Researcher Development Programme - Your studies - University of Kent
Source: https://student.kent.ac.uk/studies/researcher-development-programme
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:12
Researcher Development Programme - Your studies - University of Kent
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Researcher Development Programme
Researcher Development Programme
For Postgraduate Research students.
What is the RDP?
The Researcher Development Programme (RDP) is designed to
equip
postgraduate researchers with a
full range of skills
which will
improve their effectiveness as researchers
, and ensure that they are not only
highly qualified
but
employable in a variety of careers
by the end of their research project.
At Kent, the Researcher Development Programme has been developed in line with the
Researcher Development Framework
(RDF)
.
Who is the RDP for and are there any compulsory workshops ?
The RDP is for all postgraduate research students. This includes full-time and part-time students and those studying a Master's by Research, MPhil or PhD. It is also pertinent for Early Career Researchers.
All new PhD students must attend the 'Kickstart your PhD' induction workshop and complete a Researcher Development Assessment (RDA). This online self-assessment encourages you to consider your existing portfolio of skills, as well as any skills you hope to gain while doing your doctoral research.
You can book 'Kickstart your PhD' and complete the assessment via our
online booking system
.
Quotation
Being able to attend diverse workshops at the Graduate and Researcher College, has tremendously improved my skills in specific and general areas.
Why should I do it?
A PhD is an outstanding academic qualification but having a doctorate alone will not prepare you for your chosen career, whether in academia or beyond.
At Kent, we are committed to producing doctoral students and researchers who are experienced, highly skilled and employable. That's why it is important that while you are progressing your research, you also develop the skills you will need to succeed in your chosen career.
Which workshops can I attend?
All of our training falls under the four headings of the RDF:
Researcher: Values and Behaviours
Research: Knowledge and Practice
Research: Research management
Research: Engagement and impact
Research Communities: working with others
What other support is available?
Associate Fellowship Scheme (AFS)
The University offers the Associate Fellowship Scheme, a formal qualification for GTAs
IT online learning guides
Information Services offer a variety of learning guides for self-paced learning or reference
Library resources
The library makes available a variety of resources and information for postgraduate researchers
Graduate Teaching Assistants
A dedicated Moodle page for postgraduates who teach with useful information and resources
Key links and information
Email us
Let us know any queries you have related to the RDP
Events Calendar
Staff and prospective students can see what workshops are running on our Events Calendar
Online booking system
Current PhD Researchers can log in to complete their RDA and book events
RDP Moodle
Current PhD Researchers can visit our RDP Moodle page for extra resources and recorded workshops
Jump to content
Researcher Development Programme
Researcher Development Programme
For Postgraduate Research students.
What is the RDP?
The Researcher Development Programme (RDP) is designed to
equip
postgraduate researchers with a
full range of skills
which will
improve their effectiveness as researchers
, and ensure that they are not only
highly qualified
but
employable in a variety of careers
by the end of their research project.
At Kent, the Researcher Development Programme has been developed in line with the
Researcher Development Framework
(RDF)
.
Who is the RDP for and are there any compulsory workshops ?
The RDP is for all postgraduate research students. This includes full-time and part-time students and those studying a Master's by Research, MPhil or PhD. It is also pertinent for Early Career Researchers.
All new PhD students must attend the 'Kickstart your PhD' induction workshop and complete a Researcher Development Assessment (RDA). This online self-assessment encourages you to consider your existing portfolio of skills, as well as any skills you hope to gain while doing your doctoral research.
You can book 'Kickstart your PhD' and complete the assessment via our
online booking system
.
Quotation
Being able to attend diverse workshops at the Graduate and Researcher College, has tremendously improved my skills in specific and general areas.
Why should I do it?
A PhD is an outstanding academic qualification but having a doctorate alone will not prepare you for your chosen career, whether in academia or beyond.
At Kent, we are committed to producing doctoral students and researchers who are experienced, highly skilled and employable. That's why it is important that while you are progressing your research, you also develop the skills you will need to succeed in your chosen career.
Which workshops can I attend?
All of our training falls under the four headings of the RDF:
Researcher: Values and Behaviours
Research: Knowledge and Practice
Research: Research management
Research: Engagement and impact
Research Communities: working with others
What other support is available?
Associate Fellowship Scheme (AFS)
The University offers the Associate Fellowship Scheme, a formal qualification for GTAs
IT online learning guides
Information Services offer a variety of learning guides for self-paced learning or reference
Library resources
The library makes available a variety of resources and information for postgraduate researchers
Graduate Teaching Assistants
A dedicated Moodle page for postgraduates who teach with useful information and resources
Key links and information
Email us
Let us know any queries you have related to the RDP
Events Calendar
Staff and prospective students can see what workshops are running on our Events Calendar
Online booking system
Current PhD Researchers can log in to complete their RDA and book events
RDP Moodle
Current PhD Researchers can visit our RDP Moodle page for extra resources and recorded workshops