Fellows Development Programme

Researcher lunch and learn sessions

Open to all research fellows, these lunch and learn sessions are hosted by the Research Staff Association and cover different topics that are relevant to early career researchers, including fellows, delivered by different facilitators from University of Liverpool departments/teams. Topics have included: demystifying academia, understanding the researcher development concordat, research integrity, data management plans and more.

You can watch the recordings of previous sessions here

WriteFest (Academic Writing Month)

Running annually in November, WriteFest is a month of activities that cater to the specific needs of research and academic writers, including fellows.

WriteFest aims to support researchers to:

• Develop good writing practices, strategies and habits
• Protect time for writing as part of the working day
• Overcome blocks and take a proactive approach to writing
• Join a community of writers to share writing experiences

University of Liverpool hosts a variety of opportunities every November. Find out more information, including sessions available to book and a free collection of writing resources here.

Shut Up and Write Virtual Writing Retreats

Join the Shut Up & Write twice weekly online writing sessions, providing dedicated time and support for you to focus on your writing every Monday and Friday at 10:00. The Shut Up and Write Virtual Writing Retreats run all year round and allow participants to focus on a writing project of their choice, strengthened by accountability and supported by a community of peers.

Join the Shut Up and Write Teams group here!

Annual Research Staff Conference

Organised by The Academy in collaboration with the Research Staff Association, this conference includes themed talks, panels and workshops will focus on how research staff, which includes postdocs and early career research fellows, can acknowledge and build on their strengths and skills to help maximise their personal and professional development, as well as the research practice of every researcher employed at the University of Liverpool. 

The 2025 Research Staff Conference is happening on Wednesday 3rd December 2025. Find out more information here.

Making an Impact

Making an Impact is an annual programme of events led by The Academy which aims to provide rich, varied and high-quality development opportunities in knowledge exchange and delivering impactful  research for researchers, academics and research-related professional services staff at all stages of their career with opportunities offered across all Faculties.

Find out more information here, including resources and recorded sessions from previous years of Making an Impact.

Research Fellows Microsoft team

Join the Research Fellows team to connect with other fellows across the University and stay up to date regarding activities, resources and development opportunities.

Researcher coffee mornings

Hosted by the Research Staff Association, join research staff peers every fourth Thursday of the month at 10:30-11:00 for coffee and biscuits at Room 316 (3rd floor), 126 Mount Pleasant, central university campus. Whatthreewords: ///paid.stands.handed

Contact ResearchStaffAssocation@liverpool.ac.uk for more information. 

Research Staff Association buddy scheme

The RSA buddy scheme offers University of Liverpool research-only staff and research fellows the chance to meet new colleagues, expand their networks and enrich their experience of the University’s research culture in an informal setting. Different from the New Fellows buddy scheme, this scheme builds a borderless researcher committee and enables all research staff (from research assistant to postdoc to research technician to research fellow) to connect with their peers across the University and hear from the experiences of their peers.

Round six will run in March 2026. More information about the scheme can be found here.

Your department/school/institute should assign you an academic mentor related to your research area. However, you may want to consider additional mentors to support different areas of your development. You can find other mentors using the University of Liverpool Mentoring Network. These pages also include guidance for mentees and mentors.

Not sure where to start when looking for a mentor?

This resource written by Kay Guccione and Steve Hutchinson may help you when considering your options for finding an additional mentor: Finding and working with a mentor

Collaboration for Impact

The first annual Research Fellows Showcase took place on 26th March 2025, with the theme, Collaboration for Impact.

The aim of the showcase is to provide an opportunity for University Research Fellows to present their research to colleagues, network, and build connections. The Showcase consisted of research talks, flash talks and posters by fellows, a keynote panel on the successes and pitfalls when working collaboratively, and a workshop on collaborative leadership by the Thrive team.

Check back here soon for information about the Research Fellows Showcase 2026!

Research, Partnerships and Innovation (RPI)

RPI's seven departments provide support at every stage of the research, impact and knowledge exchange process, and act as a signpost to further information. Working flexibly and in close partnership with faculties and other professional services, they help academics to apply their expertise to the external environment through effective engagement with collaborators, partners and funders.

These include: 

• The Consultancy team offers expert guidance and support at all stages of your consultancy project to help you share your specialist knowledge with external organisations
• Research and Partnerships Development (RPD) work with academics, professional services and external partners to increase the success of new research initiatives, partnerships and funding applications, including the Peer Review College
• University of Liverpool Enterprise team can provide practical advice and support to academics who want to commercialise IP developed at the University via licensing or spin-out companies
• The Research Support Office provides advice and guidance in support of externally funded projects for Research and Knowledge Exchange grants.
• Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) allow academics to partner with innovative businesses looking to expand their research and development capabilities
• The Research and Impact Strategy (RIS) team works with the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Impact to develop and implement institutional strategies and policies

You can also access support for research and funding applications from your local Faculty teams: Humanities and Social Sciences, Health and Life Sciences and Science and Engineering.

You can view all the support offered by the RPI here.

The Prosper PI network provides a forum for managers of researchers to share best practice around postdoc career development. It is open to all managers of researchers, enabling fellows to connect with and hear from colleagues from across UK higher education institutions.

Sessions are delivered online and run approximately every two months. They address topics relevant to managers of researchers specifically, and offer the opportunity to interact with peers for shared learning. Many sessions have been recorded and are available to review on the network webpages.

View and book forthcoming PI network sessions here

The University needs leaders who are professional, motivated and can inspire people. A strong leadership culture is built on core values, behaviours and expectations for all our leaders, at every level.

Leadership Framework and guidance

Our Leadership Commitment Framework sets out what it means to be a leader at the University of Liverpool. 

Built on four pillars, and underpinned by networking and communication, it describes our leaders in terms of being Credible, Ambassadorial, Inclusive and Impactful. These inter-related themes align with our values and ethics principles and help us to create a culture of effective leadership.

Download the full Leadership Commitment Framework.

Leadership programmes

The University has a number of different leadership and management programmes, which are targeted to individuals based on their leadership experience and exposure. More information about these programmes can be found here.

The Leadership Toolkit

The leadership toolkit is specifically designed to assist newly appointed leaders find information about their role and responsibilities.
Access the toolkit.

Stepping into management

The Stepping into Management course is designed to develop those who are aspiring supervisors, managers or team leaders. The programme focuses on the development of personal and interpersonal skills and an awareness of the importance of the role of a manager in the University. This course is run over two full-day sessions multiple times a year.

More information can be found here.

Management essentials

The Management Essentials Programme is aimed at staff who are responsible for managing and developing individuals, building teams and scoping and planning the workload of the team. 

A hybrid model is used for programme delivery, there are face to face workshops as well as online webinars. Learning is also supported by online resources available via VITAL and an MS Team dedicated to the programme.

More information can be found here.

As research fellows, you may different levels of teaching experience or supervisory responsibility. The Academic Development Team provides a range of development opportunities for all fellows regardless of their responsibility or experience.

These include:

• Taught Programmes that support the development of learning and teaching practice at the University and accreditation through the Higher Education Academy
• University of Liverpool Teaching Recognition and Accreditation (ULTRA) - a non-taught pathway for experienced staff to gain accreditation and consider their teaching/supervisor impact and pedagogy
• PGR Supervisor Development via a wide range of training and development that enhances your practice as a PGR supervisor in a supportive, peer-reviewed environment