Lou de Leij

Dean of Research UMCG

Dean of the Groningen Graduate Schools

May 16th, 2013 | 1

Acquiring ‘Generic Skills’ as part of your graduate training: a joy

for ever!

UMCG

May 16th, 2013 | 2

•Merlijne Jaspers got her PhD in Medical Sciences on April 4th, 2012. •She works as a Policy Officer at the University of Groningen now.•For Merlijne a PhD title was necessary for being selected for this interesting job. In fact this was proof of having the right ‘generic skills’.

Acquiring ‘Generic Skills’ as part of your graduate training: a joy

for ever!

May 16th, 2013 | 3

UMCG

Points that will be addressed today:

• What are ‘generic skills’ and which of these are the skills of a well-trained PhD?

• How can you learn/improve these skills in Groningen?

• Take home message: train your ‘Generic Skills’, because these are ‘a joy for ever’, whether you stay in academia or not!

Acquiring ‘Generic Skills’ as part of your graduate training: a joy

for ever!

Employability skills

Transferable skills

Core skills

Soft skills

Key (or general) competencies/qualities

Translational skills!!

May 16th, 2013 | 4

‘Generic skills’ are also called:

UMCG

Source: http://onestopjobsonline.com/blog/

Employability skills

Transferable skills

Core skills

Soft skills

Key competencies (or ‘abilities’)

May 16th, 2013 | 5

‘Generic skills’ are also called:

UMCG

Source: http://onestopjobsonline.com/blog/

Ability to explain your thoughts eloquently to others (in English) in front of an audience, in a team, in a debate or just in a ‘one tot one’ conversation.

Employability skills

Transferable skills

Core skills

Soft skills

Key competencies (or ‘abilities’)

May 16th, 2013 | 6

‘Generic skills’ are also called:

UMCG

Source: http://onestopjobsonline.com/blog/

Ability to explain your thoughts eloquently.Ability to work in a team.

Employability skills

Transferable skills

Core skills

Soft skills

Key competencies (or ‘abilities’)

May 16th, 2013 | 7

‘Generic skills’ are also called:

UMCG

Source: http://onestopjobsonline.com/blog/

Ability to explain your thoughts eloquently.Ability to work in a team.Ability to make decisions and to solve problems

Employability skills

Transferable skills

Core skills

Soft skills

Key competencies (or ‘abilities’)

May 16th, 2013 | 8

‘Generic skills’ are also called:

UMCG

Source: http://onestopjobsonline.com/blog/

Ability to explain your thoughts eloquently.Ability to work in a team.Ability to make decisions and to solve problems Ability to plan, organize and prioritize work

Employability skills

Transferable skills

Core skills

Soft skills

Key competencies (or ‘abilities’)

May 16th, 2013 | 9

‘Generic skills’ are also called:

UMCG

Source: http://onestopjobsonline.com/blog/

Ability to explain your thoughts eloquently.Ability to work in a team.Ability to make decisions and to solve problems Ability to plan, organize and prioritize workAbility to obtain and process information

Employability skills

Transferable skills

Core skills

Soft skills

Key competencies (or ‘abilities’)

May 16th, 2013 | 10

‘Generic skills’ are also called:

UMCG

Source: http://onestopjobsonline.com/blog/

Ability to explain your thoughts eloquently.Ability to work in a team.Ability to make decisions and to solve problems Ability to plan, organize and prioritize workAbility to obtain and process information Ability to analyze quantitative data

Employability skills

Transferable skills

Core skills

Soft skills

Key competencies (or ‘abilities’)

May 16th, 2013 | 11

‘Generic skills’ are also called:

UMCG

Source: http://onestopjobsonline.com/blog/

Ability to explain your thoughts eloquently.Ability to work in a team.Ability to make decisions and to solve problems Ability to plan, organize and prioritize workAbility to obtain and process information Ability to analyze quantitative data- Etcetera.....

