We carefully curate and tailor our courses and workshops to match the unique requirements and backgrounds of each specific cohort. Our expert-guided approach ensures every training experience is bespoke, relevant and practical, designed for lasting impact and successful career trajectories.
Researcher Training & Development Programmes
Interactive workshops and tailored programmes to boost researchers’ professional skills and career growth
The 'SWITCH' series
FULL SWITCH™
Research Consultancy Training Programme for Researchers
FULL SWITCH™ is a hands-on consultancy training programme designed for PhD students, postdocs, and early career researchers. It gives participants the practical tools, experience, and mindset they need to work effectively with industry, public sector, and non-academic partners. Researchers take on real consultancy briefs, helping them develop the skills that drive knowledge exchange, boost impact, and enhance engagement beyond academia
- Combines academic expertise with best practice consultancy and project management to address real-world business problems
- 6-month research consultancy programme – 100% online – up to 7hours/week
- Flexible – researchers can fit the programme around commitments
- Interactive training, targeted coaching and feedback, interdisciplinary teamwork, practical experience, client engagement, progress meetings and online collaboration tools
- Digital badge upon completion
SHORT SWITCH™
Industry Engagement Training for Researchers
SHORT SWITCH™ is a practical training programme that introduces researchers to the core skills needed for effective industry engagement. Participants explore project management, consultancy, knowledge exchange, and careers beyond academia through engaging and accessible sessions. Alongside group-based learning, the programme includes one-to-one mentoring to support researchers in applying ideas to their own context and goals. It lays a strong foundation for researchers to start exploring engagement opportunities beyond academic settings.
- 4 workshops
- 1-month, 2-week or 1-week course
- 3 expert facilitators and guest speakers
- 1-2-1 coaching sessions
QUICK SWITCH™
One Day Industry Engagement Training for Researchers
QUICK SWITCH™ is an intensive one day training workshop that introduces researchers to the core skills required for effective industry engagement. Covering project management, research consultancy, knowledge exchange, and careers beyond academia, it offers the same essential insights as SHORT SWITCH™ in a faster format. It gives PhD students and early career researchers an accessible starting point to build awareness and begin developing the mindset needed for external collaboration.
- 4 sessions
- 1-day or 2×0.5 days
- 3 expert facilitators and guest speakers
Other courses
PHD NAVIGATOR
Project Management Excellence in PhD Research
This programme trains researchers to effectively plan, manage and execute their projects, ensuring a successful and timely completion of their PhD.
- Expert facilitators, mentors and individualised feedback
- 1 year programme
THE BRAINS BEHIND THE BUSINESS
Research-led Business Accelerator
This programme trains researchers to craft and pitch effective business proposals, fostering growth and opening up new opportunities.
- Expert facilitators, mentors and individualised feedback
- 1 month course
INNOVATION IGNITER
Research-led Business Launchpad
A one-day course that delves into entrepreneurship and commercialisation pathways, helping researchers turn their innovative ideas into reality.
- Expert facilitators and guest speakers
- 1-day course
TRANSFORMATION THROUGH ADAPTIVE LEADERSHIP
Adaptive Leadership Programme
Our Adaptive Leadership Programme equips current and future research leaders with the skills to confidently lead and achieve positive change, harness the power of collaboration to break down silos. Participants will gain skills and practical tools to co-develop strategies, build trust, and drive transformational change. With expert facilitators, real-world scenarios, and guided practical applications, this programme prepares leaders to navigate complexity and create lasting impact across the research system.
- 4 workshops
- 1-month, 2-week or 1-week course
- 3 expert facilitators and guest speakers
- 1-2-1 coaching sessions
Workshops
Unleash Your Potential: Researchers' Hidden Industry Value
Think your skills are limited to academia? Discover what employers crave, showcase your unique offerings, and realise your true worth in the industry landscape.
Step-by-step plan to Get a Job in Industry
Risk management is a fundamental aspect of project management which researchers do not tend to apply to their own projects, increasing the chances of unexpected events affecting the successful delivery of the research and its impact.This is what we will show you during this session.
Use LinkedIn to Jumpstart a New Career in Industry
LinkedIn is not the most popular social media platform in academia, but it is the most powerful tool to engage with industry. To unlock LinkedIn’s potential, it is crucial to create an impactful profile, build a network and engage with potential employers.
