Masterclass Schedule
The 2026-2027 programme of masterclasses is currently closed for book. It reopens for booking in Autumn 26.
- All Assistant Professors are expected to attend one of the Understanding the Assistant Professor Expectations sessions. This masterclass provides practical guidance on setting objectives, understanding probation and performance expectations, and preparing for objective-setting discussions with your Head of School.
- · A wide range of additional masterclasses is available through the Assistant Professor Development Programme. Assistant Professors are expected to attend at least three masterclasses each academic year to support their ongoing professional and career development.
If you have any questions or queries about the masterclasses or development opportunities, please contact staffdev@tcd.ie
To book a masterclass, simply select your preferred session and register using the booking link. You will receive confirmation of your place together with a calendar invitation.
If you have any questions or queries about the masterclasses or development opportunities, please contact staffdev@tcd.ie
Assistant Professor Masterclasses
| Date | Time | Type | Event | Audience | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 October 2026 | 10:00-11:00 |
In-Person Classroom | 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 |  |
| 13 October 2026 | 11:00-13:00 Online |
In-Person Classroom | 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 open to year 1 if interested | |
28 October 2026 |
12:00 – 13:00 |
Online | Understanding Assistant Professor Expectations This practical workshop outlines:
|
AP Year 1 | |
3 November 2026 |
10:00-12:00 |
Online - Zoom | 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 | |
11 November 2026 |
14:30 -16:00 |
Online - Zoom | Mentee Skills Briefing This workshop prepares mentees to take an active role in creating a productive mentoring relationship. It emphasises that mentoring is primarily driven by the mentee and supports their development, capability and self-reliance. |
AP Year 1 | |
12 November 2026 |
13:00 -14:00 |
Online | Understanding Assistant Professor Expectations This practical workshop outlines:
|
AP Year 1 | |
3 Dec 2026 |
10:00-13:00 |
In-Person Classroom |
Recognising & Responding to Distressed People This 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. |
AP Year 1 | |
9 December 2026 |
10:00-12:30 |
In-Person Classroom |
The Power of Perspective: Navigating Cultural Differences 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 | |
15 December 2026 |
10:00 – 13:00 |
Online | Managing Pressure Positively This course will explore the nature and sources of stress and the skills and techniques to deal with stressful situations. These skills can be equally applied to home or at work. |
AP Year 1; Open to all Trinity employees |
|
16 December 2026 |
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 |
AP Year 2 | |
6 January 2027 & 14 January 2027 |
Session 1: Session2: 10:00-12:00 |
Online | The Art of Pitching A good pitch brings three things together: a problem worth solving, a solution worth trying and a person (that's you) worth backing. This 2-Part workshop will help you prepare a pitch for funding or support, inside or outside the academic world. You'll 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. |
AP Year 2 | |
12 January 2027 |
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 TI&E can support the development of effective partnerships. It also covers available funding supports designed to facilitate industry collaboration. Real-world case studies will be presented to highlight successful industry engagement. |
AP Year 1 | |
13 January 2027 |
10:00 -13:00 |
Online | Finding Focus To increase our power to focus, we need to understand how to manage our energy, environment, and our attention. This workshop will explore the importance of being clear on priorities, simple strategies to support our focus, ways we can develop mental fitness and deep focus. |
AP Year 2; Open to all Trinity employees |
|
28 January 2027 |
13:00-14:00 |
Online | Understanding Assistant Professor Expectations This practical workshop outlines:
|
AP Year 1 | |
2 March 2027 |
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. Learn why they work for academics, what makes a good opinion piece, and how to focus on the audience. |
AP Year 3 | |
3 March 2027 |
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. |
AP Years 2,3 & 4 | |
11 March 2027 |
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. |
AP Years 2,3 & 4 | |
Date TBD |
|
A researcher’s profile at Trinity - What is it and why does it matter? This masterclass will help participants understand the importance of maintaining a complete and effective research profile, how to build and enhance their profile, and its value to both the individual researcher and Trinity. Participants will explore how Trinity’s research systems work and how they complement external platforms such as ORCID, Scopus and Google Scholar. The session will also introduce the principles of Open Science and provide practical guidance on how researchers can engage with Open Science practices. |
AP Year 1 | |
|
11 March 2027 |
14:00 -17:00 |
In-person | Recognising & Responding to Distressed People This 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. |
AP Year 1 | |
23 March 2027 |
13:00-14:00 |
Online | Understanding Assistant Professor Expectations This practical workshop outlines:
|
AP Year 1 | |
13 April 2027 |
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 post-graduate context challenges this and some practical thoughts and guidance around how to respond to these challenges. |
AP Year 4 | |
14 April 2027 |
9:00-10:00 |
Online | Communicating Your Story 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. |
AP Year 4 | |
29 April 2027 |
10:00-13:00 |
Online | Assertiveness in the Workplace Your ability to assert yourself positively affects everything else you do and don't do, from day-to-day activities right through to major life decisions. Consequently, it's important to understand what assertiveness is and what you want to do with it. We need to be clear on why we might want to say "No" and how to do so effectively and respectfully. Join us for this online workshop where we will explore various behaviours related to assertiveness, effective communication and building self-confidence. |
Ap Year 1 | |
11 May 2027 |
12:00-13:00 |
Online | Understanding Assistant Professor Expectations This practical workshop outlines:
|
AP Year 1 | |
12 May 2027 |
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 | |
13 May 2027 |
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. |
AP Year 3 | |
18 May 2027 |
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. |
AP Year 3 | |
19 May 2027 |
10:00-11:30 |
In-person | Communicate with Conviction, Commitment and Control Voice Use, Protection and Control in the Lecture Theatre and Seminar Rooms This practical workshop helps academics use their voice more effectively, expressively and sustainably in teaching. Participants will explore posture, breathing, projection, articulation and vocal variety, learning how pace, pitch, pause, tone and inflection can enhance clarity, engagement and impact. Through practical exercises, the session also addresses vocal health and techniques for reducing fatigue, helping participants develop greater control and confidence in using their voice in the classroom. |
AP Year 1 but open to all AP years |
|
26 May 2027 |
Day 1: 10:00-11:00 Day 2: 10:00-12:00 |
Online | On Stage, off the Page (2-part masterclass) Presenting your work to a live audience is part performance, part conversation. You cannot - you MUST not - try to read aloud a written document in a presentation. You'll only bore and confuse your audience. |
AP Year 2 | |
27 May 2027 |
14:00-17:00 |
In-Person Classroom |
Recognising & Responding to Distressed People This 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. |
AP Year 1 | |
1 June 2027 |
10:00-13:00 |
Online |
Imposter Syndrome Essentials Imposter Syndrome is a common experience where even high achievers doubt their abilities, fear failure, and attribute their success to luck, often holding themselves back from contributing fully. If unaddressed, these feelings can cause stress, burnout, and lost opportunities, but through understanding influences like background, bias, and beliefs, individuals can learn strategies to overcome self-doubt and thrive. |
AP Year 2 | |
9 June 2027 |
9:00-10:00 |
Online |
Communicating Your Story 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. |
AP Year 4 | |
15 June 2027 |
10:00-12:00 |
Online |
Research Impact Demonstrating value for money and clearly articulating the impact and benefits of investment in research is both desirable and necessary (SFI, 2020). This masterclass will help researchers identify opportunities to increase the impact of their research for their careers and disciplines. Participants will develop their understanding of how to plan, capture and communicate their research activities, outputs, outcomes and impact, enabling them to better leverage funding opportunities, advance their research careers and showcase their expertise. |
AP Year 3 | |