The Graduate School is proud to deliver award winning and sector leading professional development opportunities to postgraduate students at Imperial College London.  Professional development is a key part of the educational experience at Imperial and our programme offers opportunity for postgraduates to develop attributes which are of most value to a broad range of employers and supports students to develop as world-class researchers.

The programme supports students with specific development needs as well as providing specialist training which aims to challenge and inspire students who are excelling.   The Graduate School has invested in the development of an inclusive and accessible offering via online courses and webinars.  This ensures students can engage with provision from their home, at work, in hospitals or wherever they are in the world.   

There are a range of opportunities for students, staff and the sector to engage with the programme and shape its design and delivery. 

Our strategy is divided into four distinct but related areas.  Each strategic area has a set of aims and a framework setting out how we will achieve what we say we will.

Supporting World-Class Research

The Graduate School’s programme supports students to develop as world-class researchers.  Whilst discipline specific and technical skills training is provided by academic departments, the Graduate School’s programme delivers core research skills programmes. These core programmes provide students with a range of development opportunities from research writing and communication skills to research integrity. The programme is accredited by three professional bodies to provide recognition for researchers’ development during their doctorate.

Community, Belonging and Support

 The Graduate School champions the visibility and voice of postgraduate students across College.  Our provision enables connectedness via interdisciplinary discussions and the opportunity for postgraduates to share and celebrate their research success as part of an inclusive, vibrant and supportive research community.   

Engagement and Impact

 The Graduate School’s provision enables postgraduates to understand the importance of engaging with a range of audiences to ensure knowledge exchange between sectors. The Graduate School encourages and supports student engagement with the public to share in the wonder of discovery and research and the value of working with local communities to shape research design.   The Graduate School enables postgraduates to understand the importance of how their research can inform key decision makers in governments contribute towards and influence policy change.    The Graduate School provides postgraduates with the opportunity to engage and knowledge exchange with industry to support a growth innovation economy.

Developing Students who Teach

The Graduate School has developed a programme of training and support for Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) who are engaged in teaching, demonstrating, marking, assessing and providing feedback to students. The programme is accredited by the Higher Education Academy so programme participants are eligible to apply for Associate Fellowship of the HEA.