PPD Personal and Professional Development course timetable

This interactive course will give an introduction to sign language and an opportunity to review and revisit best practice in communicating with Deaf people. Through discussion and practice, participants will gain knowledge of sign language, as well as advice on how to take their knowledge further.

Effective leadership transforms lives. It needn't be complicated - a few simple tips can quickly make a real difference. There will be plenty of time to ask questions and share ideas about how to develop your own leadership journey.

The target audience for the Masterclass series is those who are undertaking (or have previously undertaken) a leadership or management development programme within the University – the sessions aim to complement our learning about leadership.

The speakers are people with senior leadership experience outside the University. The purpose of the Masterclasses is for leaders and managers in the University to learn about different aspects of leadership from the varying experiences of our speakers and to hear how different people see their role as a leader in a variety of different and often challenging situations.

As a manager, it is your responsibility to get the best out of your staff so that your team functions at its full potential. This can be a daunting challenge: some individuals are easier to manage than others. This course will pinpoint the skills you need to understand and manage staff performance and focus on the University policies which must underpin your approach. Presentation, DVD and group discussion will be used to highlight key points and activities will give you an opportunity to practise in a safe and supportive environment.

This highly participative development programme draws on the expertise of senior figures in the University. It provides an introduction to the various strands and issues of University strategy and governance; it includes some skills development and offers a valuable opportunity to network.

Application for this programme is by nomination by Head of Institution. Heads of Institutions will be invited to make nominations in August/September.

This programme aims to explore the complex leadership skills required by Heads of Institution in support of the University’s mission of achieving world-class research and teaching.

The programme comprises four core modules, each exploring a different aspect of leadership. The modules comprise a full day and take place between November and March each year. The ideal is for participants to attend all four workshops.

Module 1: Monday 9th November 2015 — The Head of Institution as Leader
The first session includes a presentation from the Vice Chancellor and explores the challenges of the Head of Institution role and the skills required.

Module 2: Thursday 10th December 2015 — Personal Leadership
The session investigates the practise of leadership and how leadership may affect performance. Professional actors are used to help participants practice and prepare for challenging leadership conversations.

Module 3: Wednesday 10th February 2016 — Leading Strategy and Change
The session will consider the challenges in leading research, including allocation of resources and setting priorities. Participants are encouraged to look at key strategic and operational issues and to examine ways of thinking and acting strategically. It will include contributions from the PVC for Institutional Affairs and the Registrary.

Module 4: Tuesday 15th March 2016 — Leading Others through Change
The final session continues the change theme from Module 3, including introduction to coaching as a management style, giving constructive feedback and managing conflict. This session includes an input from the Director of HR.

Additional Briefings In addition to the four core modules, participants will be invited to select from a number of optional 1 hour briefings on the following topics: Managing the University Estate, HR Legal and Policy Issues, Financial Issues, Recruitment and Immigration, Equality and Diversity and Identifying Risk and Avoiding Pitfalls in Research Grant Applications. These optional sessions will be held on 26th January and again on 15th June 2016.

This course prepares you to excel at interview. You will learn how to anticipate questions you will be asked and plan how to answer them successfully. You will also learn how to project yourself positively and feel as calm and in control as you will look. This course is highly participative and will include a short mock interview as well as an opportunity to share experiences with other course members.

The focus of the course is to provide participants with the generic skills necessary to succeed at interview in a variety of contexts. Research staff/postdoctoral research staff are advised to refer to the University Careers Service for information on specific Careers Programmes for research staff/postdoctoral research staff, including interview skills support. For contact details and further information please visit www.careers.cam.ac.uk

PHEP is Cambridge's professional development programme for probationer University lecturers and new College teaching officers. With contributions from academic and key administrative staff from the collegiate University, the seminar provides a platform for orientation and exploration of the opportunities, cultures and conventions of the University of Cambridge.

The seminar is a core feature of PHEP and all probationer University lecturers are expected to participate over the whole of the seminar.

You are strongly recommended to attend the Seminar within the first two years of your appointment

BOOKINGS ARE STRICTLY LIMITED AND MUST CLOSE TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE COMMENCEMENT DATE OF THE SEMINAR

PHEP is Cambridge's professional development programme for probationer University lecturers and new College teaching officers. With contributions from academic and key administrative staff from the collegiate University, the seminar provides a platform for orientation and exploration of the opportunities, cultures and conventions of the University of Cambridge.

