PPD Personal and Professional Development course timetable

Even the most skilled communicators sometimes struggle to get their message across. This course will equip you with the mindset and knowledge to communicate effectively when it really matters. Learn how to deliver your message with sincerity, clarity and enthusiasm. Staff who wish to improve their one-to-one communication skills in challenging and difficult situations will benefit from this course.

This programme aims to explore the complex leadership skills required by Heads of Institution and those in equivalent roles, in support of the University’s mission of achieving world-class research and teaching. Those new or recently appointed to their roles are especially encouraged to participate.

Module 1: The Head of Institution as Leader
The first session includes presentations from the Vice-Chancellor and from a number of experienced Heads of Institution. It provides an overview of current and past theories of leadership as a context for the programme.

Module 2: Leading Strategy and Change
The session will consider the challenges in leading a department/team, including allocation of resources and setting priorities. It will also include presentations on leading others in a higher education environment from the PVC for Institutional and International Relations, and the Registrary.

Module 3: Leading Others through Change
This session is a continuation of Module 2 and considers the change leadership aspect of strategic implementation. It includes approaches to leading change, engaging others and dealing with resistance.

Module 4: Leading One Conversation at a Time
The session uses professional actors to practise and prepare for typically challenging leadership conversations. It offers the opportunity for participants to be coached as they practise in a safe and controlled environment.

Engage in Learning is a theory and practice informed supervisor development programme on how to build supportive learning relationships. It is aimed at supervisors of Cambridge students with a minimum of three to five years’ experience of teaching in higher education.

Participants will explore approaches and challenges to building supportive supervisory relationships through dialogical learning activities — small group discussions, reflection exercises based on experiences, film clips, case studies and dilemmas drawn from practice. Readings will be provided prior to each workshop. The programme will emphasise building on participants’ own experiences. Between each workshop participants will be asked to observe and keep a written log of specific experiences of supervision; these will be discussed in the subsequent workshop.

Workshops (key topics covered)
A maximum of 12 participants will attend four two-hour-long workshops. Each workshop will be held between 12:30 to 14:30.


21 September 2017
Workshop 1
Building supportive relationships for learning: theory and context

• Attachment theory
• Mindfulness
• Institutional identity
• Communication

19 October 2017
Workshop 2
Empowering and facilitating growth

• Growth mindset
• Relational power
• Transformational learning
• Self-efficacy

23 November 2017
Workshop 3
Maintaining a supportive relationship

• Boundaries
• Balance
• Dialogical reflection

7 December 2017
Workshop 4
Engaging in learning together

• Synthesis of themes and topics

Prior to registration please make sure that you are available on each of those days.

All workshops will be held at the Cambridge Centre for Teaching and Learning, 25 Trumpington Street, Cambridge, CB2 1QA. The map gives directions to PPD, where the Cambridge Centre for Teaching and Learning is located.

This session will provide an introduction to implicit or unconscious bias and will help you start to understand how our biases influence the decisions we make. These may include decisions around recruitment, selection, assessment and broader interactions with others.

The session will include tutor input, group activities and videos and to raise awareness about how to recognise and begin to manage the impact of implicit bias. We will also consider further sources of guidance to support individuals in their roles with specific responsibilities e.g. for managing others, teaching etc.

This course is aimed to increase your understanding of the issues surrounding disclosures of sexual assault and harassment of students, the support available locally and the new University Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Procedures.

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.

Selection for this programme is via nomination by School Secretaries, Heads of Division or Heads of Non-School Institutions during the summer. Nominees will need to demonstrate the benefit of participating, both for themselves and their institution. Please speak to your line manager and/or appropriate nominator if you would like to be considered.

Please see further information about key themes and speakers on the programme flyer.

If you occasionally suffer from vocal strain or wish to discover your true vocal range and power then this course is for you. We will work together to improve your vocal projection using vocal techniques practised by actors by using various physical and vocal exercises in a relaxed atmosphere. Be prepared to relax, kick off your shoes and lie on the floor.

Would you like to learn exercises that will reduce vocal strain, improve vocal range, variety, clarity and pronunciation to gain and hold the attention of an audience?

Would you like to make a positive initial impact and keep control of difficult situations?

In this individualised and confidential one-hour session you will determine the objectives and work on exercises to address your specific interests.

Would you like to learn exercises that will reduce vocal strain, improve vocal range, variety, clarity and pronunciation to gain and hold the attention of an audience?

Would you like to make a positive initial impact and keep control of difficult situations?

In this individualised and confidential one-hour session you will determine the objectives and work on exercises to address your specific interests.

Would you like to learn exercises that will reduce vocal strain, improve vocal range, variety, clarity and pronunciation to gain and hold the attention of an audience?

Would you like to make a positive initial impact and keep control of difficult situations?

In this individualised and confidential one-hour session you will determine the objectives and work on exercises to address your specific interests.

