Transferable Skills Programme - Imperial College London

Transferable
Skills
Programme
Graduate School of Engineering and
Physical Sciences (GSEPS)
2009–10

Graduate School of Engineering and Physical Sciences (GSEPS)
GSEPS has an overarching responsibility for postgraduate education and research
in engineering and physical sciences and in the Business School. The Director is
Professor Richard Kitney OBE, FREng, DSc(Eng), FCGI.
Students from the following departments belong to GSEPS:
+ + + Aeronautics
+ + + Bioengineering
+ + + Centre for Environmental Policy
+ + + Chemical Engineering and Chemical Technology
+ + + Chemistry
+ + + Civil and Environmental Engineering
+ + + Computing
+ + + Earth Science and Engineering
+ + + Electrical and Electronic Engineering
+ + + Imperial College Business School
+ + + Institute of Biomedical Engineering
+ + + Materials
+ + + Mathematics
+ + + Mechanical Engineering
+ + + Physics
If your department is not listed, you will be a member of the Graduate School of
Life Sciences and Medicine (GSLSM).
> The Graduate
Schools were
nationally
recognised in
2006 and 2008,
winning the
Times Higher
Education Award
for Outstanding
Support for
Early Careers
Researchers.
“On behalf of everyone at Imperial,
I am delighted to welcome you to
our vibrant and diverse community.
As a postgraduate, you
automatically become a member of
one of the College’s two Graduate
Schools, which oversee the quality
of our teaching and research and
provide a suite of transferable
skills courses that will help you
to succeed in your studies and
your career. They also organise a
number of interdisciplinary events
and activities, giving you a chance
to get to know your peers beyond
your particular course or discipline.
The benefits of this are social as well as professional, so I would
encourage you to take advantage of everything that the Schools have
to offer. I hope you will find that doing so enhances both your time at
Imperial and your career over the years to come.”
Sir Roy Anderson, Rector
1

The Graduate School of
Engineering and Physical
Sciences (GSEPS)
Developing your
transferable skills
“Welcome to the Graduate School of Engineering and Physical Sciences. I’m
sure you will find our Transferable Skills Programme a useful complement
for your studies and an aid to both your academic and personal
effectiveness. Our comprehensive training has been designed to meet the
needs of our diverse student population whatever their background or
experience. In GSEPS we recognise that individuals must take responsibility for their own
development, and I am confident you will see the benefits the training provides and will fully
engage with it. I hope you enjoy being part of GSEPS and I wish you every success at Imperial
and beyond.”
Transferable Skills Programme
We understand research students and their
needs and this means we are ideally placed to
offer a generic transferable skills programme
which encourages your development beyond the
academic training provided by your department.
Our large suite of transferable skills training
courses covers a number of core skill areas,
including:
— Research skills and techniques
— Research environment
— Research management
— Personal effectiveness
— Communication skills
— Networking and team working
— Business, commercialisation and
entrepreneurship skills
— Career management
—Professor Richard Kitney, GSEPS Director
GSEPS events
GSEPS arranges a number of special events
throughout the year to encourage interdisciplinary
discussion. Events include:
—Welcome reception for new students
—Distinguished guest lectures
—Networking events
—Debates and panel discussions
—Annual chemistry show
—Ig Nobel Tour Show
—Inter-Graduate School quizzes
—Research symposium including a poster
competition
See page 16 for further details.
> “Research students
can often feel
a bit isolated,
working in the labs
by themselves.
The Graduate
Schools’ events
are a good social
and networking
opportunity.”
—Haytham,
Mech Eng
Why does Imperial have transferable
skills training?
Imperial is dedicated to providing
world class education and transferable
skills training helps prepare students
for creative and leadership roles in
worldwide industry, academia and the
public sector.
You will receive research-specific
training from your department, while
generic training is provided by GSEPS.
The GSEPS courses are designed to
support your personal development,
help you to improve your ability to
undertake focused research, and to
enter and progress in your chosen
career. They can also help to develop
your understanding of the ethical and
commercial dimensions of science in
the wider world, and enable you to
communicate your work effectively to
a variety of audiences. Importantly,
the workshops provide an invaluable
opportunity to meet and interact with
students from other disciplines across
the College.
Master’s students are also welcome
to attend appropriate courses on our
programme.
What is the GSEPS Transferable Skills
Programme?
It is a programme of workshops in
research, professional, developmental
and employability skills for our
postgraduates. The courses vary in
length and format, from one-hour
lectures to three-day interactive
workshops. There are also a number of
online courses available.
Courses are free to attend but please
note there is a cancellation policy (see
page 15).
2 3

