Academic & Professional skill development

Make your research life easier. Our courses and workshops will teach you how to:

• plan your project
• make best use of the library, including digital research skills
• find the right techniques, software and IT tools for your research
• manage your time
• organise your data.

Communicate your research topic and results to a wide audience. We offer valuable opportunities that will make you a better communicator, such as:

• English language support to boost your confidence
• writing programs and workshops to learn new skills
• structured group-writing sessions to improve your productivity
• speaking and presentation skills workshops
• competitions to practice presenting your thesis topic and your research, such as Visualise Your Thesis.

Prepare for life beyond your degree. Access our resources to learn how to:

• write your CV, prepare for interviews and plan your career
• lead a group of people
• teach, lead and manage people in a university environment, through formal training programs.

There will also be opportunities to tutor and teach during your degree. The Melbourne Teaching Certificate for Graduate Researchers is relevant if you have teaching-related responsibilities. This professional development program is completed across one semester.

We provide opportunities for graduate researchers to learn more about intellectual property (IP). You will be able to access digital content and attend workshops to discover:

• why you should start thinking about IP early in the research process
• who owns any IP that you create
• how you could benefit financially from any commercialisation of your research.

Consider your future career options before you finish your graduate research degree. There is a lot you can do now, by building academic and professional networks.

• Attend conferences while you’re studying.
• Join a PhD program.
• Engage in our multidisciplinary networks, including Melbourne Interdisciplinary Research Institutes and Hallmark Research Initiatives.
• Undertake an internship during your degree or following the submission of your thesis.
  • This is a great way to gain practical experience and develop new skills. You can also build professional networks relevant to your studies.
  • Opportunities across various disciplines are accessible via the Australian Postgraduate Research Internship website.
  • You can also source an internship yourself via your chosen organisation.
• Participate in a professional mentoring program.
  • As a PhD candidate in a STEM* discipline, you can apply to the Industry Mentoring Network in STEM (IMNIS).  *STEM = Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (including Health and Medicine)
  • IMNIS links students with executive mentors for one year. They also organise events to enable industry-based education, training and networking. We help you to apply to the program.
• Use your supervisors’ contacts to connect with other academics and professionals. They can provide insights into the career you’d like to pursue after your degree.
• Create an ORCID profile. This register for researchers will establish and maintain your global academic profile.
• Be active on social media.
  • Social media networks are important for developing and sustaining a network of contacts in your field.
  • Develop a professional LinkedIn profile. You will connect with others and learn about job opportunities.
  • Follow relevant groups on Facebook and Twitter to identify key players and highlight networking opportunities.