This course focuses on the practical element of delivery. It will provide you with the opportunity to explore techniques for connecting emotionally and intellectually with an audience, along with overcoming nerves. You will look at how to handle questions effectively and practise vocal techniques.

Would you like to learn exercises that will reduce vocal strain, improve vocal range, variety, clarity and pronunciation to gain and hold the attention of an audience?

Would you like to make a positive initial impact and keep control of difficult situations?

In this individualised and confidential one-hour session you will determine the objectives and work on exercises to address your specific interests.

Would you like to learn exercises that will reduce vocal strain, improve vocal range, variety, clarity and pronunciation to gain and hold the attention of an audience?

Would you like to make a positive initial impact and keep control of difficult situations?

In this individualised and confidential one-hour session you will determine the objectives and work on exercises to address your specific interests.

Would you like to learn exercises that will reduce vocal strain, improve vocal range, variety, clarity and pronunciation to gain and hold the attention of an audience?

Would you like to make a positive initial impact and keep control of difficult situations?

In this individualised and confidential one-hour session you will determine the objectives and work on exercises to address your specific interests.

Have you developed your own approach to supervising?

Do you have at least one year's experience?

Perhaps you want to compare this approach with that of your peers.

This course is for those who want to share experiences, have encountered problems and are seeking solutions, or just want to do the job more effectively.

The last two years before retirement are a good time to prepare for personal change in readiness for leaving employment. This programme will include detailed information on occupational pensions, financial advice and planning, tax and legal issues, as well as the emotional and practical issues accompanying retirement. You will have the opportunity to share information and discuss any concerns about retirement in a relaxed setting

If you are new to supervising graduate students at Cambridge (studying both for one-year courses or PhDs) the Board of Graduate Studies strongly recommends you to take part in some form of professional development. In collaboration with BGS, Personal and Professional Development offers training and support for newly-appointed supervisors of graduate students and for those new to the Cambridge system. The workshops, which run over lunchtime, are designed to consider reciprocal expectations and duties, as well as approaches to supervising, and to raise awareness of possible issues and where to go for support.

A workshop to enable you to practice and learn relaxation techniques to help release stress and improve wellbeing. It will provide an opportunity for people to relax and take time for themselves. The workshop will include deep breathing techniques, progressive muscle relaxation and a short mindfulness exercise. It will also allow time to consider what stress is and the impact this has on our lives.

Minute taking is not about speed writing but about recognising what is important and understanding the needs of the meeting participants. This course will show you how to compile concise meeting notes.

The course is for anyone who is required to take factual records of departmental/faculty meetings and distribute action points afterwards. It does not cover the additional skills required to take minutes at University committee meetings.

Would you like to increase your confidence in meeting and working with disabled people? This participative course will help you to learn the best ways to offer and give assistance. Through discussion and group work you will explore the barriers faced by disabled people when accessing services and learn how to make your services as accessible as possible. This course is aimed at people working in a frontline role.

This course is aimed to increase your understanding of the issues surrounding disclosures of sexual assault and harassment of students, the support available locally and the new University Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Procedures.

To book please follow this link. Please note that you must meet the eligibility criteria for the session.

What do supervisions contribute to student learning at Cambridge? This session will provide an interactive introduction to supervising, including aims and objectives of supervisions, different approaches to supervisions, the roles and responsibilities of the supervisor and ways of dealing with common problems. Given the breadth of supervisions, this course is not subject specific.

Is English not your first language?

Would you like to incorporate Standard English pronunciation into your everyday speech?

This course will look at the differences and similarities between your natural accent and that of Standard English. It will help to maintain positive aspects of your natural accent whilst enabling you to be easily understood by native English speakers.

If you dread giving presentations or simply want to hone your skills, this workshop gives you an opportunity to ‘step up to the podium,’ and receive constructive feedback and coaching to be a better public speaker. Whatever your specific speaking goal might be - delivering a presentation to colleagues, chairing or engaging in a meeting, giving a toast or tribute, or responding confidently in a Q&A period – the supportive environment of this workshop will help you play to your strengths, face your fears and give you tools to overcome them.

You may find it useful to have completed the Presentation Skills online learning module before attending the session.

Would you like to learn exercises that will reduce vocal strain, improve vocal range, variety, clarity and pronunciation to gain and hold the attention of an audience?

Would you like to make a positive initial impact and keep control of difficult situations?

In this individualised and confidential one-hour session you will determine the objectives and work on exercises to address your specific interests.

Would you like to learn exercises that will reduce vocal strain, improve vocal range, variety, clarity and pronunciation to gain and hold the attention of an audience?

Would you like to make a positive initial impact and keep control of difficult situations?

In this individualised and confidential one-hour session you will determine the objectives and work on exercises to address your specific interests.

Would you like to learn exercises that will reduce vocal strain, improve vocal range, variety, clarity and pronunciation to gain and hold the attention of an audience?

Would you like to make a positive initial impact and keep control of difficult situations?

In this individualised and confidential one-hour session you will determine the objectives and work on exercises to address your specific interests.