The Research and Professional Development Plan (RPDP) is an integral part of the structured PhD Programme at UCD. It has been developed to aid each student in the planning, monitoring and completion of their PhD. Each RPDP is specific to the student in question; it includes a training needs assessment of both Generic and Specific skill sets as required by each student during his/her PhD candidacy period. The RPDP is a set of tools designed to assist students in the planning and progress of their research and professional skills. The student will tailor the RPDP to his/her own needs by utilising the aspects found to be most relevant. The RPDP is the property of the student, but is intended to be beneficial to both the student and the supervisor.
Each year, the student will prepare a brief annual report using the RPDP template. This report will document progress during the previous year and plans for the following year. The RPDP should be reviewed regularly; in particular, at the review meetings scheduled for the student and their DSP, the progress of the student is monitored against the specific aims as set out in the RPDP.
The RPDP comprises five main parts:
Student Summary
This is a short section where the student can record relevant details about their programme, area of research and any pertinent funding details.
Research Plan
The Research Plan provides a means for the student to agree a number of key objectives for their PhD research with their supervisor. It provides a mechanism for reviewing progress, assessing priorities, and determining the future direction of the PhD research work. It can be updated often to accurately reflect the student’s research. The research plan will aid in the planning of the student’s PhD research, and will assist the student in completing on time. The plan will be useful to refer to at write up stage and again in preparation for the viva voce.
Professional Development Plan
The Professional Development Plan enables the student to identify current skill gaps and to plan for development in any relevant areas. Due to increased emphasis on skill development in academia and in industry, it is important for students to be able to demonstrate their skills have been actively developed during their time at UCD.
Meetings
The RPDP process involves the documentation of a series of formal meetings between the student and the supervisor to review progress on both the research and the professional development plans. The meeting reports will assist the student in detailing key actions and decisions reached during these important meetings. The student and supervisor should sign each report and a hard copy is then to be sent to the School office. The members of the Doctoral Studies Panel may also require copies.
Skills Development Record
The Skills Development Record is a key component of the RPDP. It allows the student to record achievements throughout their research programme, e.g. modules, training courses attended, publications, seminars and conferences. It should be updated regularly and reviewed during the regular supervisor meetings.
The RPDP will play an integral part in the Stage Transfer Assessment Review and in determining when a student is ready to submit their thesis.
For further information on the RPDP and to download a copy please see UCD Graduate Studies: http://www.ucd.ie/pgstudy/currentstudents/rpdp/index.html .
"Biochemists examining NMR Results" by Prof. P. Malthouse
Researchers are examining NMR spectra of a protein which promotes insulin secretion. This could be important in helping to treat diabetes.