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Target audience: Postgraduate researchers in the early stages from all disciplines.

Workshop description:

Pursuing a research degree isn’t just about knowledge – you need to manage yourself, too. Make a successful start to your doctorate with this practical workshop, designed to prepare you for the journey ahead.

You’ll get the opportunity to meet researchers from across the University and build your skills in communication, problem-solving, and time-management.

By the end of the session, you’ll have:

• Identified the key skills and attributes of an effective researcher
• Considered the challenges of a PGR
• Established your priorities
• Boosted your confidence in planning & managing your research
• Developed a peer support group

About the facilitators: This workshop is designed and delivered by Fawzia Haeri Mazanderani and Perpetua Kirby

Target audience: Postgraduate researchers at any stage and from any discipline.

Workshop description: 

This participative event promotes the University's Careers and Entrepreneurship services. You’ll find out how the Sussex Careers team supports researchers and explore various career destinations for PGRs, including setting up your own business or social enterprise. It's never too early to start thinking about what you're aiming for after your degree!

At this short session we’ll share:

• Careers services available to Post Graduate Researchers at Sussex
• Enjoy a taster session on career destinations for PGRs

About the facilitator:

The Careers, Employability and Entrepreneurship team is based in the Student Centre.They work closely with PGRs to enhance their professional identity, employability and career awareness. They can help you to explore your career ideas and find out more about the pathways open to you both within and beyond academia.

Target audience: 

Postgraduate researchers in the early stages from all disciplines. Research staff are also welcome to book a place on this workshop.

Workshop description:

You can not collect any new data from humans, animals, social media or conduct auto-ethnographic research without having received ethics approval beforehand, so at this early stage of your postgraduate research, it is essential to understand the ethics approval process.

This workshop will look at the key principles of undertaking ethical research, and explain how to go about obtaining ethical approval from the University. There will also be opportunities to consider some case studies, ask questions about your own work, and gain insights on how to embed good ethical practices in your research.

By the end of the workshop you will have:

• Understood the University process for gaining ethical approval and received guidance on how to make a strong application
• Had the opportunity to discuss ethical issues arising in your research and explored how to address them

Workshop feedbacks:

• "I now have a much better idea of the ethics clearance forms"

About the facilitators:

This workshop is designed and delivered by Tim Parkinson from the Ethics team 

Target audience: Postgraduate researchers at all stages and from all disciplines.

Workshop description: 

One of the first things to do when you start your research degree is get to know your friendly local librarian! Find out about the collections and discovery tools you can access at Sussex, the tailored services available from the Research Support team, and the dedicated Hive study space for researchers.

About the facilitators:

The Library Research Support team support researchers at all levels across the University. They offer bookable one-to-one sessions tailored to suit your specific research needs, run various group training workshops, and organise seminars and events to engage with the research community on campus.

Target audience: Postgraduate researchers at all stages and from all disciplines.

Workshop description: 

Do you feel the relationship with your PhD supervisor could be better? Are you looking for ways to improve communication and collaboration?

In this two-hour interactive workshop, you’ll discover practical tips for optimising this important relationship. You’ll consider common problems and develop strategies for overcoming them.

By the end of the session, you'll have:

• Guidance on setting and managing expectations.
• A clearer sense of the supervisory relationship and how it develops.
• Tools and templates for getting the most out of your supervisory meetings.
• Techniques for requesting and implementing constructive feedback.
• An awareness of common problems and how to deal with them

About the facilitator:Dr Catherine Pope is a coach and trainer, with over 10 years' experience in academia. Having worked extensively with both PhD researchers and their supervisors, she has a strong understanding of the supervisory relationship and its challenges.

Target audience

Postgraduate researchers at any stage and from any discipline.

Workshop description: 

Doing a research degree poses some unique challenges that can affect your mental health and wellbeing. This first workshop in the series will explore what these challenges are and ask you to reflect on how they affect you. You will be invited to explore your own difficulties in a safe and supportive space through practical exercises and discussions that will help identify what you can and cannot influence or control.

Please watch the videos and  BEFORE the session.

This workshop is part of our Looking After Yourself bitesize series. PGR mental health is a complex topic. If you are interested in learning more in a safe and supportive space, these workshops are for you. We advise you attend all four in order, to build your knowledge, but you can join individual sessions.

