"UK Grad" are training courses for final year Ph.D. students. They are intensive (early morning to late night) 3-5 day and residential, and funded by the research councils. The material covers sections D-G of the "Joint Statement of the Research Councils/AHRB's skills training requirements for research students", which are all about personal effectiveness and career management.

It's been a wonderful experience tutoring on these programmes. I have met many PhD students from almost every discipline and university I can think of. The pool of tutors has been a source of great inspiration, innovation and encouragement - a life changing experience. And finally, the material is something I really enjoy and believe in; it is the perfect person-oriented complement to the academic side of Ph.D. training.

attending as a visitor

Windermere Hydro Hotel 4/5 February 04. Sitting in on events and tutor reviews that the students take. Talking to tutors and programme staff. After this I knew it was something I really wanted to do.

the tutor training course

Dunchurch park 18/19 March 04 Seminars, interactive events, roll plays on the themes of tutoring, facilitation, handling difficulties, code of conduct, and goals of the programme.

first time tutoring on a course - at Brighton

Brighton. 26-29 november 2004 A three full-day 8am-9pm residential school at the Albion Hotel.

"Mentor Champion" workshop - at Coventry

Coventry Hill Hotel, 4th-5th February 2005 Re-working the role of the "Mentor" in Grad Schools and setting up "Mentor Champions" to drive that on each grad school event.

Liverpool Grad-Equivalent (Careers Skills Workshop)

Edge Hill, Ormskirk, 24th-27th July 2005. A three day grad-equivalent course run by the University of Liverpool

New things to go in....

• Visiting the north west hub

• North West hub meeting

• Visiting the Life-Long Learning Centre at Liverpool

• Tutoring at Penrith (4-9 Apr 05)

• RSWs at Liverpool (jan06-May06)

• Careers Skills Workshops at Liverpool CSW1, CSW2 (July 06)

• Tutoring at Stirling (11-16 June 06)

• MBTI course - 3-5 Sept , and 10-11 Oct 2006