Introduction
The PGR Development Programme provides graduate students with research skills training and teacher training, and aligns with the PGR programme at the University of Liverpool. The programme workshops are designed and delivered by the Academic Enhancement Centre (AEC) at XJTLU. The PGR Development Programme includes two components:
- Personal and Professional Development (PPD) [aka General doctoral skills training]
- Core Training [aka Discipline-specific training]
AEC delivers/organises the PPD workshops and has input into some workshops for the latter component. Both compulsory and optional workshops are run (and/or repeated) throughout the academic year. The materials for the programme are available on ICE, http://ice.xjtlu.edu.cn/course/view.php?id=663, including the resources for the training for new supervisors. For more generic information about the PGR programme, please see the web-page http://www.xjtlu.edu.cn/en/academics/aec/postgraduate-research-pgr.html
We would like to thank the following staff who have kindly supported the PGR programme: Professor David O'Connor (Dean, Research and Graduate Studies), Dr Elmer Villanueva (PH), Dr Ellen Touchstone (LC), Rick Foster (LC), Professor Yong Yue (CSSE), Dr Ye Qing (IBSS), Dr Tatsu Kadowaki (BIO), Dr Florian Kohlbacher (IBSS), Dr Paul Ellwood (UoL), Dr Chen Bing (UPD), Dr Boris Tefsen (BIO), Dr Shaofeng Lu (EEE), Dr Ahmet Goncu (Maths), Mr Bi Xin (Library), Ms Yang Liping (Library), Sammi Chen Lijun (GSO), Joanne Wang Ningjuan (GSO), and Lin Zou (GSO).
PGR workshops
PGR workshops
Programme Objectives
- Ensure that newly-admitted students understand their role in the XJTLU research environment.
- To provide a solid understanding of research skills, including scientific writing and presentation and research ethics.
- To provide teacher training and experience.
- To ensure that XJTLU students have met University of Liverpool graduation requirements related to skills training.
- To support the development of professional skills and knowledge in crucial areas, such as project management, innovation/creativity.
- To provide students with awareness of the Chinese employment market for researchers, and where possible, of international employment opportunities.
- To enable students to take a strategic and reflective approach to their training needs.
Programme Aims
The PGR Development Programme (Doctoral Skills Training):
- Helps postgraduate research (PGR) students enhance their skills
- Should improve their research experience
- Should improve their career prospects.
Activities in the Programme
1. PGR Induction Event
Induction is offered to newly-admitted students. The frequency will depend on arrival dates for new students
2. Teaching Assistants (TAs) Training
Doctoral scholarship holders are required to work as TAs each semester (up to 10 hours a week). Training is offered twice a year at the start of each semester, and is delivered by the Academic Enhancement Centre (AEC). The TAs training is also offered for selected Masters students who are based at XJTLU and elsewhere.
3. Development Workshop
The development workshops focus on the knowledge, skills, behaviours and personal qualities that all new researchers should acquire or develop over their course of study. There are mandatory and optional workshops, for example, the ‘First Year Development Workshop’ includes three mandatory sessions (Research Integrity, Supervisor-Supervisee Relationship, and ‘Information Retrieval) and they are offered by the AEC as part of the overall PGR Programme.
4. Training in how to use the PGR Toolbox (an online tool for tracking research progress)
This training is available online on the University of Liverpool website at https://liverpool-life.liv.ac.uk/
5. Other online training and resources as provided by University of Liverpool
Note: these are currently only provided on a choice-led basis. For example, the online library at Liverpool offers a range of online journals and access to electronic archives. It also provides some online training modules, such as, ‘Effective information management for HSS PhD students’ and ‘Discover as a research tool’. You can log-in to these using your University of Liverpool username and password at http://www.liv.ac.uk/library/
6. Writing and communication workshops
Doctoral Students’ Communication Skills (DSCS) workshops and consultations are available in each semester, and are provided by the Language Centre. They consist of individual tutorial support/coaching. For further information, please contact the DSCS coordinator: Dr Ellen Touchstone, Ellen.Touchstone@xjtlu.edu.cn
7. Career workshops
These are organised by the Career Development Office and are offered at various times of the year. Please contact Career Service office for further information: +86 (0) 512 - 88161862
8. PGR Research Festival / Poster Day
The first Poster Day will take place in May 2016, and will provide an opportunity for PGR students to showcase their research projects.
Who to contact
If you have any queries regarding the programme, please contact the PGR team: Dr Jianmei Xie, PGR Programme Lead, (Jianmei.Xie@xjtlu.edu.cn), and Dr Henk Huijser, Educational Developer (Henk.Huijser@xjtlu.edu.cn)
PGR workshops
Information Retrieval Workshop, November 2015
The third PGR Programme workshop (Information Retrieval, Part 2) was held in November. The workshop was organised by AEC, and facilitated by AEC and the International Business School Suszhou (IBSS).