Taking part
> GSEPS offers the
skills and tools to
help you in your
research, and
your life beyond
Imperial.
Who delivers the Transferable Skills
Programme?
We have a dedicated tutor team
who are committed to developing
the effectiveness of the programme.
They manage the Research Skills
Development (RSD) course and Your
PhD: Finish Up and Move On (FUMO),
as well as a number of our shorter
workshops. We also employ a team
of highly skilled and experienced
trainers to lead other workshops. The
team includes Imperial academic staff
as well as external consultants. All
tutors have academic and/or industrial
experience.
We also work closely with institutions
and services such as the British
Library, the British Science Association,
the Royal College of Art and Vitae (the
national organisation which supports
researchers and post-docs), as well
as Imperial’s Library, Careers Advisory
Service and Business School, to bring
you a wide range of expertise and
knowledge.
Who supports us?
The GSEPS programme is supported
by the Research Councils:
• Biotechnology and Biological
Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
• Engineering and Physical Sciences
Research Council (EPSRC)
• Natural Environment Research
Council (NERC)
• Medical Research Council (MRC)
• Science and Technology Facilities
Council (STFC)
• Economic and Social Research
Council (ESRC)
The Graduate Schools were nationally
recognised in 2006 and 2008, winning
the Times Higher Education Award
for Outstanding Support for Early
Careers Researchers. The programme
is also endorsed by employers who
feel our programme enhances the
employability of Imperial graduates.
Is there an attendance requirement?
Yes. The GSEPS Transferable Skills
Programme is an integral part of your
research degree training and you
should use it to improve and expand
your abilities. The programme is
divided into core (A list) and posttransfer
or special interest (B list)
courses – see page 8–9.
All first year research students are
normally required to take four A
list courses or the Research Skills
Development (RSD) course plus one
further course from the A or B list
before transfer from MPhil to PhD. We
strongly recommend you attend the
three-day residential RSD course – see
page 12.
There is no limit to the number of
courses you can attend. Once you
have completed your attendance
requirement you are encouraged to
use the programme to further your
personal and research effectiveness
and employability.
As well as courses delivered directly
by GSEPS we recognise a number
of courses offered elsewhere as
equivalent courses and we also give
credit for prior learning (see page 10).
Does GSEPS provide training for
Master’s students?
Yes. Students registered for all
Master’s courses (MSc, MRes
and MBA) are welcome to attend
appropriate GSEPS workshops.
There are also a number of courses
specifically designed for these
students. GSEPS does not require
Master’s students to attend our
training programme although your
department may require you to attend
a number of workshops as part of your
course.
Will I get a record of courses
attended?
Yes. A record is available from GSEPS
on request. Certificates can be
provided at the end of your studies.
This can form part of your CV and can
be shown to prospective employers.
Your department is regularly notified
of your GSEPS course attendance.
4 5

