Beyond the workshops above, you should certainly look to the entire programme from OSD: including a wide range of courses under each of the categories of:
UCL Careers Service all specialist support for Research Staff provided by Dr. Calum Leckie and Dr. Kathy Barrett who are experts in careers advice for research staff.
Researchers in Residence, places researchers (PhD and post doctoral) in secondary schools across the UK to facilitate mutually beneficial relationships.
UCL Safety Services (note that only training which is beyond the standard statutory requirement contributes to a Roberts' target).
Any one-to-one development session with OSD, Careers, CALT or any DA or UCL training officer trained to provide such a session.
Any transferable skills of career development training provided by a UK Research Council or similar funders such as Wellcome.
However you should certainly also consider other items such as:
E-learning (credited if it is generic and a named package)
Job-shadowing (credited if it is with industry, or if it is with another HEI: then credited if there is a formal report).
Anything provided by any other HEI staff development programme is generally appropriate.
Anything provided by your professional body (and approved as part of their CPD) is generally credited – but if it is in your research area then see the important note below.
Any language training is generally credited (except for people researching that language!).
Away days: if they are based around the research theme (Nuclear Overhauser NMR away day or Pharmacokinetics away day) then these generally do not count more than 50% of the duration. If they are departmental (generally a broader theme) then they would be appropriate (up to a maximum of 2 days).
Anything added by DA or HoD: generally credited - subject to the usual notes.
Most things in the ‘Announcements' page of our site: e.g. BioWednesdays, Nature Network London, The Source Event etc. are credited.
Of course if you didn't think that there is anything of immediate relevance to you above, then there are quite a few other things you should do, including some of the following:
Further Staff Development Opportunities for Research Staff:
Off-menu items. This OSD list is not a menu (pick one starter and one main course...) it's a list of suggestions; if there's anything else you would like, as a department, research group or individual please let us know (e.g. via CROS or via OSD).
Your Department : much may be available from your department - if any further support for transferable skills training items would help please email the OSD
Action Learning Sets ('Staff Development for people who don't like courses'). An effective management tool for facilitating supportive groups of peers (working at a similar level, on a similar task). Suited to HE sector. OSD can provide facilitators . We have successfully run women research staff groups.
Job shadowing. Research Staff may be doing this already, an informal basis is fine as long as it is noted.
Fundamentals of Teaching and related CALT workshops. Currently (2009) these cover research staff and others who provide occasional teaching sessions (or regular tutors) and those in their early steps towards a lecturing (or teaching) career.
Induction for Research Staff. We are planning changes to Induction - what would you (Research Staff) like to see included? Please let us know.
Bridging Grants and Staff Conference Funds (administered by Graduate School, subject to satisfactory report on CPD) see: www.grad.ucl.ac.uk/funds/
Promotion for Research Staff: many funders do have a scheme - please check for details. Also please check what the funder themselves provide to support staff development and see www.ucl.ac.uk/hr/docs/promotions_procedure_research.php
UCL Redeployment site. If you are coming to the end of your funding and contract you can enter your details here, and all UCL appointment panels must check this database before they advertise. See www.ucl.ac.uk/hr/docs/redeployment.php
Beyond the list above, anything else which demonstrably contributes to a balanced portfolio of transferable skills training and career development should be recorded - until you get to at least the mandatory minimum (10 days per annum per fte - pro rata) please.
Important notes
For 2008/9 generally the sum of all claims for normal research work or for any one single item should be not more than 30% of the total (e.g. 3 days maximum for a full fte from learning new techniques, out-of-culture experiences - like attending a conference abroad etc. in the research area).
The Research Councils' guidance is clear that Roberts agenda money is for new and additional expenditure: one litmus test is: is this part of the normal research work? Roberts money for staff is not for attendance, travel or accommodation for subject-specific conferences - there are elements for that in grants.
As so obviously the recording should reflect all this guidance above - if it is a normal part of research work it is not covered by the Roberts' agenda. The Research Councils are looking for a balanced portfolio of transferable skills training and career development.
