GRADskills

Key details: GRADskills is operated by CEED for St Leonards College and supports the development of research postgraduate students to improve their research capability and widen their employability inside and outside of academia.

Booking not required

Audience

  • PG research

Programme information

GRADskills is a suite of workshops and activities designed specifically for research postgraduate students (i.e. PhD, MPhil), delivered by the Centre for Education Enhancement and Development (CEED) for St Leonard's Postgraduate College. GRADskills aim is to support the development of all research postgraduate students at the University of St Andrews, to improve their research capability and widen their employability inside and outside of academia. gradskills-pgr@st-andrews.ac.uk. 

Booking is required for the individual workshops which typically run the same time each year. Titles will be hyperlinked below when one is scheduled and will be open for booking on PDMS approximately five weeks ahead. Bookings operate on a traffic light system rewarding those who attend events as scheduled or who cancel in good time. This PDMS intro video shows how to find, book and later print a certified training record.

Themes We have grouped the workshops into thematic bundles which tend to be more relevant at a particular stage of the research degree (first year, mid-way, final year). This PDMS intro video shows how to find, book and later print a certified training record.

Vitae's online Research Development Framework (RDF) Planner Alternatively, you might want to see which workshops we run for each particular sub-domain of the RDF, particularly if you use the RDF to structure your skills development discussions with your supervisor. We have a limited number of licenses for Vitae's RDF Planner, which you can use to identify strengths, action plan, review achievements and create a portfolio of evidence. If you would like access to the Planner do not sign up via the Vitae website. Instead, please email gradskills-pgr@st-andrews.ac.uk to request a license.

Other: Non-GRADskills links of interest

Getting started or finishing up. What's next? (Themes 1 and 7)
Professional Skills Curriculum (PSC) programme 9-10 hour commitment

 

Dealing with my data (Theme 3)
Research data management free online training

 

Teaching (Theme 6)
PSC+ Teaching strand programme 7-9 hours

 

Other (search PDMS by these titles to check available dates)
How Microsoft Teams can enable inclusive teaching
Introduction to Microsoft Forms
Tips and tricks in Microsoft Teams 
Task management in Microsoft 365
Introduction to OneNote
Running a Microsoft Teams webinar

Individual workshop booking links

Links below indicate an upcoming event, but please note booking for each will open approximately five weeks ahead of each one. If a workshop title is not actively linked below, then dates for the current term have already passed and dates for the upcoming term have not yet been chosen. Further enquiries and last minute bookings (online bookings close the day before an event) should be directed to gradskills-pgr@st-andrews.ac.uk.

 

Theme 1) Getting started

8 courses - these are all optional.

  • Endnote and Endnote web: an introduction
    • Friday 14 April 2023
    • Friday 14 April 2023
  • Getting and staying organised for success
  • Positive habits for your doctorate: Managing your time and wellbeing
  • Postgraduate Researcher Development Day
  • Postgraduate Researcher Welcome - Essentials
  • Postgraduate Researcher Welcome - Induction
  • Postgraduate Researcher Welcome - Induction and Essentials
  • Rapid, critical and strategic reading
    • Wednesday 5 April 2023

Theme 2) Carrying out my research

17 courses - these are all optional.

Theme 3) Dealing with my data

15 courses - these are all optional.

Theme 4) Conferences, networking, and public engagement

16 courses - these are all optional.

Theme 5) Writing and publishing (in various media)

11 courses - these are all optional.

Theme 6) Teaching

19 courses - these are all optional.

  • AI in education: algorithmic decision making
  • AI in education: conversation online and the impact agenda
  • Artificial Intelligence writing tools and assessment
  • Assessment and academic misconduct: an introduction (Arts)
  • Assessment and academic misconduct: an introduction (cross-faculty)
  • Assessment and academic misconduct: an introduction (Science)
  • Diversity in the Workplace Essential Elearning Module
  • Diversity in the workplace online training module
  • PG Tutors/Demonstrators: networking lunch
  • PSC+ Teaching - Designing a tutorial
  • PSC+ Teaching - Diversity and inclusion in teaching
    • Tuesday 28 March 2023
  • PSC+ Teaching - Presentation Skills (in person and online)
  • PSC+ Teaching - the mechanics of learning
  • Specific learning difficulties: their impact in a higher education setting
  • Student services: supporting students and teachers
  • Teaching at St Andrews: an introduction (Arts)
  • Teaching at St Andrews: an introduction (cross-faculty)
  • Teaching at St Andrews: an introduction (Science)
  • Teaching online: next steps in design and development

Theme 7) Finishing up: what's next?

16 courses - these are all optional.

Programme organiser

CEED
Email: ceed@st-andrews.ac.uk