Our courses
> “The course was
worth attending.
It has really
influenced my
understanding
of writing a
paper, a thesis
etc. in a great
way.” —Kritika,
Chemistry, on
Technical Writing
Lecture Series
“Professional,
well delivered
with practical
presentation
tips.” —Hau Sze,
Mathematics, on
Presentation Skills
Where can I find details of the
courses?
On the GSEPS website and Blackboard
site.
• www.imperial.ac.uk/gseps
To log in to the Blackboard site go to
• http://learn.imperial.ac.uk/
and enter your College username and
password. You should automatically
have access to the GSEPS sites but if
not please email us at
graduate.schools@imperial.ac.uk
with your College username and you
will be given access.
The GSEPS Blackboard site is a
password-protected intranet site for
Imperial students and staff, containing
course outlines, course materials,
helpsheets, the timetable and booking
instructions. There are also news and
events pages, and useful links for
postgraduate study. We encourage you
to check the sites frequently for the
most up to date information.
Needs Analysis Questionnaire
You can tailor the GSEPS programme
to your specific needs by using our
Needs Analysis Questionnaire. The
online questionnaire highlights the
key transferable skills relevant to you
and helps you to focus your personal
development planning. All relevant
Graduate School workshops as well as
other College and external resources
are listed.
Responses are stored anonymously
for statistical purposes so the
questionnaire is completely
confidential and can be repeated as
many times as you need.
You can find the questionnaire within
the GSEPS Blackboard site by selecting
Needs Analysis from the menu. Log
in at:
• http://learn.imperial.ac.uk
Student feedback
At the end of each workshop you
have the opportunity complete an
evaluation form. We also run focus
groups which give you the chance
to feed back on the programme
as a whole and suggest possible
developments. We are always
interested in your views and
suggestions so please do not hesitate
to get in touch.
Graduate School of Engineering and
Physical Sciences requirements
Before transfer to PhD, all research
students and RAs are required to
attend:
• four A list courses
OR
• the Research Skills Development
(RSD) course and one further
course from the A or B list.
All Master’s students (MSc, MRes
and MBA) are welcome to attend
appropriate workshops.
What does the A and B list mean?
The GSEPS Transferable Skills
Programme is divided into A list
(core) and B list (post-transfer and/or
specialist) courses.
• A list courses are appropriate at
any time during your PhD, but are
particularly suitable for pretransfer
students. These provide
the fundamental skills to help you
in your research and development.
• B list courses cover a range of
topics, many of which are either
suited to post-transfer or are
courses which are of a specialised
nature so are not considered
essential for all PhD students.
We recommend that you always read
the full course description as this will
give you the learning objectives for
each session and tell you the most
appropriate point in your PhD to
attend the workshop.
The GSEPS transfer requirement
ensures that all research students
receive some transferable skills
training. It is deliberately kept
low to allow you to take overall
responsibility for your own training
and development.
6 7

Before transfer to PhD, all research
students and RAs are required to
attend:
• four A list courses
OR
• the Research Skills Development
(RSD) course and one further
course from the A or B list.
All Master’s students (MSc, MRes
and MBA) are welcome to attend
appropriate workshops. Please see
individual course outlines for details.
A List • Core
B List
Research Skills Development (RSD)
Personal effectiveness
Assertiveness
Creativity and Ideas Generation
Effective Communication
Motivation for PhD students
Myers Briggs: Introduction
Myers Briggs: Personality and Communication
Myers Briggs: Careers
Networking
Stress Management: Postgraduate Study and
Beyond
Time Management Made Simple
Presentation and communication skills
Advanced Presentation Skills
Effective Poster Presentations
Practical Presenting for Conferences
Presentation Skills
Presenting: Developing Natural Ability
Science and the Media
Stand and Deliver: Presenting an Academic
Conference Paper
Technical Presentations Masterclass
Research effectiveness
Becoming an Effective Researcher
Efficient Reading
Information Retrieval
Negotiation Skills for Researchers
Project Management for Researchers
Project Managing Your Thesis
Research Ethics
Statistics
Stats from Scratch: An Introduction to Statistics
Stats for Research: Intermediate Statistics
Writing skills
Effective Academic Writing: Developing an
Effective PhD
Tackling a Literature Review
Technical Writing Lecture Series
Technical Writing Two Hour Workshop
Writing for Publication
Business and commercialisation skills
Commercialisation of Research
Design-Led Innovation
Developing Enterprise Skills
Entrepreneurship Three-Day Workshop
Intellectual Property and Its Importance to
Researchers
Introduction to Accounting
Introduction to Entrepreneurship
Introduction to Marketing
Introduction to Organisations
Introduction to Strategy
Keeping going
Motivation and Independence for Researchers
Relax About Writing
Information skills
EndNote
The Information Landscape: Introducing ISI Web
of Knowledge
The Information Landscape: Keeping Ahead in
the Information Game
Careers workshops
Career Focus for the Future
Career Strategies for PhD
Interview Practice with Video Playback
Job Search with a Difference
Succeeding at Interview
Working in the UK for International (Non-EU)
Students
Writing Effective Applications and CVs
Completing the PhD
Preparing for Leadership
Your PhD: Finish Up and Move On (FUMO)
Your PhD: The Last Lap
Personal effectiveness for MSc Students
Interpersonal Skills for MSc Students
Negotiation and Influencing Skills for MSc
Students
For information on equivalent courses run by
departments and support services please see
page 10.
8 9

Other Graduate
School resources
> “GSEPS encourages
postgrads to think
about their careers
and life beyond
university from early
in their studies. This
is something we
particularly like about
Imperial.”
—Nicholas Creswell,
University Programmes
Manager,
Google EMEA
Can I be given credit for external
courses or for previous learning/
experience?
Yes. We acknowledge the diversity
of experience amongst our student
population and this is why we offer a
mechanism for recognising training
courses offered elsewhere and for
significant prior learning or experience.
You can apply for courses to count
towards all or part of the transferable
skills transfer requirement. Full details
of equivalence and how to apply are on
the GSEPS Blackboard site:
• http://learn.imperial.ac.uk
The GSEPS Programme is designed
to support you throughout your PhD
and whatever your background or
experience, there is something for you.
The Needs Analysis Questionnaire is
there to help you recognise your skills
base and identify suitable courses
(see page 6).
Does departmental training count
toward the transferable skills
requirement?
There may be some courses available
from your department that already
•
have equivalent status.
Support services such as the
Statistical Advisory Service (SAS)
and Information and Communication
Technologies (ICT) offer some
equivalent B list courses too. Please
note that as these courses are not
provided by GSEPS there may be a fee
for attending. Students should ask
their department to cover the fees for
these courses.
A full list of these courses is available
on the GSEPS website and Blackboard
site.
Helpsheets
GSEPS has a number of helpsheets
which provide general guidance
and tips. Helpsheets include
advice on literature reviews, poster
presentations and career planning, and
can be found in the Course Materials
section of the GSEPS Blackboard site.
Skills Surgery
If you have a question about the
Transferable Skills Programme or
would like some guidance on which
GSEPS courses to choose, then you
can book an appointment at one of our
Skills Surgeries and a member of the
Graduate School team will be happy
to help you. To book an appointment
or to ask a question, please email
graduate.schools@imperial.ac.uk
Mathematics Advisory Service
The Mathematics Advisory Service,
funded by the Graduate Schools, is
free for all research students and
offers technical help to overcome
mathematical problems you may
encounter in your research. The Service
is informal, friendly and effective.
For details, follow the link to the
Mathematics Advisory Service from:
• www.imperial.ac.uk/
graduateschools
Online courses
The Graduate Schools provide
a number of online courses and
resources within the Blackboard site.
The following courses are currently
available to all postgraduate students:
• Attending Conferences, Presenting
and Networking
• Career Planning in the Sciences
• Ethics: Good Research Practice
• Ethics: Working with Human Subjects
• Getting Published in the Sciences
• Intellectual Property in the Research
Context
• IT and Statistics Basics
• Project Management in the Research
Context
10
11

Research Skills
Development (RSD) course
“I consider the Graduate Schools’ Research Skills Development course
to be invaluable for first year PhD students. The course focuses on
the skills needed for managing your PhD and enhancing your research
effectiveness. It really delivers results.”
—Sir Roy Anderson, Rector
> “I really enjoyed the
course – it was really
valuable and I think
it will give me a lot
more confidence
to proceed with
my PhD.”
“It was useful
to approach the
concepts, issues
and challenges of
doing a PhD from
a different angle.
Really good to meet
students from other
departments in
Imperial”
“A valuable,
pertinent and well
organised event
that encourages
deep learning in
a fun and relaxed
environment.”
“Really well
organised and
coherently put
together. Great stuff.”
The RSD course is a three-day
residential course for all research
students who are between three
months and two years into their PhD.
You will participate in a series of
activities designed to enhance your
personal and research effectiveness. It
is an excellent opportunity to get away
from London, interact with students
from other disciplines and have
fun. Students who take this course
invariably stay in touch enabling them
to create a valuable social network.
Topics include planning, project
management, creativity in research,
communication skills, group dynamics,
networking and developing selfawareness.
You will enjoy a number
of exciting but challenging indoor and
outdoor activities.
This course was awarded the
Times Higher Education Award for
Outstanding Support to Early Careers
Researchers in 2006.
All your travel and accommodation
expenses are paid by the Graduate
Schools and all meals are provided.
The course is completely free to
attend—it will cost you nothing
but your time. The results are very
rewarding!
Easthampstead Park
The venue for this course is
Easthampstead Park, a Victorian
country mansion situated within
60 acres of beautiful parkland.
Easthampstead Park is close to
Bracknell and Wokingham railway
stations and only 38 miles from central
London, approximately one hour by
train from Waterloo or Paddington.
Course dates
27–30 October 2009
24–27 November 2009
12–15 January 2010
2–5 February 2010
2–5 March 2010
16–19 March 2010
13–16 April 2010
18–21 May 2010
15–18 June 2010
12 13

Post-transfer students
Booking information
> “The course is
very useful and I
would recommend
to anyone else in
their third year.”
—Adam de Smith,
Medicine, on
FUMO
What courses are available for posttransfer
students?
GSEPS has a number of workshops
designed especially for students in
their second year and above. We offer
workshops on thesis writing, preparing
for the viva, leadership, careers and
introduction to business courses.
There is also a two-day course called
Your PhD: Finish Up and Move on
(FUMO), for all final year students.
In 2008 this course won the
Times Higher Education Award for
Outstanding Support for Early Careers
Researchers.
Your PhD: Finish Up and Move On
(FUMO)
This two-day intensive, interactive,
non-residential course is for final year
research students from both Graduate
Schools. It covers what you need to
know to successfully complete your
PhD and move on to the next phase of
your career. The two-day programme
is full and varied including time for
discussion, reflection and practical
exercises. There are also talks from
alumni about their experiences of
completing the PhD and entering the
job market.
The course covers the following topics:
• PhD thesis: Structuring your thesis,
managing the writing, what to write,
shaping the narrative of your thesis
• PhD viva: What to expect, how to
prepare, being successful
• Careers: How to do decide what
to do, discovering career options,
networking, preparing for successful
transitions
• Leadership: Skills and qualities
of leaders, practical exercises to
develop leadership skills
At the end of the first day, a small
reception and networking event gives
you the opportunity to talk to other
students, employers, alumni and
the tutors in a relaxed and friendly
atmosphere. This course is held at the
South Kensington Campus.
Course dates
14–15 October 2009
3–4 December 2009
17–18 February 2010
25–26 March 2010
26–27 May 2010
24–25 June 2010
How do I book?
See your Blackboard site or the GSEPS
website for information and booking
instructions:
• http://learn.imperial.ac.uk
• www.imperial.ac.uk/gseps
We recommend you discuss your
choice of courses with your supervisor.
When we have received your booking
form we will send a confirmation email
to you with venue details. We send a
reminder email about a week before
each course but please do not rely on
this service.
Cancellations
There is a charge for late cancellations
and non-attendance of courses.
For our short courses, we ask for
at least three working days’ notice
of cancellation, so that places
can be offered to other students.
Cancellation periods for residential
and longer courses can vary.
Please see the GSEPS website and
Blackboard site for full details of the
cancellation policy and charges.
14 15

events
GSEPS events
GSEPS arranges a number of social
and academic events throughout the
year, including a welcome event for
new research students in October,
networking receptions, distinguished
guest lectures and events throughout
the year. Previous guest lectures have
included:
• Professor Jared Diamond, Collapse:
How Societies Choose to Fail or
Survive
• Dr Peter Evans, Let’s Put the Wagons
in a Circle: Interacting with the Media
• Professor John Pendry, Invisible
Cloak and a Perfect Lens
During National Science and
Engineering week in March, we host
the extremely popular Ig Nobel Awards
Tour Show. Each May we hold an
annual postgraduate event with an
exhibition chemistry show. There is
also the GSEPS Research Symposium
for doctoral students in July which
includes a poster competition, guest
lecture, prize-giving and reception.
Other special events, such as debates,
lectures and quizzes are arranged
throughout the year.
Dates for your diary
• Life as a Research Student
Talk and Reception
—Tuesday 13 October 2009
• Postgraduate Study Opportunities
Open Day—Wednesday 9 December
2009. This is a chance for Master’s
students who are considering doing
a PhD, to meet representatives from
all departments and discuss their
options.
• Ig Nobel Awards Tour Show
—Thursday 18 March 2010
• Annual Postgraduate Event
—Friday 7 May 2010
• GSEPS Research Symposium
—Tuesday 13 July 2010
These events are a means to broaden
and enrich your experience at Imperial
through interaction with students
across all disciplines. Full details of
all events are available on the GSEPS
website and Blackboard site.
Contact us
Room 560, Level 5, Sherfield Building.
The office is open 9.30–17.00 Monday to Friday.
Email
graduate.schools@imperial.ac.uk
Telephone +44 (0)20 7594 1383
Fax +44 (0)20 7594 5025
Web
www.imperial.ac.uk/gseps
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