6The Graduate School Vitae is a national organisation championing the personal, professional and career development of doctoral researchers and research staff in Higher Education institutions and research institutes. This two - day intensive course is open to all students in their first year and aims to explore the supervisor/ student relationship, successful communication, team work and research management skills. However, we are just as concerned with our students successfully completing their degree. To support this, the Graduate School now holds an annual Final Year Conference ' Preparing for the Viva and Life Beyond It'. The aim of the conference is to assist students to complete their research and thesis on time. It also aims to give them confidence in preparing for their viva voce examination and their move into employment. Northumbria is dedicated to giving its part- time students opportunities to access training and so provides online materials, evening sessions, half day and full day intensive courses. Part- time students can also access regional workshops designed to specifically cater for them. The Graduate School works with a number of internal and external organisations to ensure its training is up to date and relevant. This means that Northumbria's Library and Learning Services provide an extensive skills programme to ensure that students develop excellent information management knowledge. The Graduate School is also working with the Students' Union and the PGR representatives to ensure that students who teach are well prepared and supported for their duties. As part of a regional collaboration group focused on researcher development, we also work with other North East universities to ensure that students have opportunities to network with each other and share their research with a wider audience. There are opportunities to extend training outside of the region as Northumbria is part of Vitae's nationwide network and every year students participate in a poster competition with students from across the North East and Yorkshire. Schools also offer their own support through specialist training programmes, conferences, summer schools, visiting speakers, and research seminars. Final Year Conference 2009

www. northumbria. ac. uk7 Dr Mick Hill, Principal Lecturer, HCES profile " I teach and manage the core research methods modules for the postgraduate framework at HCES, which provide students with an overview of research issues from research philosophy to data analysis and dissemination. Northumbria has close links with local employers, such as our NHS partners, as well as a pool of active researchers who achieved particularly good results in the latest Research Assessment Exercise ( RAE). In many cases our PhD students have studied at Northumbria before and know the quality of what is delivered on taught courses. I enjoy working collaboratively and intensively on a one- to- one basis with academic researchers who are passionate about their subjects and are, without exception, breaking new ground." For more information, see the individual details in the School which supports your research area. The Graduate Tutor Programme The Graduate Tutor Programme supports PhD students throughout their research whilst also equipping them with the skills and knowledge to develop a career in academia. The initiative, designed as part of an HR succession plan and culture change to develop new talent, offers a salary and a contract above studentship and nurtures early career researchers as part of a sustainable development strategy. Since the Graduate Tutor Programme was first introduced at Newcastle Business School in 2005, the programme has extended to other schools in the University. This recruitment model has now been adopted by other UK universities, with Newcastle Business School providing specialist input into the design and delivery of these schemes. Graduate Tutors contribute to teaching delivery and also play a pivotal role in numerous research projects to give them a true flavour of life as an academic. Their research, as well as enabling them to complete their doctoral studies, will also be utilised when teaching undergraduates and postgraduate programmes. Graduate Tutor vacancies are formally advertised as part of academic staff recruitment at www. northumbria. ac. uk/ sd/ central/ hr/ staffvacancies/ '''' The support from my supervisors has been the most important aspect of my doctoral programme.