PGR INDUCTION
Welcome new PGRs!
The University offers a week-long programme of talks and events in both October and January to welcome PGRs into the UofG community. The week includes in-person and online opportunities to meet key people and services who can help on the research journey. Researchers who started their studies in the previous 6-12 months are very welcome to attend any or all of the induction week events.
Induction Week starts with Welcome Events from each of the College Graduate Schools. The details of these events are given below and will provide you with key information about Induction Week and the start of your PGR journey at UofG.
The timetable of other events which are optional to attend is below You can read about the sessions in the blurbs further down the page. Some sessions are online and some are in person. There are also self-paced resources and links to useful services that you can access as alternatives to live events.
If you can only make limited time on campus we recommend Monday when we have our Services Fair and Pizza Party. The rest of the week offers sessions online and in person and you can choose a combination that works for you.
Welcome to Team UofG!
For more information on your College Graduate School:
PGR Induction Week Timetable
Bookings for Induction Week Events can be made using the calendar below. Bookings are managed through Inkpath, this is how you can book onto Researcher Development events during your time as a PGR at UofG.
Slight adjustments to timings may be made in the run up to induction week.
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Meet Your College and School
Welcome to Induction Week
This session will be played in your Graduate School Welcome.
This short, practical information session will tell you what is on offer during PGR Induction Week, and how to book and attend.
There are also self-paced induction materials that you can use as alternative, stand-alone resources. The session will highlight which sessions are strongly recommended for all PGRs and which are offered in case they meet your needs and interests.
Graduate School Welcomes
The University of Glasgow has four colleges: College of Arts and Humanities (COAH), College of Medical, Veterinary, and Life Science (MVLS), College of Social Sciences (COSS), and College of Science and Engineering (COSE).
Each college has an overarching Graduate School which supports your School or Institute with all aspects of your postgraduate research. This session is a chance for your graduate school Dean, Manager, and wider team to welcome you to #TeamUofG.
Each of the Colleges is hosting a Welcome event on the morning of Monday 22nd January. This is your first event of Induction Week and you are highly encouraged to attend. The times and locations vary by College, see your Graduate School for details.
To find out more about your college Graduate School:
- College of Arts and Humanities
- College of Social Sciences
- College of Medicine, Veterinary and Life Sciences
- College of Science and Engineering
College Events
Your College (Arts, COSE, COSS, or MVLS) is made up of a number of schools. These are the disciplinary units of the University. They will run welcome events and other development opportunities both during induction week and across the year. These are the schools at UofGlasgow:
College of Arts and Humanities:
- School of Critical Studies
- School of Culture and Creative Arts
- School of Humanities/ Sgoil nan Daonnachdan
- School of Modern Languages and Cultures
College of Science and Engineering:
- School of Chemistry
- School of Computing Science
- James Watt School of Engineering
- School of Geographical and Earth Sciences
- School of Mathematics & Statistics
- School of Physics & Astronomy
College of Social Sciences:
- Adam Smith Business School
- School of Education
- School of Interdisciplinary Studies
- School of Law
- School of Social and Political Sciences
College of Medicine, Veterinary, and Life Sciences:
- School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine
- School of Cancer Studies
- School of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Health
- School of Health and Wellbeing
- School of Infection and Immunity
- School of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing
- School of Molecular Biosciences
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience
Practical Tools for Researchers
Researcher Development
The PhD is not just the PhD! During your research you will have lots of opportunities to get additional training, do public engagement, undertake internships, teaching, and mentoring, and more. Researcher development is the collective term for this portfolio of things that you do alongside your PhD to enrich your transferable skills, foster your talents, and enrich your professional prospects. Like many universities, Glasgow uses the Vitae Researcher Development Framework to help you frame your researcher development. This interactive session will get you thinking about what opportunities are available, and help you plan and log your own development and think about your future career.
Live Online Session: Tuesday 23rd January 13:00-15:00
Useful things you need to know
The PhD journey is a marathon, not a sprint, and there will be a lot of information to take in over the first weeks of your research. This session summarises some of the systems, processes, and milestones to keep in mind. It will signpost useful people and resources, as well as touching on tools and techniques that help you build sustainable working practices during your PhD.
Live online session: This session will run online on Tuesday 23rd January 10:00-11:00.
Getting Started with Literature Reviews
The literature review is one of the first sections of a thesis and often the first ‘task’ you will be set by your supervisory team. It might be a separate chapter within your thesis, or part of a general background section. But what is required of a literature review and how do you effectively collate and synthesise all the information you need? We will talk about your experience of writing literature reviews in the past and do some thinking about different types of literature review structure, library resources, reference management, and what it means to critically appraise information at doctoral level. You will get the most out of this session if you review the self-paced materials before you come.
