Scheduled RDP workshops and events
The Researcher Development Programme provides year-round training and development opportunities to help you successfully complete your research degree and prepare for your future.
RDP workshops open for booking at the start of each academic term and close to bookings one working day before each session. Visit the all workshops pages for the full list of workshops taking place this year and details of how the programme works, including our approach to accessibility.
Registrations are managed through Eventbrite. For online workshops, the joining link will be included on your Eventbrite booking page and in email reminders. If you can no longer make a session it’s essential you cancel your place; repeated non-attendance may result in booking restrictions.
If you have any questions about our workshops or any issues with booking a place, email us at researcher-development@sussex.ac.uk.
October 2026
PGR Essentials: Introduction to the Library
Theme: Induction
Date: Friday 2 October
Time: 11am-12pm (UK)
Location: Library Teaching Room
Description: With guidance from the Library Research and Open Scholarship Team, the workshop will highlight key Library resources and services for PGRs.
PGR Essentials: Introduction to open research
Theme: Induction
Date: Tuesday 6 October
Time: 11am-12pm (UK)
Location: Library Teaching Room
Description: This workshop will introduce open research, considering the benefits for researchers, institutions and society. It will provide opportunities for you to consider how open research methods could be embedded into your research and highlight sources of support and further information.
Becoming a postgraduate researcher: skills, strategies and support
Theme: Induction
Date: Wednesday 7 October
Time: 10am-1pm (UK)
Location: Library Teaching Room
Description: Make a successful start to your postgraduate degree 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.
PGR Essentials: Introduction to the Library
Theme: Induction
Date: Thursday 8 October
Time: 2-3pm (UK)
Location: Online
Description: With guidance from the Library Research and Open Scholarship Team, the workshop will highlight key Library resources and services for PGRs.
One-day academic writing retreat
Theme: Core
Date: Friday 9 October
Time: 9.30am-4.30pm (UK)
Location: Library Teaching Room
Description: Are you struggling to get started with your academic writing? Or have you hit a block? If so, this intensive one-day writing retreat can help you get back on track and make significant progress with your chapter, article or book.
PGR Essentials: Introduction to open research
Theme: Induction
Date: Monday 12 October
Time: 2-3pm (UK)
Location: Online
Description: This workshop will introduce open research, considering the benefits for researchers, institutions and society. It will provide opportunities for you to consider how open research methods could be embedded into your research and highlight sources of support
Managing your research data: Introduction to data management plans
Theme: Core
Date: Tuesday 13 October
Time: 10.30am-12pm (UK)
Location: Online
Description: Writing a data management plan (DMP) is useful for researchers in all disciplines. By the end of the workshop you will be able to describe what a data management plan is and explain the benefits of writing one, identify the core elements of a DMP, and outline a DMP for your own research project.
Working with your supervisor
Theme: Induction
Date: Wednesday 14 October
Time: 10am-1pm (UK)
Location: Library Teaching Room
Description: The supervisory relationship is crucial to the success of your research degree. In this interactive two-hour workshop, you’ll discover practical tips for optimising this relationship.
PGR Essentials: Introduction to ethics
Theme: Induction
Date: Monday 19 October
Time: 2-3pm (UK)
Location: Library Teaching Room
Description: 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.
Managing your research data: Supporting qualitative data sharing
Theme: Core
Date: Wednesday 21 October
Time: 2-3pm (UK)
Location: Library Teaching Room
Description: Qualitative data has rich potential for re-use in future research, but it can be challenging to navigate routes for data sharing. This session will support attendees with data management planning that will help embed consideration of data sharing principles throughout the research process.
Open research: principles and practices
Theme: Core
Date: Thursday 22 October
Time: 2-3.30pm (UK)
Location: Online
Description: This workshop will introduce the concept of open research, and explore opportunities for implementing open research principles into your own practice. It will cover open access publishing, open data, open source software, open peer review and tools and techniques to help you discover open access materials.
November 2026
Getting started with preregistration and registered reports
Theme: Learn
Date: Monday 2 November
Time: 2-3pm (UK)
Location: Library Teaching Room
Description: This introductory workshop will clarify the differences between preregistration and Registered Reports, provide practical advice on using preregistration tools and explore effective implementation strategies. In addition, it provides a chance to meet with others who share the same commitment to fostering open research practices.