Industry Interviews from Within
There are differences between academic and industry interviews that researchers may not know about. A great interview is the difference between clinching your dream job or continuing your job search. Great interviews are not down to chance, they are outcomes of good preparation. Learn the best techniques for preparing and pulling off polished interviews and standing out from the crowd.
Maximising Research Collaborations with Industry Partners
Navigate the nuances of academia-industry collaborations. This engaging session empowers you to strengthen your communication, clarify collaborative objectives and strategically leverage these alliances for personal career growth.
Instigating a Research Collaboration with Industry
Navigating the pathway to industry collaboration is a common challenge for researchers keen on amplifying the real-world impact of their work. The key lies in crafting a meticulous process to identify potential industry partners for your research and developing effective strategies of engagement.
Client and Team Engagement Best Practice
Effective communication with team members and clients is a critical project success factor and a sought after skill from employers. Our experience of training researchers and delivering projects with multiple stakeholders confirms this is an area which requires attention and improvement for many researchers.
Navigating Knowledge Exchange:Understanding and Maximising Impact
Enhance the impact of your research through effective knowledge exchange.Learn how to increase your work’s visibility, foster collaborations and amplify the societal significance of your research to make a meaningful difference.
Profiling your Research Audience through Design Thinking
One of the challenges researchers experience when promoting their work for impact is not knowing their audience and recognising that there are differences amongst them which they can use to their advantage. Learning how profiling your audience and persona mapping can lead to a more comprehensive understanding of the reader of your work, and how you might be able to hook their attention.
From PhD to Consultancy
Puzzled by non-academic career choices? Explore consultancy as an exciting avenue to leverage your skills and embark on a fulfilling professional adventure.
Blueprint to Success: Setting Up Your Consultancy Project
Navigate the roadmap to setting up a successful consultancy project. This session covers everything from initial client meetings to project execution, ensuring you’re well-equipped to deliver impactful solutions to your clients.
Consultancy Kickstart: Transform Your PhD Expertise
Ready to become a consultant but unsure where to begin? Learn to design tailored services and attract your initial clients for a successful start in the consultancy world.
How to Price your Consultancy Services
How much should I charge? This is the most common questions we get asked by researchers interested in becoming freelance consultants. We will show you how to get your pricing right to create a sustainable business.
Future-proofing your Career with Project Management Skills
Discover how to transform your PhD experience into project management expertise, and learn to effectively communicate these valuable skills to future employers.
Setting Up a Project for Success
Many projects fail because of insufficient effort analysing, planning and agreeing what to do, how and when to do it. For researchers, this can lead to PhD dissatisfaction or even giving up their thesis. In this workshop, we introduce researchers to a range of practical tools and techniques to set any project, academic or not, up for success.
Managing Risks and Uncertainty in Research Projects
Risk management is a fundamental aspect of project management which researchers do not tend to apply to their own projects, increasing the chances of unexpected events affecting the successful delivery of the research and its impact.This is what we will show you during this session.
Research Reimagined: Unleashing Societal Impact
Delve into the exhilarating journey of transforming research into impactful products or services. Let us guide you in converting research-based offerings into powerful societal game-changers.
Entrepreneurship as a Route to Impact
Curious about the entrepreneurial leap? Explore the key motivations and mindset behind transforming research into real-world solutions, and navigate diverse pathways to create a lasting impact as a research-driven entrepreneur.
Design Thinking Lab: Crafting Business Ideas from Research
Participate in our design thinking-driven ideation session, where researchers harness their research to generate groundbreaking business ideas and unlock the potential for future innovations.
Making Ideas a Reality
Master the art of efficiently developing and testing research-based business ideas with expert guidance. Learn to map your plan, pinpoint value propositions, customer segments, revenue streams, and channels to bring your vision to life.
Beyond Academia:Harnessing AI to Power Your Career Leap
Unlock exciting career opportunities beyond academia with the power of AI. In this workshop, you’ll leverage AI to identify and articulate your transferable skills, explore diverse career paths and enhance your professional profile.
Ethical AI in Academic Research
Explore the ethical implications of AI in academic research and higher education. This workshop provides practical strategies for supporting researchers to responsibly integrate AI into their work, navigate emerging ethical challenges, and confidently adapt to an evolving academic landscape.
You are in good company
Get Researchers Industry-Ready
LET’S WORK ON IT TOGETHER