Research Team Leadership in Changing Times

Developing the leadership skills of both research professionals and academics

Research Team Leadership in Changing Times is designed to develop the skills of research team leaders by providing a pragmatic framework to equip them with the skills to lead with confidence in an increasingly challenging research context.

The programme offers a variety of solutions and approaches to team building and gaining co-operation from colleagues, using techniques to enhance team equality, diversity, depth and clarity.

As a participant on this programme, you will discover how to build and lead a research team, run effective research team meetings, support individual researchers and develop your role as a team leader; thus enhancing your capability as a research leader and developing your career potential. Particular attention will be given to the demands of accomplishing this in a virtual environment and through periods of uncertainty.

Research Team Leadership in Changing Times is a two-day digital programme, where participants:

• undertake pre-work to enable participants to develop a vision for their research career and assess their leadership in a range of research team functions.
• take part in a series of interactive and practical sessions which includes a mixture of exercises, discussions, demonstrations and presentations, aimed at developing their team leadership skills.
• consider different approaches to leadership in a research context, including: team building, running effective team meetings, resolving conflicts, vision and action planning.

Over the two-day digital programme, participants will take part in a series of interactive and practical sessions aimed at developing their team leadership skills:

The Research Team Leadership in Changing Times programme allows participants to reflect upon their personal vision for their research career in terms of the role of a Research Team Leader. They will review what it means to take on a team leadership role, how to engage in team working and team building, and practice relevant key leadership skills such as listening.

By the end of the programme, they will have considered and prepared an action plan that will enable them to implement their learning to enhance research activity within their institution.

Participants will also gain experience of using on-line tools for one-to-one, small group and research team meetings and for creating breakout spaces, sharing information and fostering collaboration.

The programme will particularly benefit individuals and institutions preparing for REF submissions and looking to enhance research performance and outputs.