PPD Personal and Professional Development course timetable

A short course covering a manager’s role in promoting a reduced stress environment in the workplace and evaluating stress risks for employees. It will also look at how to manage specific cases of stress using the Health and Safety Executive’s management standards.

If you are new to supervising graduate students at Cambridge (who are studying both for one-year courses or PhDs) the Board of Graduate Studies strongly recommends you to take part in some form of professional development. In collaboration with BGS, Personal and Professional Development offers training and support for newly-appointed supervisors of graduate students and for those new to the Cambridge system. The workshops, which run over lunchtime, are designed to consider reciprocal expectations and duties, as well as approaches to supervising, and to raise awareness of possible issues and where to go for support.

This programme offers an introduction to management skills and is externally accredited by the Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM). It is highly participative and there is a strong emphasis on applying new learning to your work situation for the benefit of your team and your department

The course is primarily aimed at those who currently have management responsibilities for others (including managers, team leaders or supervisors) or equivalent responsibilities (e.g. for managing services, projects, resources). All participants must have the opportunity to meet the assessment requirements which are specified by the ILM – please see further details below

Please note that there is currently a waiting list for this programme. If you are interested in attending please complete the application form at the link below and send a signed paper copy to PPD. Your application will be considered and your name will be added to the waiting list if you are eligible. When a place becomes available we will contact you to confirm your place

Level 3 Award in First Line Management Application Form - your application to attend the programme will not be considered until it has been approved by you line manager - please ensure that you enter their email address correctly into the form.

In the workplace there will be occasions when people feel that they have been bullied, harassed or subjected to inappropriate behaviour. This is a practical and important interactive session which is designed to provide clarity and guidance on the University’s Dignity at Work policy and procedures. It will explain the legal framework, and will clarify options and practical measures open to you to help you address Dignity at Work problems if they arise.

Engage in Learning is a theory and practice informed supervisor development programme on how to build supportive learning relationships. It is aimed at supervisors of Cambridge students with a minimum of three to five years’ experience of teaching in higher education.

Participants will explore approaches and challenges to building supportive supervisory relationships through dialogical learning activities — small group discussions, reflection exercises based on experiences, film clips, case studies and dilemmas drawn from practice. Readings will be provided prior to each workshop. The programme will emphasise building on participants’ own experiences. Between each workshop participants will be asked to observe and keep a written log of specific experiences of supervision; these will be discussed in the subsequent workshop.

Workshops (key topics covered)
A maximum of 12 participants will attend four two-hour-long workshops. Each workshop will be held between 16:30 to 18:30.


25 January 2018
Workshop 1 (Principles 1 & 2)
Relationships for learning: theory, context. Building supportive relationships

• Attachment theory
• Mindfulness
• Institutional identity
• Communication

22 February 2018
Workshop 2 (Principles 1, 2 & 3)
Empowering and facilitation growth

• Growth mindset
• Relational power
• Transformational learning
• Self-efficacy

***22 March 2018*** - NOW RUNNING ON 28 MARCH 2018
Workshop 3 (Principles 1, 2, 3 & 4)
Maintaining a supportive relationship

• Boundaries
• Balance
• Dialogical reflection

19 April 2018
Workshop 4
Engaging in learning together

• Synthesis of themes and topics

Prior to registration please make sure that you are available on each of those days.

All workshops will be held at the Cambridge Centre for Teaching and Learning, 25 Trumpington Street, Cambridge, CB2 1QA. The map gives directions to PPD, where the Cambridge Centre for Teaching and Learning is located.

This course prepares you to search and apply for your next job opportunity. You will learn: where to look for suitable job opportunities, how to write clear and concise CV’s and produce Job Applications that highlight your key skills and experience.

This course is highly participative and offers you the opportunity to share and learn from your own and other's experiences.

This course will review and explain the process of getting a diagnosis of a specific learning difficulty (SpLD) from the first observation of a difficulty to the point at which support is in place. It will focus on dyslexia the areas of difficulty experienced by students with such diagnoses and how proposed adjustments are helpful. Factors to consider when recommending a student for an assessment will also be discussed.

The course is a useful precursor to either Teaching Students with Specific Learning Difficulties (Briefing) or Specific Learning Difficulties: What Administrators Need to Know (Briefing).

As a manager, handling relationships is one of your key skills. An ability to think, speak and act assertively in these relationships will enhance your reputation and success. If you want to motivate staff, earn their loyalty and enable them to achieve the best possible results, then this course is for you. It will also deal with the challenges of managing your own manager assertively.

The University has a statutory duty to have ‘due regard to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism’. This is known as the Prevent Duty (Section 26 of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015). It is primarily about safeguarding students and staff in the University and includes a range of responsibilities in areas such as pastoral care, support for staff and students, procedures for arranging events and using facilities. All staff need to be aware of the process of radicalisation, definitions of extremism and the process for raising concerns in this context

This short session provides information about Prevent for all staff working in in the University. It includes input and examples to consider and combines the content in Module 1 – An introduction to the Prevent Duty: Online and the University Prevent website

You can access these as an alternative to attending this session

Full details of available training and support are on the Prevent Training Moodle site using your Raven login

If you would like to refine your presentation skills, or address insecurities about any aspect of your speaking, these sessions are aimed at identifying the areas you need to focus on, be it at the micro level (elocution), the macro level (shaping an interesting presentation), or any point in between. During this one to one session, coaching will provide you with active practice, honest and constructive feedback, and practical tips to make you a more confident and effective communicator. Put yourself under the microscope, and you’ll be ready to step into the spotlight.