Employability skills

Transferable skills

Core skills

Soft skills

Key competencies (or ‘abilities’)

May 16th, 2013 | 12

‘Generic skills’ are also called:

UMCG

Source: http://onestopjobsonline.com/blog/

Ability to explain your thoughts eloquently.Ability to work in a team.Ability to make decisions and to solve problems Ability to plan, organize and prioritize workAbility to obtain and process information Ability to analyze quantitative data- Etcetera.....

These ‘abilities’ are personal ‘key competencies’ which can be learned and further trained, especially during preparation for a PhD thesis!

May 16th, 2013 | 13

Another view on important skills for PhD’s

UMCG

Source: DEAKIN University Australia (http://www.deakin.edu.au/itl/pd/tl-modules/teaching-approach/group-assignments/topic02php)

May 16th, 2013 | 14

UMCG

Source: DEAKIN University Australia (http://www.deakin.edu.au/itl/pd/tl-modules/teaching-approach/group-assignments/topic02php)

Another view on important skills for PhD’s

Generic skills(needed for doing

research)

Generic skills are acquired mainly by just ‘doing your PhD research job’ with a major role for your promotor /supervisor / team. But, create your own opportunities and seek for improvement.

The Graduate School offers a variety of educational modules for improving both ‘research’ and ‘generic’ skills (you are entitled to spend 20-30 EC on this).

How to learn/train these skills? | 15May 16th, 2013

PhD training programMay 16th, 2013

UMCG

PhD training should lead to defending a thesiso A thesis contains the results of your research

(usually a number of published papers) and an introduction, summary and discussion.

o Research is done under supervision (promotors and/or daily supervisors) and in the context of a ‘team’ (research group, department, research program, research institute, graduate school). This is a perfect learning environment.

o Active participation in various activities (seminars, congresses, research meetings, but also the way you organize your day to day work, etc.) will help to improve your research, but in parallel also ensures acquiring ‘generic skills’.

o Courses are offered to improve both your ‘research’ and ‘generic skills’.

| 17May 16th, 2013

PhD training program

UMCG

Courses for ‘generic’ skills:• Introductory event(s). • PhD project management.• Publishing in English.• Presentational skills.• Educational skills.• Choosing your career in Life

Sciences (to prepare for a post PhD career).

• Etc.

| 18May 16th, 2013

PhD training program

See the GSMS website and/or the PhD Study guide.

| 19

The UoG is a ‘broad’ university!

See for more information about

the activities of the GGS:

http://www.rug.nl/education/phd-

programme/general-information/traini

ng-programme

May 16th, 2013

Is there more?

| 20May 16th, 2013

Is there more?The UoG is a

‘broad’ university!

See for more information about

the activities of the GGS:

http://www.rug.nl/education/phd-

programme/general-information/traini

ng-programme

Even more? | 21

See: http://www.gopher.im/

Olga Sin

Seek support and advise from fellow PhD students (e.g. from your research group, the GSMS council, Gopher, GRIN, etc.). Just interact and communicate!

Join PhD community activities.

Start social networks and get a lot of (new) friends. Networking is not only a lot of fun, but also an important ‘generic skill’!

See: http://www.grin.im/

May 16th, 2013

Faris Nizamic, (PhD day

2013)

Emi Saliasi

May 16th, 2013 | 22

Summary• During the preparation of your PhD thesis you

will learn a lot of ‘generic skills’.

• Examples are: communication (verbally, in writing and during presentation), team work, leadership, project management, data analysis, problem solving, creativity, comprehending, critical thinking, ethical practice.

• Courses can be of help. Use these opportunities! But, more importantly, create your own opportunities also in your day to day research.

Thank you for your attention and remember:

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The importance of acquiring the right ‘generic skills’ is often forgotten or taken for granted during the preparation a PhD thesis, but these skills are in fact the most important part of this and are a ‘joy for ever’, whether you stay in academia or not.

Be aware of the opportunities and start training these skills today!

May 16th, 2013

UMCG