Welcome to July's edition of Postgraduate Researcher Training and Development Bulletin.

As we wrap up the year’s vibrant programme of activities, we’d like to thank everyone who has participated in our workshops.  While this year’s programme has ended, our rich collection of online resources remains available to support you in your studies over the summer. We’re already preparing an exciting new programme of events launching on Wednesday 1 October so keep an eye on your emails.

You will also find other training and development opportunities across the University and beyond. The next bulletin will be in September.

Once the 2025/2026 training programme has been released, the full list of courses will be on our upcoming training webpage.

Did you know that as a PGR at the University of Exeter, you can access the Consortium for the Advancement of Research Methods and Analysis (CARMA) though our institutional account for free? This gives you access to lots of online research methods webinars and resources. Sign up here using your University of Exeter email account (scroll down the page to ‘Find Out More’, then expand the arrow for CARMA (Consortium for the Advancement of Research Methods & Analysis) and follow the registration/sign up instructions).

For other topic areas such as Conducting a Literature Review, Organising your References with End Note, Drafting Your Thesis and How to Thrive in Your Final Year, please see our PGR Training and Development Resources and researcher-development.co.uk. 

Postgraduate research can be challenging at times, but the Wellbeing Services team are available throughout the year, to offer support if you need it. Check out the services available here.

The Wellbeing Thesis offers all sorts of useful resources to help you on your doctoral journey.

For resources on Getting Stuff Done, Developing and Using your LinkedIn Profile, Managing Stress, The Seven Secrets of Successful Researcher and much more, see our PGR Training and Development Resources and researcher-development.co.uk.

If you’re looking for resources to support your individual, professional, and career development, please take a look at our Career Planning Guide as well as Career Zone.

Check out researcher-development.co.uk and PGR Training & Development Resources SharePoint site for useful resources on this topic area.

Research governance and organisation covers areas such as Research Ethics and Health and Safety.

This resource on research dissemination provides tutorials, tips, and practical guidance to help you plan and implement an effective dissemination strategy, ensuring your research reaches the right audiences. It includes a pre-publication checklist, advice on using academic networking platforms, social media, and engagement events, as well as tips for creating engaging content—such as infographics—and strategies for reaching policy, industry, and other stakeholder groups.

By understanding the most effective platforms, methods, and audiences for sharing your research, you can enhance its visibility, accessibility, and impact. Effective dissemination can also strengthen your academic profile, support future funding applications, facilitate in advancing your career, and help you to build valuable networks and collaborations.

For further support or queries, contact Bethany Knight, our Research Dissemination Librarian, at b.c.knight@exeter.ac.uk.

For resources on Getting Published, Presentation Skills, Writing Conference Abstracts and more, see our PGR Training and Development Resources and researcher-development.co.uk.

Bored of working on your own? Finding it difficult to concentrate? Looking for other people to co-work with online? Then why not join PGR Study Space, which is a welcoming and supportive environment run by PGRs for PGRs. Sign up here.

Did you know the Library runs its own training programme to help with library skills? It includes events such as:

• library research cafés where you can ask the library staff how to make the most of the Library Search service, identify and use academic databases, and build your online search skills so that you can quickly and easily find research materials to support your studies and research;
• sessions on academic writing and academic listening from English Language Skills Development Team;
• other relevant courses to familiarise yourself with key library skills.

Some courses are discipline-specific or may be aimed at undergraduates/postgraduate-taught students so don't forget to check the details before booking on.

Any questions? Click the 'Ask Us' button on the library webpages to start an online chat or email them at library@exeter.ac.uk.

Any form of recording whether via Teams or external tools like Fellow and other AI notetakers is NOT permitted. If you have any accessibility needs and do require a recording of the session, please contact Researcher Development in advance and we will arrange this with the trainer.

Arts and Culture team at Exeter have a suite of online resources to support both staff and students with creativity- check out the links below:

• https://www.artsandcultureexeter.co.uk/resources/get-creative
• https://www.artsandcultureexeter.co.uk/resources/get-connected
• https://www.artsandcultureexeter.co.uk/resources/get-inspired
• https://www.artsandcultureexeter.co.uk/resources/get-involved
• https://www.artsandcultureexeter.co.uk/resources/get-learning

Our PGR Training & Development Resources SharePoint site was launched at the beginning of this year. It's the place to go for slides and other resources from courses on our training programme. Refresh your knowledge from courses you have already attended or explore new topics, this resource can be referred to throughout your degree.

Why not check out some of the numerous training and development resources available through Vitae? They focus specifically on professional development for researchers and you can register for free using your University of Exeter account. Register here and then head here for general advice on various aspects of doing a doctorate and how to access further support, and guidance at all stages of your studies.

Interested in a particular course? Pease add yourself to the waiting list over the summer so we can contact you directly when the new programme is launched in October.

As a postgraduate researcher, you will have many demands on your time. Before booking onto a course it is important that you read the course description fully and consider:

• Does this course cover what you expected from the title?
• Is it relevant for you at this stage in your studies?
• Is it relevant for your discipline?
• Which courses should I prioritise (your supervisor might be able to help advise on this)?
• Can I attend the date, time and venue (the majority of our courses are online but some are in person)?

All our courses have limited spaces so it is important that you book onto the courses that are suited for your specific needs.

We appreciate that unexpected things come up and you may no longer be able to attend, or you may find that a course you have booked onto is no longer relevant to you. Please don't forget to cancel via iTrent so that someone else can book on, as our courses are in high demand.