New postgraduate researchers

Our website for new researchers is designed to help you navigate the early days of your research degree.

The new postgraduate researcher webpages provide all the information you need to get started, bringing together resources from the main Sussex website in addition to video interviews with Sussex postgraduate researchers and staff, sharing lots of advice on making the most of your time here.

PGR Induction events, September & October 2024

We were pleased to welcome all new PGRs to the Sussex Researcher School (formerly Doctoral School) in September and October 2024.

Our induction events introduced some of the key services that support postgraduate researchers at Sussex, offered a chance to meet other new PGRs and get to know the research community, and provided a space to ask questions of experienced PGRs and staff who support researchers within Schools.

While most of these events will be held in person, we know you may not be on campus in the first few weeks. For those of you who weren't able to join us, recordings and slides of the Sussex Researcher School Induction have been added below, in addition to our RDP Canvas site. You will also find recordings and slides from induction events from previous years on the RDP Canvas site.

During the main morning session of the Sussex Researcher School Induction Day, Prof Jeremy Niven and Susanna Broom, Dean and Head of the Sussex Researcher School respectively, introduced postgraduate research at Sussex and the Sussex Researcher School offer.

They were followed by representatives from Student Advice and Guidance, Therapeutic Services and the Students' Union, discussing the support and services available for PGRs at Sussex. The session wrapped up with a short group activity on supervisory expectations led by Prof Jeremy Niven.

PowerPoint slides from the session:

The afternoon session of the Sussex Researcher School Induction Day, which took place on 23 September 2024, This session focused on the Researcher Development workshops available to PGRs at Sussex.

You will hear from Reesearcher Development representative Alex Aghajanian, Careers and Entrepreneurship's PGR lead Andy Howard and Tomasz Kowalczyk from Library Research Support.

Read through the slides for an introduction to Personal Development Plans and the teams that can support your learning at Sussex, then use the template to start mapping out your training needs as you start your research degree.

Other PGR Induction documents:

PGR Essentials
PGR Essentials: Introduction to the Library Monday, 7 October, 2.00pm-3.00pm, Library Teaching Space Thursday, 17 October, 1.00pm-2.00pm, online via Zoom Click here to register your place via Sussex Direct One of the first things to do when you start your research degree is get to know your friendly local librarian! Find out about the collections and discovery tools you can access at Sussex, the tailored services available from the Research Support team, and the dedicated Hive study space for researchers.
PGR Essentials: Careers and Entrepreneurship Thursday 3 October, 2.00pm-2.45pm, Library Teaching Space Click here to register your place via Sussex Direct This participative event promotes the University's Careers and Entrepreneurship services. You’ll find out how the Sussex Careers team supports researchers and explore various career destinations for PGRs, including setting up your own business or social enterprise. It's never too early to start thinking about what you're aiming for after your degree!
PGR Essentials: Introduction to Ethics Tuesday 1 October, 11.00am-12.00pm, Library Teaching Space Friday 11 October, 10.00-11.00am, online via Zoom Click here to register your place via Sussex Direct You can not collect any new data from humans, animals, social media or conduct auto-ethnographic research without having received ethics approval beforehand, so at this early stage of your postgraduate research, it is essential to understand the ethics approval process. This workshop will look at the key principles of undertaking ethical research, and explain how to go about obtaining ethical approval from the University's Ethics team. There will also be opportunities to consider some case studies, ask questions about your own work, and gain insights on how to embed good ethical practices in your research.
PGR Essentials: International Researchers Lunch Monday 30 September, 11.30am-1.00pm, Quiet room at Meeting House Whether you’re new to the UK or continuing your studies, this informal event is a chance to meet other international researchers and get advice from the Sussex Researcher School and Sussex's International Student Advisors, over lunch in one of the most iconic buildings on campus. Later-stage PGRs and early career researchers will also be invited, giving you the chance to learn from their experiences as researchers new to the UK.

PGR Essentials

PGR Essentials: Introduction to the Library

Monday, 7 October, 2.00pm-3.00pm, Library Teaching Space

Thursday, 17 October, 1.00pm-2.00pm, online via Zoom

Click here to register your place via Sussex Direct

One of the first things to do when you start your research degree is get to know your friendly local librarian! Find out about the collections and discovery tools you can access at Sussex, the tailored services available from the Research Support team, and the dedicated Hive study space for researchers.

PGR Essentials: Careers and Entrepreneurship

Thursday 3 October, 2.00pm-2.45pm, Library Teaching Space

Click here to register your place via Sussex Direct

This participative event promotes the University's Careers and Entrepreneurship services. You’ll find out how the Sussex Careers team supports researchers and explore various career destinations for PGRs, including setting up your own business or social enterprise. It's never too early to start thinking about what you're aiming for after your degree!

PGR Essentials: Introduction to Ethics

Tuesday 1 October, 11.00am-12.00pm, Library Teaching Space

Friday 11 October, 10.00-11.00am, online via Zoom

Click here to register your place via Sussex Direct

You can not collect any new data from humans, animals, social media or conduct auto-ethnographic research without having received ethics approval beforehand, so at this early stage of your postgraduate research, it is essential to understand the ethics approval process.

This workshop will look at the key principles of undertaking ethical research, and explain how to go about obtaining ethical approval from the University's Ethics team. There will also be opportunities to consider some case studies, ask questions about your own work, and gain insights on how to embed good ethical practices in your research.

PGR Essentials: International Researchers Lunch

Monday 30 September, 11.30am-1.00pm, Quiet room at Meeting House

Whether you’re new to the UK or continuing your studies, this informal event is a chance to meet other international researchers and get advice from the Sussex Researcher School and Sussex's International Student Advisors, over lunch in one of the most iconic buildings on campus.

Later-stage PGRs and early career researchers will also be invited, giving you the chance to learn from their experiences as researchers new to the UK.