Bringing creativity, reflexivity and voice into your writing
Theme: Learn
Date: Tuesday 3 November
Time: 10am-1pm (UK)
Location: Library Seminar Room
Description: This three-hour academic writing workshop is geared towards any postgraduate researcher who is actively engaged in writing at any stage of their studies. The key aim of the workshop is to discuss and pilot ways of bringing greater creativity and reflexivity into your writing.
Managing your research data: Keeping data safe and secure
Theme: Thrive
Date: Tuesday 3 November
Time: 2-3pm (UK)
Location: Online
Description: How safe is your research data? What would happen if you lost it all? This session will help you consider how to keep your research data organised and secure.
PGR Essentials: Introduction to ethics
Theme: Induction
Date: Wednesday 4 November
Time: 11am-12pm (UK)
Location: Online
Description: 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.
How to edit your academic writing
Theme: Core
Date: Wednesday 4 November
Time: 1-4pm (UK)
Location: Online via Zoom
Description: Are you close to a full draft of your book, article, or thesis chapter? Does it resemble a baggy monster that needs taming? If so, this workshop is for you. Through activities and tutorials, you’ll learn techniques for getting your writing into shape. After the workshop, you will have a polished chunk of writing and a clear strategy for tackling the rest of your publication.
Managing your online researcher profiles: building visibility and impact
Theme: Core
Date: Thursday 5 November
Time: 10.30am-12pm (UK)
Location: Online via Zoom
Description: Online researcher profiles play an important role in raising the visibility of your research, demonstrating its impact. and helping you connect with collaborators and a wider audience. This workshop introduces the key platforms used to create and manage researcher profiles and explores how they can support your professional reputation and raise research visibility.
PGR Essentials: Looking after yourself during your research degree
Theme: Induction
Date: Friday 6 November
Time: 3-5pm (UK)
Location: Online via Zoom
Description: Doing a research degree poses some unique challenges that can affect your mental health and wellbeing. In this workshop, we will explore these challenges and the factors that influence wellbeing and mental health during the research degree (like isolation or the relation with supervisors) in a supportive environment.
Planning, structuring and writing your thesis
Theme: Core
Date: Tuesday 10 November
Time: 3-6pm (UK)
Location: Library Teaching Room
Description: This session provides advice and guidance on a variety of approaches to writing a thesis. As well as content on planning and structures, there will be space to write and to reflect together as part of a supportive writers' network.
Planning, structuring and writing your thesis
Theme: Core
Date: Wednesday 11 November
Time: 10am-1pm (UK)
Location: Online
Description: This session provides advice and guidance on a variety of approaches to writing a thesis. As well as content on planning and structures, there will be space to write and to reflect together as part of a supportive writers' network.
One-day academic writing retreat
Theme: Core
Date: Thursday 12 November
Time: 9.30am-12.30pm (UK)
Location: Library Teaching Room
Description: Are you struggling to get started with your academic writing? Or have you hit a block? If so, this intensive one-day writing retreat can help you get back on track and make significant progress with your chapter, article or book.
Making your research data available to support your publication
Theme: Learn
Date: Monday 16 November
Time: 12-1pm (UK)
Location: Online via Zoom
Description: Many journals now ask for research data to be made openly available to support publications. This session will explore options to help researchers to do this effectively including identifying suitable repositories to share your data, and what to consider when describing your data.
Introduction to the UK research funding environment
Theme: Realise
Date: Tuesday 17 November
Time: 10am-12pm (UK)
Location: Online via Zoom
Description: The research funding environment in the UK can, at first, appear quite complex and may be a little daunting if you have not previously applied for funding. In this interactive workshop we will de-mystify the policies and processes of research funding, exploring how funding is awarded and managed in the UK and the types of funding that might be available to you.
Working with your supervisor
Theme: Induction
Date: Tuesday 17 November
Time: 1-4pm (UK)
Location: Online via Zoom
Description: The supervisory relationship is crucial to the success of your research degree. In this interactive two-hour workshop, you’ll discover practical tips for optimising this relationship. We’ll consider common problems and develop strategies for overcoming them.