Live online session: Wednesday 24th January 09:00-10:00
Self-paced: Work through the self-paced materials below. They will probably take you around 1 hour.
College of MVLS/COSE/COSS:
https://rise.articulate.com/share/hyePwuv4MxY0gKb78X1TdKMMZsnVuNef.
College of ARTS:
https://rise.articulate.com/share/iT65Y39pJ-BjI1BcDvNFiAMUDWJYqy5r
There are also regular training workshops on writing the literature review throughout the academic year. Find out how to book them here.
Format with Style: Writing your Thesis in Word
Formatting your thesis so it looks like a professional document that follows the conventions of an academic dissertation is not something to leave to the end of the process. You can save yourself a lot of editorial time by setting up and using templates and conventions as you go along. This is often one of our most popular induction events, as the IT training team take you through the process, with a wealth of tips and tricks to speed up your typing as you go along.
Live online session: Wednesday 24th January 15:30-17:00
Self-paced: Work through these materials. They will probably take around 45 mins https://rise.articulate.com/share/0ozgmFbEGN9_1_luDtFH6gNnhKDcijap
There are also regular training courses on formatting Word throughout the academic year, which can be booked on Inkpath.
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University Services
University Services Fair
This longer, drop-in session is an opportunity for you to meet some UofG teams that you will find useful as a PGR. It is a chance for you to have a conversation with our Subject Librarians, the Data Management Team, the Research Integrity Team, SRC, Student Unions, Wellbeing Services, Security, and lots more.
Drop into the ARC Researcher Development Suite to wander round the ‘stalls’ and get personalised answers to your questions. The fair will take place Monday 22nd January 14:00-16:00.
Self-paced: Please see these videos from previous inductions.
- Campus Security: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZky9nM9uM0
- Library (refers to 2021 COVID regulation): https://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/c3V2VTVogHL
- College Librarians: https://web.microsoftstream.com/video/a0a4e6c7-15ac-4c83-9bf8-6693c7265140
- Data Management: https://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/c3V2VTVogHN
- Research Integrity: https://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/c3V2VTVogJc
- Public Engagement: https://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/c3V2VTVogHS
- Public Engagement MVLS: https://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/c3V2VTVogHW
- SRC (January 2022): https://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/c3V2eXVogRy
- PGR Experience: https://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/c3V2eXVogR4
- COSE grad school: https://www.gla.ac.uk/colleges/scienceengineering/graduateschool/
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Counselling and Mental Health & Wellbeing: https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/counselling/
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Chaplaincy:https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/chaplaincy/
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MVLS Public Engagement: https://moodle.gla.ac.uk/enrol/index.php?id=28582
UofG Sports
There are two sports facilities at UofG: the Stevenson Building (fondly known as “The Stevie”) at the heart of the Gilmorehill campus, and the Garscube Sports Complex, about 4 miles west of the main campus. These facilities are home to an extensive range of state-of-the-art gyms, exercise classes, sports halls, all-weather pitches, Revolve cycling studio, a 25 meter swimming pool, sauna and steam room. Additionally they offer wellbeing and coaching support, as well as being the basecamp for the huge range of sports clubs and societies at the University. All this for £170 per year. Find out more at: www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/sport/.
Details of the classes can be found on the UofG Sports webpage
Library Tour
12 stories high, with millions of digital and physical resources, including a superb special collections department, UofG's world-leading library is one of the oldest and largest in Europe. Take a tour around this iconic building and get familiar with its collections and layout. The library runs daily tours, which can be booked here.
Self-paced: Watch this video introducing the library services, and take a look at the floor plans and VR tours of the library.
Our College librarians will be at the University Services Fair where you can say hello!
International Student Support
If you are an international student joining #TeamUofG for the first time, this is an opportunity to find out more about what support the university offers, and to ask questions of the International Student Support team.
This session will run online Tuesday 23rd January 11:30-12:00
Self-paced: Take a look at the International Student Support team’s webpage: https://www.gla.ac.uk/international/support/
Researcher Representation
The Student Representative Council (SRC) ensures that your voice and needs are represented and heard at the University. This short session introduces some of the peer-to-peer support and the governance structures at UofG, as well as opportunities for you to get involved.
The SRC Advice Centre offers free and confidential advice on a wide range of subjects to all students on a range of subjects such as academic issues, housing, money and health and wellbeing.
Live online session: Tuesday 23rd January 11:00-11:30
Self-paced:
Watch this short video about what the SRC does, and read more about them on the SRC webpage You can find out more about the university structure and policies from the Academic Policy and Governance page.
