Skip to page content

 

Schemes for Engineers in Research and Development

Research Student Development Fellowships: Instructions for Mentors

The Royal Academy of Engineering has established this scheme to add value to the research oriented education of research students by facilitating their development in both soft skills and other activities for which the funding available to them is limited or non existent. Applicants are advised that any activity chosen should not duplicate but complement or add synergy to those available as part of the UK Grad Programme organised by CRAC.

Rather than apply for funding for single, discrete activities, applicants are asked to pull their ideas together into a Personal Development Plan, with associated objectives and costs. Applicants are also asked to nominate a Mentor for this programme.

The role of a Mentor includes:

  • Providing advice as to the type and suitability of activities and expenditure appropriate to the individual student. It will certainly be necessary to know the applicant well, their strengths, weaknesses, aspirations and potential, in order to advise them effectively.

  • Monitoring the progress of the student throughout the duration of the plan. This need not be too onerous but regular review will ensure that plans are benefiting individuals, and in cases where they are not, rapid remedial action can be taken.

  • At the end of the Fellowship review the outcomes of the plan and report back to the Academy if required.

A specimen Personal Development Plan (23KB)Adobe Pdf document image  and a Personal Development Plan template (29KB)Microsoft Word document image  have been prepared to assist applicants and Mentors with regard to content and layout.

We do urge applicants to be as creative as possible when devising their Personal Development Plans. If for any reason there is doubt or question over the suitability of a particular activity or strand of expenditure, applicants or Mentors are advised to contact Ian Bowbrick.

[E-mail Ian]

This is a competitive scheme; the Selection Committee meets four weeks after the closing date and their decisions are communicated to applicants shortly after.

 

Skip to page footer

 

[top of the page]