Introduction to REF 2029
Theme: Realise
Date: Wednesday 18 November
Time: 10-11am (UK)
Location: Online via Zoom
Description: Understanding the REF - its requirements, and its effects on Higher Education and research culture - is essential for everyone who is building a research career in the UK. By the end of this workshop, participants will understand what is the Research Excellence Framework and what is assessed and when.
Preparing for your final year
Theme: Core
Date: Wednesday 18 November
Time: 1-4pm (UK)
Location: Library Seminar Room
Description: Understanding the REF - its requirements, and its effects on Higher Education and research culture - is essential for everyone who is building a research career in the UK. By the end of this workshop, participants will understand what is the Research Excellence Framework and what is assessed and when.
Preparing for your viva in the Sciences
Theme: Core
Date: Tuesday 24 November
Time: 10am-1pm (UK)
Location: Library Teaching Room
Description: The viva can be a daunting event for postgraduate researchers. This workshop will de-mystify the viva process rules and requirements and provide you with useful guidance about how you can prepare for the big day throughout your PGR journey.
Keeping up with the literature: tools and techniques for researchers
Theme: Learn
Date: Tuesday 24 November
Time: 2-3pm (UK)
Location: Library Teaching Room
Description: This workshop introduces practical tools and techniques for discovering newly published literature in your field, including database alerts, academic networks, and publisher notifications. You will learn how to integrate literature tracking into your research workflow and identify sources of support.
Preparing for your viva in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Theme: Core
Date: Friday 27 November
Time: 1-4pm (UK)
Location: Library Teaching Room
Description: The viva can be a daunting event for postgraduate researchers. This workshop will de-mystify the viva process rules and requirements and provide you with useful guidance about how you can prepare for the big day throughout your PGR journey.
Scientific writing: structure, language and style
Theme: Learn
Date: Monday 30 November
Time: 9.30am-12.30pm (UK)
Location: Online
Description: This workshop covers how to structure an original research paper, designing and planning your article, how to articulate your argument, what to highlight, good practice and what to avoid. The session will cover language, style and tone, using selected examples from the existing literature.
December 2026
PGR Essentials: Looking after yourself during your research degree
Theme: Induction
Date: Wednesday 2 December
Time: 10am-12pm (UK)
Location: Library Teaching Room
Description: Doing a research degree poses some unique challenges that can affect your mental health and wellbeing. In this workshop, we will explore these challenges and the factors that influence wellbeing and mental health during the research degree (like isolation or the relation with supervisors) in a supportive environment.
Managing your online researcher profiles: building visibility and impact
Theme: Core
Date: Wednesday 2 December
Time: 2-3.30pm (UK)
Location: Library Teaching Room
Description: Online researcher profiles play an important role in raising the visibility of your research, demonstrating its impact. and helping you connect with collaborators and a wider audience. This workshop introduces the key platforms used to create and manage researcher profiles and explores how they can support your professional reputation and raise research visibility.
Managing your research data: Introduction to data management plans
Theme: Core
Date: Thursday 3 December
Time: 10.30am-12pm (UK)
Location: Library Teaching Room
Description: Writing a data management plan (DMP) is useful for researchers in all disciplines. By the end of the workshop you will be able to describe what a data management plan is and explain the benefits of writing one, identify the core elements of a DMP, and outline a DMP for your own research project.
Data management plan writing session
Theme: Core
Date: Thursday 3 December
Time: 12-1pm (UK)
Location: Library Teaching Room
Description: Data management plans (DMPs) are vital to help you efficiently manage your data during your research. It’s also a requirement to write a DMP to take to your progress review. These sessions are designed to give you time to work on your DMP with Library staff on hand to give advice.
Open research: principles and practices
Theme: Core
Date: Monday 7 December
Time: 10.30am-12pm (UK)
Location: Library Teaching Room
Description: This workshop will introduce the concept of open research, and explore opportunities for implementing open research principles into your own practice. It will cover open access publishing, open data, open source software, open peer review and tools and techniques to help you discover open access materials.
Keeping up with the literature: tools and techniques for researchers
Theme: Learn
Date: Thursday 10 December
Time: 11am-12pm (UK)
Location: Online
Description: This workshop introduces practical tools and techniques for discovering newly published literature in your field, including database alerts, academic networks, and publisher notifications. You will learn how to integrate literature tracking into your research workflow and identify sources of support.