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Learning and Development

Learning and Development course timetable

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Wed 12 Feb – Thu 6 Mar

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Wednesday 12 February

09:30
Strategic Development Programme (1 of 6) Not bookable 09:30 - 16:30 Hughes Hall, Pavilion Room


The SDP programme will offer a blend of theory and practical learning sessions, interwoven with the strategy and governance context of the University. This will be delivered over several sessions and put in to practice with a strategic work project.

  • You need to meet the selection criteria and complete an application form for the programme.
  • Applications will require approval by your line manager and will then be reviewed and prioritised by School Secretary, Head of Division and Head of Institution, Registrary as appropriate.
  • Applications typically open in May each year.
Managing Change [Places] 09:30 - 14:30 Greenwich House, Edmonton Room


Change is a constant feature in today’s workplace and yet many of us find it hard to navigate successfully through change.

Studies show that the line manager has a critical role to play in ensuring staff are ready for change and in successfully implementing it. This session will equip you with the skills and attitudes you need to guide, support and motivate your team through the process of change.

Case studies, discussion and activities will provide the opportunity to share ideas and embed skills.

Professional Services Development Programme Level 1 (Grades 3 - 6) new (3 of 6) In progress 09:30 - 14:30 N/A - MS Teams


This programme aims to support participants’ career progression within the University, as well as providing key skills to support further development in the Higher Education Sector. It draws on the expertise of senior colleagues in the University at focussed development workshops where participants will be able to input and take part in discussions.

No previous qualifications are required to take part in this programme. For some this programme will act as a feeder programme for the existing Administrator Development Programme.

13:00
EA/PA Community of Practice: Continuous Improvement new [Places] 13:00 - 14:00 N/A - MS Teams

The Continuous Improvement team provide a number of services to staff at the University. Come along to hear who they are? What they do? and most importantly, how they can help you make things easier/better/faster.

Continuous Improvement is the term used when looking at how we can make our processes and activities quicker, easier, and better on an ongoing basis. At Cambridge, the Continuous Improvement team uses a range of tools and techniques to train and support colleagues across the University, enabling them to concentrate their efforts on the things that add the most value.

Thursday 13 February

09:15
Springboard: A Women's Development Programme (4 of 4) Not bookable 09:15 - 15:30 Hughes Hall, Peter Richards Room


Springboard is for women staff and graduate students, and those who identify as women, who want to take control, become more assertive, increase their confidence & build themselves a more positive attitude in both their work and home lives.

The programme gives you the time to reflect, share and most importantly, set achievable personal and professional goals for now and the future.

Key areas covered include communication skills, assertiveness, self confidence, improving your work/life balance and developing positive skills and attitude. If you want to progress and develop, then this programme is for you.

The programme comprises four days over a three-month period and a workbook to be completed between sessions.

09:30
Administrator Development Programme (5 of 8) Not bookable 09:30 - 17:00 Hughes Hall, Pavilion Room


This development programme for generalist and specialist administrators draws on the expertise of senior figures in the University and provides up to date information on the various strands and issues of University strategy and governance. It includes development of some key skills and a project activity, and offers a valuable opportunity to network with administrators from the UAS and other departments and institutions.

  • You need to meet the selection criteria for the programme and complete an application form for the programme.
  • Applications will require approval by your line manager and will then be reviewed and prioritised by School Secretary, Head of Division and Head of Institution, Registrary as appropriate.
  • Please see further information about key themes and speakers on the programme brochure.
  • Applications typically open in May each year.
Professional Services Development Programme Level 1 (Grades 3 - 6) new (3 of 6) In progress 09:30 - 14:30 Greenwich House, Edmonton Room


This programme aims to support participants’ career progression within the University, as well as providing key skills to support further development in the Higher Education Sector. It draws on the expertise of senior colleagues in the University at focussed development workshops where participants will be able to input and take part in discussions.

No previous qualifications are required to take part in this programme. For some this programme will act as a feeder programme for the existing Administrator Development Programme.

11:00
Professional Services Conversations: a panel discussion with professional services leaders new [Places] 11:00 - 12:30 Postdoc Centre @ Eddington, Sanders Hall

Emma Rampton, Registrary, will host a panel discussion for professional services staff on Thursday 13 February at Sanders Hall in Eddington.

The event will allow professional services staff to get to know leaders better, hear more about changes underway in professional services, and ask questions. There will be time for informal networking after the main discussion.

14:00

This session is an opportunity for you to ask questions and to find out more about the development opportunities that Cambridge is offering you – for both the Team Leader Level 3 and the Operations Manager Level 5 (Leadership and Management).

We are looking to explore what interest there is at this current time in both apprenticeships and hope that there will be sufficient interest to establish University-wide cohorts. By establishing University-wide cohorts, we are looking to encourage more departments to use apprenticeships as a way to provide focused professional development for staff. Participants will have the advantage of a peer group to work through the programme with Cambridge University Press and Assessment who are potentially interested in joining in with this.

Charlotte Monkhouse of Corndel, our approved training provider for these programmes will present and be available to answer any questions or concerns that you may have before submitting an expression of interest.

