Durham University’s training for early career researchers, funded by the ACU Early Career Researcher Training Grant scheme, will build skills on how to engage with the public and media and how to network with relevant stakeholders and policy leaders to provide the route to impact and innovation needed for successful outcomes. Participants will:

• Be able to identify relevant stakeholders to engage with
• Be able to inspire and talk convincingly about how their research will help generate an impact once it is actioned and make credible claims for the contribution made by their research to that impact
• Have a good understanding on how to influence policy-makers
• Build confidence in engaging with people and the community
• Have the opportunity to put some methods into practice
• Have gained access to a wider network

The training will take place via Zoom on Wednesday 26 May 2021 at 09:00-16:15 (UCT+1) and is open to all PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers at Durham University and ACU member universities. As training places are limited, selection is on a first come, first serve basis, so register now!

Deadline for registrations: Tuesday 18 May

Deadlines are fast approaching for applications from ACU member universities to deliver the remaining two virtual training workshops on knowledge exchange and research-to-action for the Commonwealth Futures Climate Research Cohort. One team could deliver one or both workshops.

This is a great opportunity to get involved in the ACU’s work in the lead-up to COP26, this year’s UN Climate Change Conference, while building the skills of this new cohort of rising-star local researchers.

Deadlines for applications:

Workshop 2: Knowledge Exchange - Friday 2 April at 09:00 (UTC)
Workshop 3: Research-to-action - Friday 16 April at 09:00 (UTC)

If you have any questions, please contact Mark Ashe, ACU Senior Programme Officer, at Mark.Ashe@acu.ac.uk

The UK Association of Research Managers and Administrators is seeking examples of university strategies to embed UK-Africa relations if project opportunities decline, and common problems encountered by universities in negotiating collaborative agreements between Africa and the UK. These will feed into a week of events on Africa-UK collaboration in research management, in partnership with the African Academy of Sciences, taking place in late April. Responses can be kept confidential if required.

Deadline for responses: Friday 9 April

Please email you responses to the session coordinator and former ACU Deputy Secretary General, Dr John Kirkland, at john_kirkland@yahoo.com