You may find it useful to have completed the Presentation Skills online learning module before attending the session.

It is possible to use this booking page to book one follow-up session for additional support. The course trainer will advise when this may be helpful. Please only book one session at a time.

If you would like to refine your presentation skills, or address insecurities about any aspect of your speaking, these sessions are aimed at identifying the areas you need to focus on, be it at the micro level (elocution), the macro level (shaping an interesting presentation), or any point in between. During this one to one session, coaching will provide you with active practice, honest and constructive feedback, and practical tips to make you a more confident and effective communicator. Put yourself under the microscope, and you’ll be ready to step into the spotlight.

You may find it useful to have completed the Presentation Skills online learning module before attending the session.

It is possible to use this booking page to book one follow-up session for additional support. The course trainer will advise when this may be helpful. Please only book one session at a time.

If you would like to refine your presentation skills, or address insecurities about any aspect of your speaking, these sessions are aimed at identifying the areas you need to focus on, be it at the micro level (elocution), the macro level (shaping an interesting presentation), or any point in between. During this one to one session, coaching will provide you with active practice, honest and constructive feedback, and practical tips to make you a more confident and effective communicator. Put yourself under the microscope, and you’ll be ready to step into the spotlight.

You may find it useful to have completed the Presentation Skills online learning module before attending the session.

It is possible to use this booking page to book one follow-up session for additional support. The course trainer will advise when this may be helpful. Please only book one session at a time.

If you would like to refine your presentation skills, or address insecurities about any aspect of your speaking, these sessions are aimed at identifying the areas you need to focus on, be it at the micro level (elocution), the macro level (shaping an interesting presentation), or any point in between. During this one to one session, coaching will provide you with active practice, honest and constructive feedback, and practical tips to make you a more confident and effective communicator. Put yourself under the microscope, and you’ll be ready to step into the spotlight.

You may find it useful to have completed the Presentation Skills online learning module before attending the session.

It is possible to use this booking page to book one follow-up session for additional support. The course trainer will advise when this may be helpful. Please only book one session at a time.

If you would like to refine your presentation skills, or address insecurities about any aspect of your speaking, these sessions are aimed at identifying the areas you need to focus on, be it at the micro level (elocution), the macro level (shaping an interesting presentation), or any point in between. During this one to one session, coaching will provide you with active practice, honest and constructive feedback, and practical tips to make you a more confident and effective communicator. Put yourself under the microscope, and you’ll be ready to step into the spotlight.

You may find it useful to have completed the Presentation Skills online learning module before attending the session.

It is possible to use this booking page to book one follow-up session for additional support. The course trainer will advise when this may be helpful. Please only book one session at a time.

If you would like to refine your presentation skills, or address insecurities about any aspect of your speaking, these sessions are aimed at identifying the areas you need to focus on, be it at the micro level (elocution), the macro level (shaping an interesting presentation), or any point in between. During this one to one session, coaching will provide you with active practice, honest and constructive feedback, and practical tips to make you a more confident and effective communicator. Put yourself under the microscope, and you’ll be ready to step into the spotlight.

You may find it useful to have completed the Presentation Skills online learning module before attending the session.

It is possible to use this booking page to book one follow-up session for additional support. The course trainer will advise when this may be helpful. Please only book one session at a time.

This interactive workshop aims to increase your confidence in carrying out a learning needs analysis, designing effective workshops that meet the learning needs of your audience, and evaluating the effectiveness of that learning.

This course is recommended for those responsible for the recruitment and selection of staff, particularly if you are new to the University but also for existing staff seeking a refresher.

With the introduction of the Points-based immigration system and with immigration legislation becoming ever stricter, the UK now operates one of the world’s most complex immigration systems.

The aim of this course is to help those involved with recruitment and selection to navigate the rules which regulate the recruitment of individuals who are subject to immigration control, whilst ensuring full compliance. It will outline the key requirements in advertising, selection, pre-employment checks and the responsibilities throughout employment that the University is legally bound to observe.

This development programme for generalist and specialist administrators draws on the expertise of senior figures in the University and provides up to date information on the various strands and issues of University strategy and governance. It includes development of some key skills and a project activity, and offers a valuable opportunity to network with administrators from the UAS and other departments and institutions.

Selection for this programme is via nomination by School Secretaries, Heads of Division or Heads of Non-School Institutions during the summer. Nominees will need to demonstrate the benefit of participating, both for themselves and their institution. Please speak to your line manager and/or appropriate nominator if you would like to be considered.

Please see further information about key themes and speakers on the programme flyer.

Note: Thank you very much for your interest. Unfortunately all University Consultation events are now fully booked.
We received an unexpectedly high volume of interest in these events. In order to allow as many members of the University as possible to engage in the consultation, we will schedule another couple of events to take place in February and March. The additional events will be advertised by email as soon as possible and registration will again be on a first come first served basis.

Please also note that we will shortly launch a website including an online consultation. The website is a crucial part of the consultation. It will allow all members of the University to provide written feedback on a set of questions. The same set of questions will be discussed in the consultation events.

We very much look forward to seeing you at one of the events and/or to hearing from you via the online consultation.

The Vice-Chancellor is seeking the views of all members of the University on key issues facing the collegiate community. He is inviting you to join him for a discussion about the University’s future direction, and to share your ideas on challenges and opportunities for the institution. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.