The seminar is a core feature of PHEP and all probationer University lecturers are expected to participate over the whole of the seminar.

You are strongly recommended to attend the Seminar within the first two years of your appointment

BOOKINGS ARE STRICTLY LIMITED AND MUST CLOSE TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE COMMENCEMENT DATE OF THE SEMINAR

If you are regularly required to write, or offer advice on writing, CHRIS/PD33s, either as a line manager or a departmental administrator then this course is for you.

This course focuses on the practical element of delivery. It will provide you with the opportunity to explore techniques for connecting emotionally and intellectually with an audience, along with overcoming nerves. You will look at how to handle questions effectively and practise vocal techniques.

Would you like to learn exercises that will reduce vocal strain, improve vocal range, variety, clarity and pronunciation and gain and hold the attention of an audience? Would you like to make a positive initial impact and keep control of difficult situations? In this individualised and confidential one-hour session you will determine the objectives and work on exercises to address your specific interests.

Would you like to learn exercises that will reduce vocal strain, improve vocal range, variety, clarity and pronunciation and gain and hold the attention of an audience? Would you like to make a positive initial impact and keep control of difficult situations? In this individualised and confidential one-hour session you will determine the objectives and work on exercises to address your specific interests.

Would you like to learn exercises that will reduce vocal strain, improve vocal range, variety, clarity and pronunciation and gain and hold the attention of an audience? Would you like to make a positive initial impact and keep control of difficult situations? In this individualised and confidential one-hour session you will determine the objectives and work on exercises to address your specific interests.

Do you want to tackle stress? Commonly associated with pressure to work hard, it can also arise from boredom, procrastination, perfectionism, bullying, job insecurity, relationship difficulties and many other situations associated with the home or workplace. This course will help you to understand the causes of stress and identify possible solutions for coping with pressure and managing stress.

If you’re a postdoc and you’d like to learn more about commercialising your research, Cambridge Enterprise, the commercialisation arm of the University, is holding a free event to explain how it‘s done – whether you want to share your knowledge as a consultant, license intellectual property or start a new company.

Complimentary refreshments will be served, and you’ll have the opportunity to network with experts in technology transfer along with like-minded postdocs.

Places for this free event are limited.

• Register here.

Springboard is a personal development programme for all women staff/graduate students. It will give you the opportunity to take stock and consider your personal and professional goals. During the programme you will explore your future in a practical way and learn how to develop your potential. You will undertake realistic self-assessment and set challenging goals. Key areas covered include communication skills, assertiveness, self confidence, improving your work/life balance and developing positive skills and attitude. If you want to progress and develop, then this programme is for you.

The programme comprises four days over a three-month period and a workbook to be completed between sessions.

This course is for University staff only. Students are not eligible to attend and any student bookings will be cancelled.

Consultants use expertise gained from University research in order to provide services to external organisations. Any University researcher can undertake consultancy work, but it can be challenging to manage and administrate alongside University teaching and research commitments.

Cambridge Enterprise is delighted to offer this free workshop to University Staff in how to consult effectively which will share expertise on best practice, give tips on making life easier and trouble-shoot some of the key issues faced by consultants.

This is an ideal opportunity to develop your skills, providing a refresher for academics already acting as consultants or an introduction for those considering consultancy in the near future.

Recommended for those responsible for the recruitment and selection of staff, who are interested in developing further skills in this area. This course prepares you to effectively carry out the recruitment and selection process taking you through the stages of producing a person specification, short listing effectively against selection criteria, designing questions, structuring and conducting interviews, and making the final decision. University policies and procedures will also be covered.

Minute taking is not about speed writing but about recognising what is important and understanding the needs of the meeting participants. This course will show you how to compile concise meeting notes.

The course is for anyone who is required to take factual records of departmental/faculty meetings and distribute action points afterwards. It does not cover the additional skills required to take minutes at University committee meetings.

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is the most widely used personality instrument worldwide, based on over 50 years’ research and development.

It presents a framework for understanding how you operate, how others operate, and how you can use that understanding to get more from yourself and the relationships you have with others.

This workshop is led by a qualified MBTI practitioner and will involve taking the MBTI questionnaire, investigating the four areas of preference covered by MBTI, self-assessment of type with group exercises, looking at your best fit type and investigating how it could help you at work.

Learning about your personality type can help you to understand your role within your team and the role of others. It can also help you to cope with organisational change, deal with stress effectively and develop your emotional intelligence.