You are here Learning & Organisation Development > Assistant Professor Development Programme > Master Classes and Development Opportunities

Assistant Professor Development Programme 2025/26

The 2025-2026 schedule of masterclasses is now open for booking.

It is important that each Assistant Professor attends one of the sessions on 'Understanding the Assistant Professor Expectations', which will give practical advice on setting your objectives and meeting with your Head of School to agree these. If you cannot attend any of the dates below, please email staffdev@tcd.ie.

Below you will find a range of masterclasses that are available for the Assistant Professor Development Programme. There is an expectation that Assistant Professors will attend at least three master classes from the HR Assistant Professor Development programme each year to support their role.

To book a masterclass, please follow the link and register; you will receive confirmation of your place with a calendar invite. If you have any questions or queries about the masterclasses or development opportunities, please contact staffdev@tcd.ie

AP Programme 2025/26

Date	Time	Type	Masterclass	Audience	To Book
23 October 2025	13:00-14:00	Online	Understanding Assistant Professor Expectations This practical workshop outlines: The criteria for assessment and expectations for Assistant Professors The process for setting and agreeing objectives with your Head of School How progress is reviewed.	AP Year 1
29 October 2025	10:00-11:00	In-person	The Trinity Way: An Introduction to Postgraduate Research Student Supervision at Trinity This session introduces the culture, vision, structures, and processes that support postgraduate research students and supervisors within Trinity. Whether you are an experienced PhD supervisor, or hoping to recruit your first student, this brief introduction to how postgraduate supervision operates within Trinity should set you up to navigate the necessary procedures successfully.	AP Year 1, but open to all years
29 October 2025	11:00-13:00	In-person	Recruitment of Doctoral Candidates This interactive session aims to introduce participants to some key considerations, safeguards, and suggested processes to increase support for successful recruitment and success within the PhD programme.	AP Years 2,3,4, but also open to Year 1
30 October 2025	10:00-12:00	Online	Research & Grant Fund Account Management This course is designed to provide participants with an overview of key financial points that contribute to the successful management of research and grant fund accounts.	AP Year 1
TBC	10:00-11:30	Online	Mentor Skills Training for AP Mentors	AP Mentors	TBC
06 November 2025	13:00-14:00	Online	Understanding Assistant Professor Expectations This practical workshop outlines: The criteria for assessment and expectations for Assistant Professors The process for setting and agreeing objectives with your Head of School How progress is reviewed.	AP Year 1
10 December 2025	10:00-13:00	Online	Cultural Intelligence in the Classroom This masterclass helps participants explore their own cultural identity and understand the role of Cultural Intelligence in the classroom. It covers the practical application of Cultural Intelligence to solve classroom challenges, fostering more inclusivity and collaboration.	Open to all AP years
11 December 2025	10:00-13:00	In-person	Recognising & Responding to Distressed People This in-person experiential workshop aims to equip people with the skills, knowledge and confidence to support others who are experiencing distress. The workshop covers active listening, boundaries and referral skills, and active participation is encouraged and facilitated.	APs and All Staff
16 December 2025	10:00-13:00	Online	Managing Pressure Positively This course helps participants understand the sources of their stress and develop practical skills to manage it. Through techniques like relaxation, perspective-taking, reframing, and building resilience, participants will learn to make better choices for more positive outcomes—both at work and at home.	APs and All Staff
17 December 2025	10:00-12:00	Online	Stories for a Wider Audience How to talk about your work to non-academics matters. This session gives you tools to tell a story - about research, about data, about your discoveries - so your audience can see what you mean and understand why they should trust you.	Year 2
06 January 2026	10:00-13:00	Online	Finding Focus Finding focus is something so simple and yet often elusive. This workshop explores strategies to manage our energy and develop or mental ability to focus deeply on our chosen priorities.	APs and All Staff
08 January 2026 & 15 January 2026	10:00-11:00 10:00-12:00	Online	The Art of Pitching (1 of 2) The Art of Pitching (2 of 2) A good pitch brings three things together: a problem worth solving, a solution worth trying and a person (that's you) worth backing. Learn a basic structure and the tools you need to tell a simple story that builds trust in your idea and your ability to deliver.	Year 2
13 January 2026	10:00-12:00	In-person	Research & Innovation Collaborating with Industry Partners This course offers an overview of best practices for engaging with industry, including key do's and don'ts, and how Trinity Innovation & Enterprise can support the development of effective partnerships. It will also cover available funding supports designed to facilitate industry collaboration. Real-world case studies will be presented to highlight successful industry engagement.	Year 1
14 January 2026	10:00-12:00	In - person	A researcher's profile at Trinity - What is it and why does it matter? This masterclass will support participants to understand: The importance of a complete research profile, how to build one, and its value to Trinity. Learn ways in which Trinity's research system works, how it complements other research profile pages (e.g. ORCID, Scopus, Google Scholar) Explore the principles of Open Science and ways to engage with its practices.	Year 1