Find out more about the advice centre here
Personal and Campus Safety
Glasgow is a very safe city, and you should not be worried about living, researching and travelling here. Nevertheless, it is always better to be safe than sorry. The UofG Campus Security team is responsible for creating and maintaining an environment for you to study, work, and live in safely.
Come and meet the Campus Security Team at our Services Fair to hear about the SafeZone App, a must-have for everyone to enable the team to keep you safe 24 hours a day, whether on campus or away from it. The team also leads on other security provision such as the ‘Get Home Safe’ taxi scheme and lost property. They are good people to know!
Self-paced:
- Watch the SafeZone video: https://youtu.be/OZky9nM9uM0
- Review the Security Team webpages: www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/securityandoperationalsupport/
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PGR Community and Wellbeing
PGR Pizza Party
Who doesn’t love free pizza? This social gathering is simply an opportunity for you to meet fellow researchers from disciplines across UofG, make some friends, and eat some pizza. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options will be available, and soft drinks will be provided.
This event is in person on Monday 22nd January 16:00-18:00
See Inkpath for booking details
Looking Back and Learning: 30 years on from a PhD with Prof Alison Phipps
This workshop with Alison will look at some of the materials, letters, disappointments, mis-rememberings that can come with a PhD. Alison has recently been clearing out her loft and all her PhD files and scholarship applications and award letters. She’s bring these in together with some of her notebooks to talk to you about her PhD 30 years on.
Alison Phipps is UNESCO Chair for Refugee Integration through Languages and the Arts. She has an Honorary Doctorate from Edinburgh University and from Waterloo University, Canada
This is an in person workshop which on Wednesday 24th January 13:00-14:30, see Inkpath for booking details.
Wellbeing and Inclusion
Doing research is exciting, but also daunting. It is helpful to put in place good strategies from the start. Whether you are worried about time management, procrastination, imposter syndrome, making friends, or work-life balance, the Wellbeing team are running this advice session to help you build mechanisms for handling some of the hurdles all researchers face. This session will also let you know about the wider support landscape and services that you can access at the University, including the disability service, counselling & psychological services, chaplaincy service, student support officers, peer-wellbeing service and more.
This session will run live online on Tuesday 23rd January 15:30-17:00.
Self-paced: Work through these materials on Postgraduate Wellbeing:
https://rise.articulate.com/share/q3qlsR2TmRRl0oJag_z2y52nVae7DGtr#/.
You can also review the student services webpages: https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/studentservices/
Campus Tours
Take a turn about our beautiful Gilmorehill Campus with fellow PGRs. You’ll get to meet other new researchers in real life, work out where all the buildings are, learn some fun facts about the University, and stretch your legs in good company. These tours run will run on Monday 22nd January 14:00-15:00 and 15:00-16:00.
Please note: This tour will leave from the Advanced Research Centre. Meet at the main entrance to the building, 11 Chapel Lane, G11 6EW. The tour will finish at the meeting point
Self-paced: Check out this video from your fellow PGR, Charlie Rex. There is also a video tour of the Dumfries campus here.
Grill a PGR
So you have been to all the sessions about different services at the University of Glasgow, but honestly, what is it REALLY like to do postgraduate research? We round off Induction Week with a staff-free zone. Join a panel of willing PGRs from across the Graduate Schools to ask them all the hard questions!
Join your fellow PGRs live online on Wednesday 24th January 10:30-12:00.
Self-paced: Watch this video from a fellow PGR about their experience.
You could also watch PGR talks from previous This PhD Life conferences: https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/ris/researcherdevelopment/pgr/this-pgr-life/
Run Talk Run
If you are the kind of person who fancies kicking off the weekend with a bit of physical and mental fitness work or have been meaning to dust off those trainers and get out and meet others, Run Talk Run is for you!
Every Friday at 6pm Kay Guccione leads a free 'Run-Talk-Run' session, which starts on University Avenue (meet outside the Wolfson Buidling, by the bike racks). It's a 5k route, slow chatty pace, and no-one is ever left behind. If you've been meaning to get out and meet new people, or promising yourself you'll get back into a bit of fitness -- come and join us! Our 'run' is never about pace or performance, it's about enjoying a chat, doing something positive for your wellbeing, shaking of the adrenaline of the working week, and charging up your endorphins to carry you into the weekend. All welcome, all paces catered for.
To sign up to the run:
1. Download and register for the 'Heylo' app, or go to https://www.heylo.co/
2. Join the 'Run Talk Run Scotland' group (you will quickly be approved to join by an admin)
3. Go to the 'Events' tab
4. Find and RSVP to each week’s 'Glasgow University Avenue' run (out picture is always a red square that says ‘come as you are’ in white) – the start location and all details are in that event.
Format
In person: Every Friday, 18.00-19.00. Meet outside the Wolfson Building on University Avenue.
