Support for your Research
As a postgraduate researcher at Birmingham, you have access to a range of tailor-made services to support your study, develop your skills and strengthen your career prospects.
We understand the differing needs of students within our large and diverse postgraduate researcher (PGR) community, and our services are designed to be flexible and accessible to all.
There is a wide range of formal training available to postgraduate researchers, including both face-to-face workshops and online courses, delivered within schools and departments or centrally offered by the University Graduate School, a dedicated hub for our postgraduate researchers.
Our Graduate School
Find out more about our specialist facilities and services for researchers, based on campus at Westmere House.
Our University Graduate School
Career support for researchers
As well as all the support available to all of our postgraduate students, postgraduate researchers have some additional support available to help you further your career. Whether you are seeking an academic career or thinking of going into industry or starting a business, we have dedicated careers teams in the Careers Network and within the University Graduate School to help guide you.
Academic or non-academic career?
Academic or non-academic career?
A PhD is recognised as both training towards a career in academia and preparation for a higher-level non-academic job. Skills gained from completing a PhD including project management, analytical and communication skills, which are valued in both fields.
Whatever path you choose to take as a postgraduate researcher, we are here to offer guidance and support in all aspects of planning your next step. Our resources include:
- Alumni biographies and talks to learn more about their career journey;
- Resources for writing industry or academic specific applications, CVs and cover letters;
- Up to date information about the PhD labour market;
- Career planning guide;
- Job searching resources both for roles within academia and non-academia;
- Training and skills development workshops for postgraduate researchers;
- Access to Vitae, the careers and research development resource for postgraduate researchers.
Starting your own business
Starting your own business
Some of our postgraduate researchers find that running their own business is the best career choice for them.
After all, years of independently working on research, being an expert in a particular field and experience in bidding for research funding can make you stand out in your industry of choice.
Our Enterprise and Innovation Service support our postgraduate researchers whether they are considering starting their own business or already have a business proposal planned out. Regular workshops are run throughout the year for guidance on developing your idea to the opportunity to win up to £2,000 in start-up funds.
In the summer we run a week-long Postgraduate Enterprise Summer School, an intensive week of training taking our researchers through a wide range of specialist areas. Participants work together in small teams to solve a real life strategy challenge being faced by an influential local organisation. Alongside the comprehensive programme of interactive professional skills training sessions, participants take part in research, guest speaker sessions, and develop proposals to address the organisation’s requirements.
Read Dr Amrit Chandan's story about his business, which stemmed from his PhD research.
Careers for international students
Careers for international students
At Birmingham, we welcome a wealth of students and researchers from all over the globe.
Our postgraduate researchers experience a variety of culture both in their daily lives and in their research. Many will have the choice to continue their careers in the UK, abroad or back in their home country.
No matter you want to be in your future career, we offer our international students a variety of specially tailored events, including coaching and skills workshops on topics such as networking skills, job seeking strategies and job seeking in the UK and beyond. This includes guidance on applications to academic roles.
Our Careers Network offers free online resources, face to face consultation and also runs the Global Careers blog, with posts about having a career abroad and international graduates building a career in the UK.
Careers Network also runs the Global Careers event series, designed for international students, focusing on country or industry specific job applications and interview skills.
Events in the past have included:
- Hays Asia recruitment event - for offices across China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and Malaysia.
- Global opportunities at Amazon.
- Global University Career Development Conference (GUCDC)
- Linkedin group for international students and alumni from the University of Birmingham to connect.