Programme details of each apprenticeship can be found via the links below:

Team Leader Level 3

Operations Manager Level 5 (Leadership and Management)

There is a minimum of 18-20 people required for each programme, for a cohort to run. Depending on the level of interest shown, it is intended that these apprenticeship cohorts will start in June 2025. However you will also have the opportunity to join an open (public) cohort if we are unable to reach sufficient numbers for a closed cohort. Entry to these cohorts will be by application and is open to all University employees who meet the eligibility criteria.

A link to the session will be sent with the joining instructions when your booking is confirmed.

Further information from the provider, Corndel.

Apprenticeship guidance.

Monday 17 February

13:00

This session provides an introduction for both mentors and mentees. We will discuss the benefits of mentoring and provide guidance on how to set objectives for the mentoring relationship and how to prepare for your first session together. We will also offer some tips about how to be a good mentee and mentor.

Tuesday 18 February

13:30
Leadership Briefing Series: Managing the University Estate [Places] 13:30 - 14:30 N/A - MS Teams

The Director of Estates Operations will provide an overview of the Estates Division and various initiatives underway to improve the Estate. 

Please note that this session will be recorded and details will follow after the session. There will be an opportunity to discuss points and ask questions once the recording has ended.

Click here to view the full Leadership Briefing Series

Wednesday 19 February

13:00

A chance to hear from Sarah D'Ambrumenil, Interim Deputy Head of Student Administration who is leading the consultation on proposed revisions to exam allowances, followed by a Q&A session.

Thursday 20 February

12:00
Menopause Masterclass – Time For An Inclusive Conversation new [Places] 12:00 - 13:00 N/A - MS Teams

Despite the increasing coverage of menopause across the media there is still a lack of understanding of the experience of certain communities: black and ethnic minorities, people with disabilities and members of the LGBTQ+ community in particular. The result? Too many people in these communities are suffering in silence while their symptoms impact all aspects of their lives – from relationships to home and work.

Delivered by Henpicked: Menopause in the Workplace and Dr Tonye Wokoma of My Menopause Centre, who will share her first-hand experience and expertise – brought to life with case studies.

Objectives:

  • Why it’s so important to understand the individual, lived experience of people going through the menopause
  • The drivers of health inequalities in different communities
  • Her top tips for what we can do to change this so that menopause care truly is inclusive
  • Q&A with Dr Wokoma.

Please Note: Once you have booked on the course, click on Add to Calendar to start the process to import the course appointment into your calendar. This contains the link to the MS Teams course meeting under Joining Instructions that you will use to join on the day of the course.

Leadership and Management Community of Practice Meeting new [Places] 12:00 - 13:00 N/A - MS Teams

The top two categories of requests from you, the community, are Networking and Community Building and Best Practices and Experience Sharing. These regular catch ups are designed as an open forum for informal conversation, collaboration, and mutual learning with peers across the University, including members of the core team. We encourage you to come prepared to share your successes, challenges, and insights, as your experiences will shape the richness of the discussion. Whether you're looking for a listening ear, fresh ideas, offering your own strategies, or simply seeking to connect with others in similar roles, this is your opportunity to contribute to and benefit from the collective expertise of the community.

Tuesday 25 February

09:30
Leadership Essentials - Technicians (1 of 2) [Places] 09:30 - 13:30 Greenwich House, Edmonton Room


Leadership Essentials is a key programme suitable for those with responsibilities for the work, behaviour and development of others. The programme aims to help managers refresh and build their skills and experience in this area, as well as clarifying key responsibilities of manager and leader. It focuses on critical areas, such as giving and receiving feedback effectively and handling challenging conversations, using leadership styles and models to support individuals and teams. The programme incorporates tutor input; opportunities for discussion, case studies, reflection and sharing of good practice with others with similar responsibilities. It also includes curated e-learning resources to support managers with their ongoing learning and development.

Participants are required to attend both full day sessions.

13:30

Jo’s briefing will provide you with an understanding of the risks associated with undertaking externally funded research projects and how income from research impacts the University finances, particularly in the current climate.

Please note that this session will be recorded and details will follow after the session. There will be an opportunity to discuss points and ask questions once the recording has ended.

Click here to view the full Leadership Briefing Series

Wednesday 26 February

09:30
Leadership Essentials (2 of 2) In progress 09:30 - 15:30 Greenwich House, Jaffna Room


Leadership Essentials is a key programme suitable for those with responsibilities for the work, behaviour and development of others. The programme aims to help managers refresh and build their skills and experience in this area, as well as clarifying key responsibilities of manager and leader. It focuses on critical areas, such as giving and receiving feedback effectively and handling challenging conversations, using leadership styles and models to support individuals and teams. The programme incorporates tutor input; opportunities for discussion, case studies, reflection and sharing of good practice with others with similar responsibilities. It also includes curated e-learning resources to support managers with their ongoing learning and development.

Participants are required to attend both full day sessions.

MBTI: Understanding Personality [Places] 09:30 - 13:00 Greenwich House, Edmonton Room


The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is the most widely used personality instrument worldwide, based on over 50 years’ research and development.