PGR Gardening
Tucked down Viewfield Lane is something of a Gilmorehill campus secret. The Viewfield Gardens are community spaces for growing vegetables, flowers, and for taking time out of study and research. The PGR Gardening Group meets every Wednesday at 5pm to cultivate these spaces.
Join the group for an introduction to the group and the gardens led by the Researcher Development intern team. This session will begin indoors as a social welcome to find out more about the PGR garden and meet people who are already involved. If weather allows there may be a chance to visit the garden.
Be prepared to be outdoors and to get a little muddy. Please be aware that, unfortunately, Viewfield Lane gardens are not yet wheelchair accessible.
In person: Wednesday 24th January 16:00-17:00.
This PhD Life
Conferences are a big part of academic community and knowledge sharing. Go to your very first one straight away with the one-day, online This PhD Life symposium. This by-researchers-for-researchers event is a chance to hear talks from your UofG peers about what the PhD journey is really like: from managing your time, to handling your supervisory team, to planning your writing and more. Do some networking, make some new friends, and learn what it is like to go to an online conference all in one event!
This PhD Life will run on Monday 12th February
Self-paced: Watch recordings of previous This PhD Life conference papers here.
The Gilchrist Postgraduate Club
The Gilchrist provides a comfortable and friendly environment in which postgraduates can engage with one another on both social and academic levels. The club features a seminar room, which can be booked out to host numerous events such as meetings, small lectures, research workshops, presentations or events.
The club has its own café/bar with food and drink provisions, including Barista tea and coffee making facilities, a wide selection of hot and cold foods and snacks and a selection of alcoholic beverages, including bottled beers, wines and spirits. Clubs and societies often use this space as well for events.
The club is open during term time:
- Monday – Friday: 8am – 6pm
The Gilchrist also hosts events for the Postgraduate community. During Induction Week you can join the for some Burns Night themed events and some comedy. Find out more here.
![student on campus](https://cfmnsugzia.cloudimg.io/www.gla.ac.uk/media/Media_741719_smxx.jpg?width=2000&force_format=webp)
Asynchronous Training Resources
Taking Stock: Plan your space and time
Taking Stock is a self-paced resource that explores tools and processes that could help you build sustainable working practices during your PhD. There are suggestions to help you to identify your work patterns; get the best out of your study spaces; ideas on how to use online project planning apps; tips on how to use communication tools to keep in touch with your supervisor, and our thoughts on why a thesis journal could be your best friend on the PGR journey.
Self-paced: Work through these materials. They will take around 45 mins.
Colleges of MVLS/COSE/COSS:
https://rise.articulate.com/share/009qrh9NipXt6XzA0VewND-WZPSO4CZ4
College of Arts and Humanities:
https://rise.articulate.com/share/LqPNj7U2tTgPeVHTcyWg5YMabGJt9Kl-
Managing Your Data
Research data takes many forms, ranging from measurements, numbers and images to documents and publications. The University’s Data Management Team are here to make the process smooth and easy for you. These self-paced resources are full of practical ideas for writing your Data Management Plan and organising your research findings to make sure you can access them quickly, easily and securely in the future. This is also excellent preparation if you will need to write an ethics application for your research.
Self-paced: Work through these materials. They will take around 45 mins.
There is also mandatory self paced training on Data Management for all Year 1 PGRs, which can be accessed here. Additionally there are regular synchronous training workshops throughout the academic year which can be booked here.
The Final Stretch
After years of passion and hard work, eventually you will reach the final mile towards submitting your thesis. The final few months of a PhD are daunting for anyone. Even more so if you are also trying to job-hunt at the same time. These materials give you an early glimpse into the final stages of a PhD, so that you know what's coming!
Self-paced: Work through these materials. They will take around 45 mins.
Sharing Your Research
As you find out new things in your research, you are going to want to share these with others. One way to do this is to build a professional online presence as a researcher. Another is by giving presentations, both within your school or institute, and at conferences. These self-paced materials suggest that you cultivate a digital footprint which is visible, credible, consistent and something you are comfortable with. They introduce academic conferences, in particular the shift to online conferences, and give practical ways that you can engage in the networking aspects of such events. There is also advice on planning and evaluating conference talks and posters, and on how to present research engagingly and for maximum impact. It’s time to get creative!
Self-paced: First watch this video on why it is worth having an elevator pitch for your research.
Now work through these materials. They will take around an hour.
Colleges of MVLS/COSE/COSS:
https://rise.articulate.com/share/KLD53FRT-buw6OQ7iqvvT8-bx9eR4lFn
College of Arts and Humanities:
https://rise.articulate.com/share/6sJWPrbAN-hQ88EJdo5Au1AUfNucuQXN