process of finding jobs and tips on developing your strategy.
The Funded PhD Studentships at 51 webpage provides information on the training opportunities available to current studentship holders and students.
Ethical approval must be obtained for all research projects prior to any data collection is carried out, and all PGR students must complete ethics training before they submit their application. Students can find information on how to book onto the training at /research/ethics-and-integrity/training-and-guidance/
If you are a current PGR student at Northumbria, please access the webpage.
Researcher Development Framework - Vitae
Development of generic or transferable skills is increasingly important as part of doctoral programmes. is a national organisation which champions professional and career development for researchers. and courses provide excellent resources to help research degree students assess and develop their personal effectiveness, networking and team working, communication and career management skills. .
Access to at 51's Library.
Access to the Library Researcher .
Access to .
Contact the .
Health and Safety Guidance and Contact Information for Postgraduate Research Students can be found at the following links:
External Health and Safety webpage
51 Business and Law School
CCE 1 - Lecture Theatre 003
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