29 January 2026	13:00-14:00	Online	Understanding Assistant Professor Expectations This practical workshop outlines: The criteria for assessment and expectations for Assistant Professors The process for setting and agreeing objectives with your Head of School How progress is reviewed.	Year 1
03 March 2026	14:00-16:00	In-person	How to write an opinion piece An opinion piece is an excellent way to demonstrate expertise in your subject area, or contribute to a live debate, in an accessible and impactful manner.	Year 3
04 March 2026	10:00-12:00	In-person	Policies, Procedures, and Processes for Postgraduate Research Student Supervision Understanding how processes have changed and ensure you are familiar with key procedures and processes to enable you to support your research students effectively.	Years 2, 3 & 4
05 March 2026	10:00-12:00	In-person	Balancing Research Development and Student Development Needs Over the past decade, expectations of the skills and competencies of PhD graduates have changed significantly and have shifted towards an emphasis on both the research and the researcher as key 'outputs' of a PhD programme. This session will focus on understanding these demands, the resources that are in place and the key supports that will be needed by supervisors and students.	Years 2, 3 & 4
12 March 2026	14:00-17:00	In-person	Recognising & Responding to Distressed People This in-person experiential workshop aims to equip people with the skills, knowledge and confidence to support others who are experiencing distress. The workshop covers active listening, boundaries and referral skills, and active participation is encouraged and facilitated.	APs and All Staff
24 March 2026	13:00-14:00	Online	Understanding Assistant Professor Expectations This practical workshop outlines: The criteria for assessment and expectations for Assistant Professors The process for setting and agreeing objectives with your Head of School How progress is reviewed.	Year 1
14 April 2026	10:00-12:00	In-person	Supporting Supervisors' and Postgraduate Researchers' Mental Health and Wellbeing In this session participants will be given an overview of what is meant by mental health, how the PG context challenges this and some practical thoughts and guidance around how to respond to these challenges.	Year 4
15 April 2026	10:00-11:00, 11:00-12:00, 14:00-15:00, 15:00-16:00	Online 1-2-1 Sessions	Communicating Your Story (1- 2 -1 Sessions) Go deeper into the story you need to tell, whether it's for public speaking, pitching or writing for a non-academic audience. This is an intensive 1-2-1 consultation with one of the world’s leading storytelling coaches.	Year 4
30 April 2026	10:00-13:00	Online	Assertiveness in the Workplace In this workshop participants will explore: Differences between assertive, passive and aggressive behaviours. Ways to increase your ability to communicate effectively. Strategies to deal with difficult situations. Developing greater confidence in your own abilities.	APs and All Staff
TBC	10:00-12:00	In-person	Social Media and Your Academic Profile Are you interested in developing your profile through social media? This masterclass will look at different social media platforms and how you can maximise these tools for the benefit of your academic and research profile. Social media and networking are powerful communication tools which can have a significant impact on organisational and professional reputations.	Year 1 & ARC
12 May 2026	12:00-13:00	Online	Understanding Assistant Professor Expectations This practical workshop outlines: The criteria for assessment and expectations for Assistant Professors The process for setting and agreeing objectives with your Head of School How progress is reviewed.	Year 1
13 May 2026	10:00-13:00	Online	Managing Research Projects This workshop will examine the nature of project management from the perspective of a researcher proactively taking responsibility for their own research and planning and for managing additional research projects more formally.	AP Year 2 & ARC
14 May 2026	10:00-12:00	Online	Engagement In Research, Teaching and Learning This is a two-hour masterclass that will help Assistant Professors to understand they ways that they can build career-enhancing relationships with external stakeholders and how they support the engagement work of their postgrad students.	Year 1
19 May 2026	10:00-12:00	In-person	How to Prepare for Media Interviews This masterclass will help you prepare for all types of media interviews and includes mock media interview practice for those who wish to participate.	Year 3
20 May 2026	14:00-17:00	In-person	Recognising & Responding to Distressed People This in-person experiential workshop aims to equip people with the skills, knowledge and confidence to support others who are experiencing distress. The workshop covers active listening, boundaries and referral skills, and active participation is encouraged and facilitated.	APs and All Staff
27 May 2026 & 03 June 2026	10:00-11:00 10:00-12:00	Online Online	On Stage, off the Page (1 of 2) On Stage, off the Page (2 of 2) This 2-part masterclass will give you tools to structure your presentation and prepare you for live audiences in a room or a Zoom meeting.	Year 2 Year 3
02 June 2026	10:00-13:00	Online	Imposter Syndrome Essentials This workshop creates a safe space to explore those feelings of imposter syndrome. And most importantly, participants will explore practical strategies to loosen the grip of Imposter Syndrome.	APs and All Staff
10 June 2026	10:00-11:00, 11:00-12:00, 14:00-15:00, 15:00-16:00	Online 1-2-1 Sessions	Communicating Your Story - 1:1 Session Go deeper into the story you need to tell, whether it's for public speaking, pitching or writing for a non-academic audience. This is an intensive 1-2-1 consultation with one of the world's leading storytelling coaches.	Year 4
16 June 2026	10:00-12:00	Online	Research Impact Masterclass The key objectives of this masterclass are to enhance participants understanding of how to plan, capture and report their unique research activities, outputs, outcomes and impacts. This will enable better leveraging of funding, advance research careers and showcase themselves as research experts - or all three.	Year 3