Professional services and support for researchers
Oxford’s structure and size can make it hard to find out what's available for researchers. Here's quick-access list of key resources.
The resources listed below mostly feature on other Careers Service pages but are pulled together here as a quick-access resource for researchers. Browsing through will help you plan what to access, and when, during your time at Oxford.
- People and Organisation Development offers professional development training for research staff, plus advice on PDR/CDRs (professional or career development reviews), making the most of mentoring etc.
- Oxford's Centre for Teaching and Learning: training, resources and tools for teaching in-person and remotely
- Coaching is available to research staff via the Oxford Coaching Network (OCN). You can apply to be matched with a volunteer coach with an appropriate background to support your career thinking and planning process
- Beacon personal development programme is open to all staff
- Pivot is a University of Oxford mentoring scheme for Black and minority ethnic staff.
- The Oxford Women’s Development Programme is open to women at all levels
- The Oxford Senior Women's Mentoring Network is open to women with roles at Grade 9 and above
- Oxford Research Staff Society (OxRSS) offers social and professional networking activities.
- The university's Equality and Diversity Unit supports networks for BME Staff, Disabled Staff and LGBT+ Staff
- Oxford's Newcomers' Club helps the newly-arrived partners of visiting scholars, of graduate students and of newly appointed academic and administrative members of the University to settle in and to provide an opportunity to meet people in Oxford.
- University of Oxford Equality and Diversity Unit: information on E&D policies and campaigns.
- University HR Services: access HR self-service, vacancies, training information and more.
- Read the university's Code of Practice on the Employment and Career Development of Research Staff.
- Specific information is available on the various contract types at Oxford, on family leave schemes, childcare services, My Family Care (access to emergency back-up care and further support) and the Returning Carers Scheme.
- Research staff on fixed-term contracts may wish to view the university's Fixed term employee regulations as well as its policies covering the ending of fixed term contracts.
- The University’s Counselling Service (for students).
- The University's Employee Counselling Service (for staff)
- For a wider perspective on feelings that can arise when working in academia and what to do re-find or retain your confidence, see our workbook and/or podcasts on overcoming a sense of academic failure.
- Research Services offers a broad range of support on funding, governance, reporting and more.
- Aspect Accelerator is a growing network of organisations working together to support innovation, entrepreneurship and research commercialisation in social sciences
- Research Design Service provides research design and methodological support to health and social care researchers across England
- Research Professional – a useful source of information on grant funding and research job vacancies.
- Enterprising Oxford - encourages and supports entrepreneurs, and promotes entrepreneurship across Oxfordshire.
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