It presents a framework for understanding how you operate, how others operate, and how you can use that understanding to get more from yourself and the relationships you have with others.

This workshop is led by a qualified MBTI practitioner and will involve taking the MBTI questionnaire, investigating the four areas of preference covered by MBTI, self-assessment of type with group exercises, looking at your best fit type and investigating how it could help you at work.

Learning about your personality type can help you to understand your role within your team and the role of others. It can also help you to cope with organisational change, deal with stress effectively and develop your emotional intelligence.

15:00

A Community of Practice (CoP) is a group of people who share a common passion, set of problems, or interest in a topic and who come together to fulfil both individual and group goals. 

CoPs bring colleagues together in order to:

  • Create support networks
  • Learn and grow their skills
  • Share knowledge and join up related work
  • Share common approaches
  • Collaborate and innovate, and create better practices for everyone.

Come along to this session to find out more about how CoPs are being established and embedded at Cambridge, and the ways in which they could help you and those who you work with to achieve your objectives. There will be the opportunity to ask questions, share ideas for potential new CoPs and learn more about this exciting new area of development in the University.

Thursday 27 February

09:30

This workshop provides an opportunity for those recruiting to professional services roles to update and refresh their understanding of the recruitment and selection processes at the University of Cambridge. It includes an overview of the current recruitment and selection process and how to create the conditions where you can recruit the best candidate, avoiding common pitfalls, whilst ensuring practice is fair to all candidates at each stage.

NOTE If you are new to recruitment and selection, it is recommended that you attend the Recruitment and Selection Skills workshop.

13:00

In this session we will discuss together how to get your mentoring relationship off to a good start, how to build trust with your mentee and build your confidence as a mentor. We will also touch on how to overcome any obstacles in the mentoring relationship.

13:45

In this session we will discuss together how to get your mentoring relationship off to a good start, how to build trust with your mentor and build your confidence as a mentee. We will also touch on how to overcome any obstacles in the mentoring relationship.

Friday 28 February

12:30

There are many tools out there to help with project planning. Join us for a session to discover more about a range of tools available to help you (MS Project, MS Planner, Monday.com, Asana) from people across the University who are actively using them!

Wednesday 5 March

09:30
Develop your Career: Interview Techniques [Places] 09:30 - 13:30 Greenwich House, Edmonton Room


This course prepares you to showcase with confidence your skills, experience and potential in a job interview that takes place either virtually or in-person. You will learn how to prepare for interview, anticipate likely questions and plan how to answer them. You will learn techniques for handling nerves and be able to project yourself positively on screen and in-person.

You will also be able to pre-empt and deal with common technical challenges that can occur in an online interview.

The course is highly participative, providing an opportunity to share experiences with others, as well as time to practise your skills.

Thursday 6 March

10:00
Speed Mentoring event new [Places] 10:00 - 11:00 N/A - MS Teams

Have you ever wished you could get 10 minutes with a senior colleague to ask their advice on how they would handle something? Have you ever wondered how others approach challenging problems? This is your opportunity to ask. We are bringing together a panel of very experienced colleagues from across the University for a special speed mentoring session so that they can offer you their support and advice.

Speed mentoring offers you the opportunity for a series of short, focused conversations about a specific question or issue you are struggling with. You will rotate around four different mentors, spending around 10 minutes with each, to gain different perspectives on an issue you are seeking to resolve or a project you are trying to progress.

"I liked that there were a diverse background of university staff involved in the session, and all of the mentors were really engaged and enthusiastic. I felt that I could be honest about some of my experiences in the University, good and bad. All the mentors I spoke to acted as a good sound board for the issues that I wanted to discuss and they have given me some excellent advice and ideas."

"The fact that we saw 4 different mentees was brilliant - we gained different perspectives, saw different mentoring types and were also introduced to people and roles we may not have known about."

Mentors:

(TBC)

14:00
What do you value in life? new [Full] 14:00 - 15:00 N/A - MS Teams

Values are what makes you you. They are the things that drive and motivate you. Being more aware of them can help you to make better decisions at work, leaving you more fulfilled and happy. They can help you make good choices and provide a guiding force to point you in the right direction at times of uncertainty. This session gives the opportunity to join with a small group of colleagues to explore your values. You will be guided through an exercise by an experienced facilitator from the Organisational Development team.

This is an interactive session, so please join the call from somewhere where you feel comfortable to talk and participate fully in group activities.

Strategic Development Programme Seminar Series [Places] 14:00 - 16:30 Hughes Hall, Peter Richards Room


Each year, alongside the Strategic Development Programme, we organise seminars for SDP alumni and other senior Professional Services staff, offering a platform to explore key issues facing higher education.

For this event, we are delighted to welcome Wendy Appleby, Vice-President (Operations) at the University of Southampton, who will share her perspectives on the current priorities and challenges shaping the sector.

The event will also include a Q&A session following the speaker’s talk, as well as dedicated time for networking. This provides a valuable opportunity to connect with fellow SDP alumni and other senior professional services colleagues, exchange ideas, and strengthen your professional network in a welcoming and engaging setting.

Don’t miss this chance to gain fresh insights and build meaningful connections within the Professional Services community.