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
About the programme
Returning for a second year, Research Leadership Essentials is a bespoke programme specifically tailored to help mid-career academics at The University of Manchester develop and realise their most ambitious research goals. The programme, facilitated by leadership specialists 64 Million Artists, 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.
Who is the programme aimed at?
The programme is aimed at mid-career academics at The University of Manchester. We are aware that there is no accepted definition of a mid-career academic and that it is a broad and diverse group. For the purposes of this programme we expect attendees will typically be senior lecturers, senior research fellows, readers and early professors (within around three years of promotion to professor). As such, the content will be aimed at those beyond the ECR stage.
What are the different elements of the programme?
We know that competing demands upon your time result in an acute pressure that risks overwhelm and inertia, distancing you from the ideas you’re passionate about. That’s why Research Leadership Essentials is designed as a modular programme where 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, online skills development sessions, and peer support forums that consolidate your learning and progress. For those wishing to complete the entire suite of activities, workshops are sequenced to progressively guide you through all the different stages of generating, developing and realising ambitious ideas for research.
How can I take part?
You can register for each workshop and spotlight session via the links below. A short introductory video, created by 64 Million Artists and featuring alumni testimonials, will be available shortly.
Workshops
“This was one of the best and most useful workshops I have attended at the university. The focus on us as individuals and not just employees made the session really helpful and engaging. The range of activities were really excellent for promoting reflection and it was very well delivered.” 2025-26 Participant
Four in person workshops (each with a maximum of 30 attendees) will offer you three critical but frequently neglected things: facilitated creative space to develop ideas, supportive dialogue and feedback with peers, and the acquisition of leadership skills that you can apply to all areas of your work. The themes of the in-person workshops are summarised below and you can register for each workshop by clicking the links below (registration is for each workshop separately via the training catalogue).
Please note, places are limited on these workshops. After registering your interest at the links below, you will receive an email to confirm you have secured a place on the workshop.
| Nurturing Ideas | A full research reset, helping you to reconnect with your foundational values and professional goals, and to reflect on which ideas you care most about bringing to fruition. |
10 Sep 09:30-16:30 |
| Advancing Your Most Important Work | Diagnosing the specific barriers and blockers that prevent you from cultivating your research and delivering strategies and best practices for mitigating these. |
10 Nov 09:30-16:30 |
| Building Support for Your Research | A comprehensive exploration of your research messaging and public brand, providing you with the tools and expert feedback to ensure that your communications are effectively serving the advancement of your ideas. |
21 Jan 09:30-16:30 |
| Getting Ideas Off The Ground | Steering you through the leadership practices of leading an effective research delivery team and influencing others in your network of research relationships, strengthening your confidence as a leader. Includes an accountability session to commit to putting plans into action. |
4 Mar 09:30-16:30 |
Read more about the expected outcomes of each workshop below.
Workshop 1: Nurturing Ideas
Our opening workshop will offer participants a full research reset, helping you to reconnect with your foundational values and professional goals, and to reflect on which ideas you care most about bringing to fruition. The day’s outcomes will see you:
- Achieve clarity on what you want the next phase of your career to look like
- Thematically map and prioritise your current landscape of ideas
- Generate and commit to the research you’re most passionate about
- Gain skills and feedback in effectively communicating complex ideas to your peers
Workshop 2: Advancing Your Most Important Work
Our second workshop will allow you to diagnose the specific barriers and blockers that prevent you from cultivating your research and deliver strategies and best practices for mitigating these. The day’s outcomes will see you:
- Gain awareness of and take control of the issues that are within your control, and let go of those which aren’t
- Acquire strategies for effective prioritisation of goals and time
- Cultivate skills in maintaining boundaries and saying ‘no’
- Receive expert training on personal project management to keep you on track
Workshop 3: Building Support for Your Research
Our third workshop will provide an opportunity to undertake a comprehensive exploration of your research messaging and public brand, providing you with the tools and expert feedback to ensure that your communications are effectively serving the advancement of your ideas. The day’s outcomes will see you:
- Coaching surgeries and feedback on your specific research mission statements
- Principles for adapting your messaging for different target audiences
- Peer writing sprints to advance your key ideas
- Introduction to the principles of effective research storytelling
- Diagnose your strengths, weaknesses, fears and opportunities surrounding your communications
Workshop 4: Getting Ideas Off the Ground
Our fourth workshop will steer you through the leadership practices of leading an effective research delivery team and influencing others in your network of research relationships, strengthening your confidence as a leader. Includes an accountability session to commit to putting plans into action. The day’s outcomes will see you:
- Map the relationships that are critical to your project’s success, and explore how you will cultivate them
- Explore the main styles of situational leadership, and when to employ each of these
- Gain strategies for responding to crises and undertaking difficult decisions
- Develop a personalized action plan to take your idea to the next stage through 64 Million Artists’ Research Development Canvas
Spotlight Sessions
“Excellent facilitators: warm, positive, supportive and engaging.” 2025-26 Participant
A series of 6 two-hour online 'Spotlight' sessions combine expert teaching on the essential elements of research leadership with guest presentations and practical exercises, completable from your desk. The online sessions are summarised below. These are all stand-alone sessions so you can book on to all sessions, or only those that most interest you. You can register by clicking the links below (registration is via the training catalogue). Facilitators and guest speakers will be listed for each session nearer its date.
| 1: Developing and Leading Teams | Coaching and appraising team members, structuring relationships and meeting management, plus insights into EDI leadership principles. |
15 Oct 10:00-12:00 |
| 2: Landscape of Funding | An overview of funding trends and opportunities plus tips on securing large awards from a panel of UoM research leaders. |
2 Dec 14:00-16:00 |
| 3: Relational Dynamics and Difficult Conversations | Practical insights on how to prepare for and structure critical feedback and sensitive conversations, plus grounding in communication dynamics theory to help strengthen your relationships. | 14 Jan 10:00-12:00 |
| 4: Navigating Failure, Rejection and Mistakes | Strategies for recovering and growing from setbacks, and how to cultivate shared resilience amongst your team. |
11 Feb 14:00-16:00 |
| 5: Developing Collaborations Beyond the Academy | Best practices for working in community settings and establishing meaningful partnerships, including practical facilitation and co-creation skills. |
18 Mar 10:00-12:00 |
| 6: Exploring Stress, Uncertainty and Resilience | Building a picture of your stress triggers at work, with techniques for coping with change and challenge. |
22 Apr 14:00-16:00 |
Peer Support
In the week following each in-person workshop you will also have the opportunity to participate in an hour-long online peer support forum that will allow you to consolidate your learning and commit to your next steps. Facilitated by a 64 Million Artists coach, the forums will use coaching structures that allow people to be heard, get reflective feedback, and come away with actions.
Dates for these sessions will be published shortly.