We are thrilled to have Fistral Training and ConsultancyLink opens in a new window back to deliver two half-day sessions focusing on the topics of "Handling Academic Rejection" and "Increase Your Stress Hardiness and Take Your Research in Your Stride".

The sessions will be delivered on Thursday 6^th June at room T0.08/T0.09, Clinical Trials Unit Building (map T0.08/T0.09Link opens in a new window). Every PGR student and staff member is welcome! There are only 20 spaces for each of the sessions so sign up is essential. You can register for either or both sessions. Lunch and refreshments will be provided!

Please sign up hereLink opens in a new window!

Handling Academic Rejection (09.30 - 12.30)

Rejection is a part of life as an academic researcher. From unsuccessful grant applications, to rigorous criticism from colleagues, to the dreaded comments from "reviewer 3", handling the psychological, emotional, and professional impacts of these challenges constructively is a key component of building a successful academic career. In this course participants will learn techniques to minimise the impact of rejection to feel confident that they can bounce back and learn from academic rejection and accept setbacks as part of the path to professional excellence.

By the end of this half-day onsite course participants will have:

• Understood the principle of ‘mind management’ as a means of adjusting their thinking patterns to minimise the discouragement of rejection
• Learned and applied various ‘self-talk’ techniques to maintain confidence, motivation and productivity in the face of rejection
• Understood the importance of ‘action’ and ‘control’ as strategies to bounce back from rejection and increase resilience
• Learned and applied action-planning and problem-solving tools to get them ‘back on the horse’ after academic rejection

Increase Your Stress Hardiness and Take Your Research in Your Stride (14.00 - 17.00)

Stress is an inevitable characteristic of the workplace, with academic work bringing its own pressures, including steep learning curves, high standards, the uncertainty of research outcomes and the sustained effort needed to deliver on a long-term research project. Overcoming and building on these challenges requires mental staying power and resilience. In this course, participants are introduced to underlying causes of stress and the potential impact of stress on wellbeing and performance. They learn about the neurobiological, physiological and psychological responses to stress, and learn measures to develop greater stress-hardiness.

By the end of this half-day onsite course participants will have:

• Gained an understanding of the causes of stress and its physiological, neurological and psychological impact
• Learned techniques to minimise the impact of stress on cognitive function and the high-level intellectual demands of academic work
• Understand the key factors in mental and physical wellbeing and considered how to integrate them into their lives and work
• Understand the importance of social support in stress reduction and learned a recipe for wellbeing promoting social connection

Instructor biography

Dr Rosemary DoyleLink opens in a new window has worked with organisations since 1993 devising and delivering training, research, consultancy and 1:1 coaching. She has been training for over 20 years, 14 of which within the HEI and HE sector. She specialises in Team Working, Communication, DiSC® Behavioural Profiling, Personal/Team Leadership, Personal/Team Development, Positive Psychology, Change, Resilience, and Managing/Motivating staff for groups and individuals. She is also accredited by the International Coach Federation, having completed a diploma in Transformational Coaching™ in 2016.

Rosie has been lead Associate for Fistral's Leadership, Communication and Personal Effectiveness Suites since 2013, delivering interactive webinars for ARMA and other organisations on communication and influencing skills since 2015, and delivering a wide range of bespoke team development days in influencing, managing change, leadership and teambuilding for HEIs and organisations such as the CALA Group and Women in Computing. She has also recently co-authored “The PhD Handbook: How to Take Care of Yourself, Your Research Project and Your Future”.