Research Leadership Essentials: Develop and realise your research ambitions
"Words like transformational are overused but this programme gave me the confidence to go for what I really wanted to be as a researcher. Without that, I doubt I would be about to begin what will be a defining period in my academic career." 2025-26 Participant
Following the success of the Research Leadership Essentials programme for mid-career academics at The University of Manchester, we are expanding the programme in 2026/27 to include content for early career academics and research technical specialists.
About the programme
Research Leadership Essentials is a programme tailored to help research focussed colleagues at The University of Manchester develop and realise their most ambitious research goals. Facilitated by leadership specialists 64 Million Artists, the programme will provide you with the space, sparks and tools to approach your work with renewed creativity, finesse and self-belief - all at a pace that you dictate.
Designed as a modular programme, you can participate in all of the activities, or only those that speak most directly to your needs and interests. The programme comprises creative in-person workshops and online skills development sessions that consolidate your learning and progress.
Choose your pathway
Mid-career academics
We expect participants will typically be:
- Senior lecturers, senior research fellows, readers and early professors (within around three years of promotion to professor).
Early career researchers and research technical specialists
We expect participants will typically be:
- Early career academics, typically lecturers with a responsibility for both teaching and research.
- Research technical specialists who are, for example, leading significant methodological development, embedding robust methods including within interdisciplinary research, and/ or influencing research practice, policy and culture within and beyond the University.