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Doctoral Skills Development Programme

"For postgraduate research students, short courses that develop both hard research skills and soft professional skills strengthen not only your ability to deliver excellent scholarship but also your confidence as an emerging researcher." — Professor Geraint Thomas, Pro-Vice-Provost (Doctoral School & ECR Staff)

Research Student Log

Need help with navigating The Research Student Log, watch our tutorial now!

Skills Development Induction

Skills Development session coming in February 2026

Skills Evaluation Tool (SET)

Development planning workbook for you and your supervisors. Explore now.

Course Catalogue

Plan your development with the Course Catalogue. Download now

Researcher Development Framework (RDF)

Develop your understanding of essential skills through the RDF

Training Points

Find out how you can obtain training points through a variety of activities across UCL. 

Cancellation Policy

No longer able to attend your course? Find out more here

Inkpath

Navigating Inkpath? Check out our FAQ for Inkpath

Nature Masterclasses

Skills development for researchers to build skills, confidence and careers. Explore now

Follow Us!

Bringing you news, events and developmental opportunities for researchers. Follow now!

Zoom Support

Set up your Zoom before attending your course. Need support? Find out more here

 

Begin your skills development journey:

  1. Complete your induction: Skills Development: Harness your potential for PhD success and beyond
  2. Develop your understanding of essential skills: Researcher Development Framework (RDF)
  3. Evaluate your skills: Skills Evaluation Tool (SET)
  4. Map out your development plan: Course Catalogue and Course Calendar
  5. Book your selected sessions from the course collections below!

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Engagement, Influence and Impact Domain

Engagement Influence and Impact

Networking and Collaboration | Presentation and Public Speaking | Entrpreneurship and Enterprise | Research Engagement and Impact | Teaching and Supervision | Writing and Publication 

Knowledge and Intellectual Abilities Domain

Knowledge and Intellectual Abilities

Principles and Tools for Data Collection and Analysis | Principles and Tools for Literature Review | Research Methodologies and Analysis | Tools for Research Communication | Creativity in Research

Research Governance and Organisation Domain

Research Governance and Organisation

Copyright | Pillars of Open Science | Research Funding | Research Management

Personal Effectiveness Domain

Personal Effectiveness

Careers Within Academia | Careers Beyond Academia | The PhD Journey | Time Management | Wellbeing and Resilience

Contact Us

General Enquiries: docskills@ucl.ac.uk

Further Information

Researcher Development Framework

The framework describes the knowledge, behaviour and attributes of successful researchers. For more information, please visit the Researcher Development Framework (RDF).

Course Catalogue

This catalogue provides an overview of researcher development courses for 2025/26 academic year. Courses have been arranged into helpful collections to assist you when navigating the development programmes.

You can also download the Course Catalogue as a word document. Download now:


Further Information: Course Catalogue 

Course Calendar

The Doctoral Researchers Course Calendar provides an overview of all the courses available in 2024/25 academic year.

Bloomsbury Postgraduate Skills Network (BSPN)

BPSN is a network of leading HE institutions, created by UCL to share best practice in skills training for doctoral researchers.

BPSN