Research supervision training and development

Format: Self-led online course

Aimed at: This course is mandatory for all members of UCL staff wishing to be appointed as research supervisors at UCL, including new members of staff with experience of research supervision at other institutions.

Experienced UCL supervisors are also encouraged to work through the course as a refresher. The course hosts a central resource containing information, guidance and links to relevant policies and materials.

Prerequisites: None

Learning outcomes: The course provides information and guidance on: 

• UCL’s regulations and frameworks for research supervision; 
• establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with your supervisees; 
• UCL’s doctoral skills development requirements and the Research Student Log 
• signposting to further support provided centrally by UCL and locally in faculties and departments.  

Duration: Approximately two hours

How to join: 

• Go to UCL eXtend - do not enter your email and password on this page - instead ensure you select the option 'UCL log in'. Then log in using your UCL single-sign on (userID@ucl.ac.uk and password).
• Once logged into UCL eXtend, click on (or copy and paste into your browser) the link to the course. Click on the "Select (Free)" button and then follow the prompts.
• If you have any trouble accessing the course, email r.haughton@ucl.ac.uk

Format: Workshop (online or in person)

Aimed at: Staff with no prior doctoral supervisory experience who wish to be appointed as research supervisors at UCL must attend this workshop after they have completed the 'Introduction to research supervision' online course.  

Prerequisites: To sign-up to and attend this workshop UCL staff must have first completed the 'Introduction to research supervision' online course (hosted on the eXtend platform).

Learning outcomes: After attending this session you will: 

• understand UCL policy and procedure for effective supervision 
• have shared experiences and challenges with peers  
• know where to find further support and guidance 

Duration: 2 hours

How to join: Open this link to Learn Upon and click "Start" to enrol, then "Register" to view available dates, then proceed to sign-up for a session. To access Learn Upon you must be signed into Office365 with your UCL credentials. If you are having trouble using Learn Upon please email r.haughton@ucl.ac.uk

Join the Arena Microsoft Teams page here to receive notifications about Arena news and events and also bookmark our events pages on the website here.

The Arena Centre offers a range of options for staff who wish to continue their development as research supervisors once they have completed any relevant mandatory training mentioned above. 

Events and workshops

We host regular workshops and sessions aimed at more experienced supervisors, covering topics such as: 

• An Introduction to Examining the Doctorate
  This session reviews all the stages of examining a doctorate, and focuses on good practice and potentially tricky situations. It's designed for anyone assessing any kind of doctoral award, whether as an internal or an external examiner, or in-person, hybrid or online.
  Click the date links to find out more.

  Date	Time	Delivery
  31 Jan 2024	2-4pm	in-person
  2 May 2024	2-4pm	online

• Supervising Masters Projects and Dissertations
  This session will introduce staff who supervise masters projects and dissertations to tools for setting expectations and defining boundaries. It will also explore when you should seek support or guidance.
  Click the date links to find out more.

  Date	Time	Delivery
  19 Dec 2023	2-3:30pm	in-person
  8 Apr 2024	10-11:30am	online
  18 Apr 2024	10-11:30am	online
  29 Apr 2024	2-3:30pm	online

• Effective Co- and team supervision
  Join us at this workshop where we will explore good practice in team and co-supervision, considering different examples of how supervision works across UCL.
  Click the date links to find out more.

  Date	Time	Delivery
  14 Mar 2024	2-4pm	online
  28 May 2024	2-4pm	in-person

• Inclusive Supervision
  Recent research by Wellcome (2020) explored what researchers think about the cultures they work in and recommended cultures and environments that promote creativity, inclusion and integrity. This session explores inclusive approaches to supervisory practice, focusing on communication, trust, belonging and advocacy. We will explore case studies and discuss our own areas of best practice, as well as reflecting on strategies for supporting our own wellbeing and healthy working practices.
  Click the date links to find out more.

  Date	Time	Delivery
  26 Mar 2024	2-4pm	in-person

• Supporting PGR Mental Health and Wellbeing
  This session is designed to help supervisors recognise indicators of mental health problems and potential triggers, understand the boundaries of their responsibilities and capabilities, confidently signpost PGR students to appropriate support, and be mindful of their own wellbeing and healthy working practices.
  Click the date links to find out more.

  Date	Time	Delivery
  6 Dec 2023	2-3:30pm	online
  15 Apr 2024	2-3:30pm	in-person

• Supporting PGR Writing and Giving Effective Feedback
  Successful doctoral students must write well. Academic disciplines exist in their texts and practices, and a student’s success in their discipline will depend mainly on how proficiently and purposefully they can write. Supervisors play a key role in supporting the development of their students’ research writing and its dissemination, by encouraging regular writing and enabling progress by providing good feedback. 
  Click the date links to find out more.

  Date	Time	Delivery
  5 Mar 2024	2-4pm	in-person
  29 May 2024	10am-12pm	online

How to join: Click on a date above to access the booking platform Learn Upon. You must be signed into Office365 with your UCL credentials to access the links to Learn Upon. If you are having trouble booking please email r.haughton@ucl.ac.uk. 

Online Epigeum course*

*Important notice: this course will no longer be available after 31 March 2024.

UCL staff can access an online course hosted by Epigeum (a branch of Oxford University Press), which includes modules on all aspects of doctoral supervision and begins with a diagnostic tool to allow participants to target their training and development. 

To access the course please follow these instructions: 

1.  Visit the following link: https://courses.epigeum.com/register 
2. Complete the registration form – IMPORTANT – you must use the following email domain: @ucl.ac.uk  
3. Please enter the following token in the relevant field of the registration form: cb16a8ba             
4. You will be sent an account activation email to the email address you entered during registration. Please click on the link in the activation email to complete registration and activate your account. NOTE: If you do not receive the email in your inbox, please check your SPAM/junk mail. You can also resend the activation email. 
5. Once you have activated your account, you can then log in using your chosen username and password combination. You will be shown the Epigeum Supervising Doctoral Studies (Second Edition) programme in the My Courses screen (if you did not enter the token during registration, or wish to enter a second token, please use the Enter Token button in the user menu). 
6. Click on the programme title to see the content, which consists of a diagnostic tool (Your experience and priorities for development) and ten modules. Click on the tool or on a module to launch. Once a module has been successfully completed you will be able to download your unique certificate of completion for that module. Completing all ten modules will generate a programme level certificate. 

If you require further assistance, please see the help page or contact the Epigeum customer support team via this webform. 

Professional recognition for research supervisors 

Dedicated support is available annually through the Arena Centre for UCL supervisors to apply for professional recognition of their supervisory practice through the UK Council for Graduate Education.

The application for recognition is an evidence-based reflective account of supervisory practice aligned to the criteria of the UKCGE Good Supervisory Practice framework. 

For further information contact Dr Nick Grindle (Arena Centre)