Module EDUC45330: Leading Research

Department: Education

EDUC45330: Leading Research

Prerequisites

• The participant should normally be in receipt of a significant research grant.

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• The purpose of the programme is to support researchers who have applied for at least their first grant to develop the knowledge, skills and abilities to effectively lead research. The aims are that participants should be able to develop:
• their knowledge and understanding of the contexts of research;
• the knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully lead research projects;
• the knowledge, skills and abilities to disseminate the outcomes and maximise the impact of research projects;
• the knowledge, skills and abilities to develop appropriate research strategies for the future.

Content

• One of the University’s key priorities is to produce research of international excellence in all subjects. This module will complement provision in the existing PGCAP by developing knowledge, understanding and skills in leading a research project and also, where appropriate, in leading a research group or collaboration. These will relate to departmental, university and national provision and procedures for enabling and maintaining research projects. Generic matters will be addressed through workshops. Given the specialised nature of research projects, departmental mentors will support the participants in the subject-specific context.
• Workshops are as follows
• Workshop 1 – Introduction (3.5 hours)
• Workshop 2 – The research leader as manager (1) (7 hours)
• Workshop 3 – The Research leader as manager (2) (7 hours)
• Workshop 4 - Wider Research Environment: Key Challenges and Support from Research Office (2 hours)
• Workshop 5 – Research Governance (Key Issues) (2 hours)
• Workshop 6 – Establishing Resources: Staff & Equipment (2 hours)
• Workshop 7 – Introduction to Contracts and IP (2 hours)
• Workshop 8 – Introduction to Employment law (2 hours)
• Workshop 9 - Health & Safety Principles & Wellbeing (2 hours)
• Workshop 10 – Managing Your Budget (2 hours)
• Workshop 11 – Your Research Impact: Working With the Media (2 hours)
• Workshop 12 – Academic Impact, Publications and Library Support (2 hours)
• Workshop 13 – managing Your Research Project (7 hours)
• Workshop 14 – Strategy for Research (7 hours)
• Workshops 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 12 and 13 are compulsory. Participants must attend at least 4 of the remaining 8 modules.

Learning Outcomes

• By the end of the programme, participants will be able to demonstrate
• Contexts
• a knowledge and understanding of the wider external research environment and internal drivers;
• a knowledge and understanding of issues of research governance and compliance;
• a knowledge and understanding of issues relating to the commercialisation of research and to intellectual property
• Leadership
• the knowledge to successfully launch research projects
• the knowledge to successfully administer research projects
• the knowledge to successfully manage research projects
• the knowledge to lead research teams
• the knowledge to successfully develop those within research teams to enable individuals maximise their potential
• the knowledge to ensure that there is successful closure to research projects
• the knowledge to effectively manage risk
• Impact
• the knowledge to maximise the academic impact of research
• the knowledge to maximise the wider impact of research
• Development
• the knowledge to develop realistic strategies for future research, including funding and sustainability

• By the end of the programme, participants will be able to demonstrate
• Leadership
• the skills and abilities to successfully launch research projects
• the skills and abilities to successfully administer research projects
• the skills and abilities to successfully manage research projects
• the skills and abilities to lead research teams
• the skills to successfully develop those within research teams to enable individuals maximise their potential
• the skills to ensure that there is successful closure to research projects
• the skills and abilities to effectively manage risk
• Impact
• the skills and abilities to maximise the academic impact of research
• the skills and abilities to maximise the wider impact of research
• Development
• the skills and abilities to develop realistic strategies for future research, including funding and sustainability

• Not applicable

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• The primary mode of teaching will be workshops. These will incorporate presentations designed to enable participants to meet knowledge-based outcomes. There will be times when the participants will form coherent groups (e.g. subject or faculty based) for specific sessions. As the majority of learning will be work-based, assessment will be via a reflective evidence-based claim which will demonstrate the participant meeting the learning outcomes through his/her management of their on-going research project.
• There will be one summative assessment task: This will be based on an active research project that the participant is leading during the presentation period. Participants will submit for assessment a reflective evidence-based claim in which the participant demonstrates the meeting of the module’s learning outcomes during the management of their on-going research project. Participants will be required to submit appropriate evidence to support their claims to meet the learning outcomes in their claim. Participants will be expected to combine knowledge of the scholarly literature with work-based learning in their departments to highlight good practice related to their discipline.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Participants will receive on-going advice and feedback on the management of their research project from their departmental research mentor throughout. Participants will be able to submit a draft of their claim for feedback from the course team up to 3 weeks before the final deadline for submission of their completed claim.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University