Completing a doctorate equips you with a broad set of transferable skills and experience, including independent research, project management, critical thinking, problem-solving and adaptability. To support your development, our core training initiative, the Reading Researcher Development Programme (RRDP) is designed to help you conduct research with confidence and professionalism.
Things to do now
- A guide to Doctoral and Researcher College training for 2026/27 guide will be available in Blackboard shortly, providing details of development opportunities across the year. (Use your student login details to access.)
- A timetable for autumn training will be available to view here shortly.
- Details of how to request a course place can be found in this guide.
What is the RRDP?
The Reading Researcher Development Programme (RRDP) is a broad programme of development opportunities, open to all doctoral researchers. It offers an extensive range of training sessions, workshops and development activities which complements the subject-specific research training offered within your School, Each year, the RRDP offers more than 90 courses, delivered by over 90 academics and specialist trainers from across the University. This brings together a wide range of expertise and perspectives to support your development as a researcher.
Course titles span a broad area and can help you develop practical research skills, strengthen your research effectively and enhance your personal effectiveness. Attending sessions also helps you build your research community by learning alongside researchers from disciplines beyond your own. As a doctoral student at Reading, the training sessions featured in the RRDP are free for you to attend. Training supports key areas of the Researcher Development Framework developed by Vitae, a UK organisation that supports the development of researchers.
RRDP requirements
The RRDP is a compulsory part of your doctoral programme. There is a minimum requirement for participation, depending on whether you are registered on a full-time or part-time programme.
| Year | Full time | Part time |
| 1 | 5 RRDP sessions | 3 RRDP sessions |
| 2 | 3 RRDP sessions | 2 RRDP sessions |
| 3 | 3 RRDP sessions | 2 RRDP sessions |
| 4 | n/a | 2 RRDP sessions |
| 5 | n/a | no minimum requirement |
Identifying your training needs
From the start of your doctoral programme and as you progress through it, you will need to reflect on your knowledge, behaviours and attributes in order to identify which skills you already have and which skills you need to develop.
To this end, you are required to complete a Learning Needs Analysis of Training Needs and Supervision Discussion Points document which should be maintained as a living document and used as the basis for discussion between you and your supervisor:
- at the start of your programme
- as part of your annual progress reports
- at the confirmation of your registration.
As you undertake training it is important to reflect on how well it has met your needs and what further training and development activities will be useful next.
If you identify a generic skills course that you would like to attend but which is not currently offered, please let us know at DoctoralandResearcherCollege@reading.ac.uk. We may be able to arrange new courses where there is sufficient demand.
“I think it is very important to know what one's strengths and weaknesses are and for that doing an honest Learning Need Analysis (LNA) at the beginning is very important. I took a number of RRDP courses based on my LNA to overcome the challenges that I faced in my initial days.”
Senjuti Manna, PhD in Real Estate and Planning
Booking RRDP sessions
A timetable of RRDP sessions is published in the autumn, spring and summer and you can make bookings through Reading's student information system (RISIS). The Timetable can be viewed along with 'How to book' guidance in the 'Things to do now' section above.
A Doctoral and Researcher College Training and Support Guide available in Blackboard provides details of development opportunities across the year. (Use your student login details to access.)
If a course is oversubscribed, you will be placed on a waiting list in case another researcher drops out. Some popular courses run several times per year giving you the chance to attend at a later date.
Attending RRDP sessions
RRDP sessions are delivered through a mix of face-to-face only (approximately two thirds) and online only delivery. Please refer to individual sessions for delivery details. All face-to-face training takes place on the Whiteknights campus. After booking, you will be emailed details of where or how to attend and any preparatory work you may need to do in advance. If, for any reason, the session needs to be cancelled, you will be notified by email and automatically transferred to a rescheduled session. If you wish to inform us of any accessibility requirements, please contact us at DoctoralandResearcherCollege@reading.ac.uk in advance of the session.
PhD by Distance students
If your registration is By Distance, you are eligible to attend face-to-face RRDP courses when visiting campus, and online RRDP courses at other times. You are expected to complete the minimum level of training.
Preparing to Teach Programme
If you take up an opportunity at the University to contribute to teaching and learning activities for undergraduate students, you will be expected to complete the Preparing to Teach Programme. Attendance on this programme counts towards your overall RRDP participation requirement, equivalent to one session.
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