About the facilitators

Helen Quin and Lizzy Pennock are Student Advisors at BSMS and are both Humanistic Psychotherapeutic Counsellors. Dr Sophie Valeix is a Sussex PhD graduate with extensive experience researching PGR mental health, and brings her lived experience to these sessions.

Target audience: Postgraduate researchers at any stage from all disciplines.

Workshop description: 

How do you tailor self-care to what you really need, and what are its limits? Self-care became trendy during the pandemic, but our assumptions about it can stop us from gaining any benefits, and it entails some work and technique. This is partly because humans are irrational, and there are limits to thinking rationally about mental health. There will be time for everyone to share their own strategies and barriers to self-care, in a supportive atmosphere.

Please watch the videos and  BEFORE the session.

This workshop is part of our Looking After Yourself bitesize series. PGR mental health is a complex topic. If you are interested in learning more in a safe and supportive space, these workshops are for you. We advise you attend all four in order, to build your knowledge, but you can join individual sessions.

About the facilitators

Helen Quin and Lizzy Pennock are Student Advisors at BSMS and are both Humanistic Psychotherapeutic Counsellors. Dr Sophie Valeix is a Sussex PhD graduate with extensive experience researching PGR mental health, and brings her lived experience to these sessions.

Target audience: Postgraduate researchers at any stage from all disciplines.

Workshop description: 

How do mental health and wellbeing differ and how do you approach both within your specific situation? Every experience is different and solutions to wellbeing challenges and mental distress are unique to individuals. Visualising mental health separately from wellbeing can help you understand your own situation and strategies. We will talk about the importance of monitoring your mental health/wellbeing over time, by learning your triggers and identifying self-care strategies.

Please watch the videos andv BEFORE the session.

This workshop is part of our Looking After Yourself bitesize series. PGR mental health is a complex topic. If you are interested in learning more in a safe and supportive space, these workshops are for you. We advise you attend all four in order, to build your knowledge, but you can join individual sessions.

Target audience

Postgraduate researchers at any stage and from any discipline.

About the facilitators

Helen Quin and Lizzy Pennock are Student Advisors at BSMS and are both Humanistic Psychotherapeutic Counsellors. Dr Sophie Valeix is a Sussex PhD graduate with extensive experience researching PGR mental health, and brings her lived experience to these sessions.

Target audience: 

Postgraduate researchers at any stage from all disciplines.

Workshop description:

When should you seek help and how to navigate support services at Sussex and beyond? It can be daunting to start seeking help about our mental health. What are examples of mental health problems? Can I get help for anxiety? What are the different pathways to services and which do I choose? How do I contact them?We will discuss experiences of different services. By the end of the session you will understand how you or your peers can get help and feel confident about doing so.

Please watch the videos and  BEFORE the session.

About the facilitators

Helen Quin and Lizzy Pennock are Student Advisors at BSMS and are both Humanistic Psychotherapeutic Counsellors. Dr Sophie Valeix is a Sussex PhD graduate with extensive experience researching PGR mental health, and brings her lived experience to these sessions.

Target audience: Postgraduate researchers at all stages and from all disciplines.

Workshop description: 

Are you part-way through your PhD and wondering how to keep going? Do you need a push to progress to the final stages?

Through activities, discussions, and tutorials, you’ll:

• Clarify where you are with your PhD.
• Identify your critical success factors.
• Learn tools and techniques to boost your productivity.
• Build a support network.
• Develop a plan for success.

By the end of the session, you’ll be all set for successful completion.

About the facilitators:

Target audience: Postgraduate researchers in the mid-late stages from all disciplines.

Workshop description: There's so much to fit into to your final year and careful planning is essential. With clear guidance, individual exercises, and group discussion, this practical workshop helps you prepare for the last stages of your doctorate, including submission, the viva, and what happens next. Please note, there is a separate session that goes into much more detail on the viva.

Learning outcomes: By the end of the session, you'll have:

• A strategy for the successful completion of your thesis.
• More confidence in your ability to get through the final year.
• A clear idea of the skills you need to develops.

About the facilitators: