All-provider course timetable

This course covers some of the more challenging functions such as IF, SUMIFS and VLOOKUP. Not all chapters will be taught in full due to time constraints but are included for self-study.

• This is the In Person Face to Face version of our Live Online Excel: Functions course.

Please Note: It is important that when you book on this course, on your booking confirmation page, click on Add to Calendar to start the process to import the course appointment into your calendar.

• See Related Courses below to take your skills further

This session will set the scene for those moving in to a role with professional responsibility for other members of staff at the University, supporting their work, behavior and development. As we all know from our personal and professional experience, leaders and managers play a critical role in ensuring a productive, motivating and inclusive working environment.

This interactive session will explore the responsibilities of a manager or leader at the University, introduce tools to support the performance of your team, and provide pointers to where to find important information and further development as needed.

It is aimed at staff across all areas, disciplines, staff groups and levels of responsibility, including staff who are:

• new to managing one or more others
• new to leading a service or research area
• new to Cambridge, either as a new manager or with previous experience

Cognos is a reporting tool that utilises data from CUFS to provide users with additional reports and options. This introductory course is designed for new reporters - covering everything from running a report successfully as well as a number of useful tips and shortcuts.

Note: This course is mandatory in order to attend either of the following two courses below.

• GL Part 2: Reporting in the General Ledger
• Grants Part 2: Grant reports in Cognos

What this introductory course does not do is go through in detail the outputs of each individual report. Report outputs are explained in further detail in the courses above.

Cannot make any dates? See the on-demand online version of the course. Completion of this course will count as Cognos attendance for the purpose of acceptance onto the above courses. You should ask your Key Contact to request Cognos access for you, prior to working through the on-demand material.

This is the first of two workshops designed to develop your understanding of the technicalities and the process of getting your research published.

In this workshop, we examine the technical aspects of writing up your research in a format appropriate for publication. You will learn about the importance of following journal guidelines and house style, and the value of using a clear structure to frame your paper. You will also receive guidance on how to produce clear writing in a register appropriate for the readership.

It is possible to attend this course as an individual workshop, although we would encourage you to attend the second workshop in the series Getting published II: Impact and Peer-review.

Research proposals, written consent forms, participant information sheets, letters of intent, briefs and proposals on university headed paper are all claims to power, neutrality and control in the research process. Though ethically imperative, this course is an opportunity to reflect upon these “fetishes of consent” (Wynn and Israel, 2018) and the unequal power relations they may produce between participant and researcher. Employing creative methods within the research process, from start to end, is an opportunity to communicate meaningfully with all stakeholders; from a struggling mother with low literacy levels in a Mumbai slum, to a time conscious policy official in Cape Town who refuses to glance past the first paragraph of your research proposal. The ability to communicate complex and often abstract ideas beyond an academic audience is pivotal to doing research with impact, and it is also a vital part of a decolonial agenda. While “the proof of the [decolonial] pudding” is arguably identified in how research is analysed and presented (Hitchings and Latham, 2020:392), it is crucial that methodologies are subject to critical reflexivity, and foster knowledge exchange between scholars, practitioners, and respondents.

In this course we will explore a variety of “creative methods” that have been developed for use in the field, and to generate empirical data. This course then goes further, to explore ways of incorporating creativity throughout the research process in areas such as stakeholder engagement, participant recruitment, consent processes, and gatekeeper conflict during data collection and research dissemination. As part of the course, you will make a simple means for creative outreach such as a video, presentation, drawing, or video recording (etc.) that communicates your research to intended stakeholder(s). We will think critically about intended audience demographics (i.e. elderly, working mothers, young people, peasant farmers, NGO workers or city officials) and reflect upon the creative materials we have produced as a group and discuss its methodological implications. The goal is not to use creative practice as simply another empirical data gathering tool, but to address the hierarchies within academic processes and knowledge production. Creative practice is an opportunity to build new communication strategies that foster the reflexivity, flexibility, and wonder of the unknown within co-production, enabling us to move towards more equitable ways of building and cocreating knowledge.

A Community of Practice (CoP) is a group of people who share a common passion, set of problems, or interest in a topic and who come together to fulfil both individual and group goals. 

CoPs bring colleagues together in order to:

• Create support networks

• Learn and grow their skills

• Share knowledge and join up related work

• Share common approaches

• Collaborate and innovate, and create better practices for everyone.

Come along to this session to find out more about how CoPs are being established and embedded at Cambridge, and the ways in which they could help you and those who you manage. There will be the opportunity to share ideas and concerns you have about the CoPs initiative and learn more about this exciting new area of development in the University.

To find out more about Communities of Practice visit the Communities of Practice SharePoint Page

This session is provided for students and staff who have a Disability Resource Centre referral for specialised one-to-one support. Bespoke sessions cover support for users with:

• Mobility issues, such as an upper limb disorder, where ergonomic keyboards and mice or speech recognition software may be required
• Visual impairment requirements where magnification or text scanning to alternative format can assist users to view a computer screen or read and listen to text
• Specific learning difficulties, who may find speech recognition software or mind mapping software useful

A session typically falls into 2 categories:

• Looking at available hardware, software or IT techniques that can aid in the development of tailored strategies and solutions to help users independently access computing facilities
• Providing training for Assistive Technology software packages to help users progress with the software

At time of booking please specify the following details in the Special Requirements box

• Name of person that referred you
• A brief outline of type of assistance required e.g. software training, workstation evaluation or general support and advice
• If you require wheelchair access to the venue

• This is the Live Online version of the In Person Face to Face course.

Please Note: It is important that when you book on this course, on your booking confirmation page, click on Add to Calendar to start the process to import the course appointment into your calendar. This contains the link to the MS Teams course meeting under Joining Instructions that you will use to join on the day of the course.

• See Related Courses below to take your skills further

Discussion Topic: Giving and receiving feedback well: sharing strategies and lessons learned.

This series of informal drop in sessions is designed to provide both new and more experienced leaders and managers, across all staff groups, with a safe space to share practice and discuss some of the challenges that can arise when supporting others to develop and strengthen their performance. Each session will start with Q&A with a panel of experienced managers drawn from across the University. This will be followed by questions from the audience and small group discussion in break-out rooms (depending on audience size/timings). The format is designed to facilitate peer support and learning. Following the session, recommendations for training and other resources will be shared.

“It’s lovely to convene a group of people interested in leadership and developing their skills in this area.”  (feedback from previous panel discussion participant)

Panellists

• Jo Clarke, Staff Wellbeing Consultant, HR Division

• Zarine Dastur, Finance & Ops manager, Postdoc Academy

• Heike Laman, Head of Department, Pathology

• Andrea Walker, Senior Research Funding Coordinator, Research Office

Please join us for the second Forum of 2025. The theme of this forum is around topics to support Open Research.

The venue is: Large Seminar Room, The Sir David Attenborough Building, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QZ

New University map link to: David Attenborough building

Please access the building via the CCI main entrance, up the steps, and just past the Whale Cafe.

Lunch will be provided at the forum. Please ensure you let us know of any dietary needs or intolerances in this UTBS booking form.

Places are limited, so please book as soon as possible. Equally, please cancel as soon as possible, should you no longer be able to attend.

Bookings for this event need to be approved as it is designed specifically for members of the Data Champion Programme and members of the CCI community.

A series of 30-minute drop-in sessions to talk with a member of the Public Engagement team. We offer expert advice to support your public engagement work, engagement processes and activities. These include:

• engagement types and the appropriate format to engage effectively and collaboratively
• engagement opportunities
• extensive training portfolio for researchers and professional staff to build skills and confidence
• funding schemes and resources to inform and support develop projects, events and activities

These sessions are not workshops or taught sessions.

Based on your area of expertise and depending on your School affiliation, you can book a time with one of our public engagement professionals:

• Dr Lucinda Spokes, Head of Public Engagement, all areas and schools - Monday, 16:00-16:30 and 16:30-17:00
• Dr Diogo Martins-Gomes, Public Engagement and Communications Manager, Clinical School and School of Biological Sciences - Wednesday, 12:00-12:30 and 12:30-13:00
• Dr Claudia Antolini, Public Engagement Manager, School of Physical Sciences and School of Technology - Thursday 14:00-14:30 and 14:30-15:00

The team will be available every week, each mentor offering two sessions of 30 minutes in the day and time indicated above. We will release new slots in the same days and times a couple of months in advance.

Please book for the day and time you would like to attend, and you will receive closer to the session the Teams link to meet with the mentor. The link will be sent by RDP Course Administrator. Please make sure that that e-mail address does not go to your spam folder.