Supporting research

PhD students sat in the Charles Thackray foyer

We are committed to supporting and developing our researchers at all stages of their career. Our aim is to attract researchers with the potential to achieve excellence in research and to contribute to a vibrant and productive environment, strengthened through established research centres and departments.

Developing researchers

We undertake interdisciplinary research and collaborate with other universities and industry through long-term partnerships. Our visiting scholars contribute knowledge and expertise from a national and international perspective through delivery of workshops, leading expert seminars, collaborating with our researchers on joint publications and external funding applications. At Leeds University Business School, researchers are:

  • Integrated into their departments, research centres and the University
  • Able to apply to internal funding and support schemes including study leave, small research grants, support towards conference attendance and ESRC Impact Acceleration Account Activities
  • Provided with access to high-quality facilities and expertise
  • Supported in undertaking consultancy projects with industry and academic partners

Researcher Training and Professional Development Programme

Our researchers have access to many programmes through several established and developing training networks which are led by the Business School.

The Business School’s Researcher Training and Professional Development programme regularly runs events and seminars with globally-recognised academics. We have also built strong connections with external training and development providers including VITAE and ESRC National Centre for Research Methods (NCRM)

The programme includes:

  • Advanced research methods and data analysis training
  • Publishing workshops with journal editors
  • Online and in-person Structured Writing Retreats
  • Lunchtime research funding application sessions
  • A diverse and influential Guest Speaker Series

The Northern Advanced Research Training Initiative (NARTI)

The Business School is a founding member of the Northern Advanced Research Training Initiative (NARTI) - a network of 17 business and management schools in the north of England who collaborate to provide advanced methods and subject training for postgraduate and early career researchers. 

The network engages with world-class scholars to provide a programme of events, seminars, retreats and conferences and operates through the significant commitment and contribution of its members.

Research Leadership Development Consortium (RLDC)

Consortium – a network that designs and organises development events that strengthen and support research leadership in the social sciences. Leadership development activities are designed to support social science researchers in an increasingly interdisciplinary, inter-sectoral and fast-changing landscape.

The objective of the Consortium is to explore enablers and opportunities for professional connectivity, impactful network, quality research co-production, mentorship and capacity building.

Writing for Research and Academic Practice (WRAP): International Network

An emerging international network that will embed social writing practice both in and beyond academia. The network is led by a working group consisting of international academics and professional staff who, collectively, have a wealth of knowledge and experience in supporting writers and their writing practice.

Organisation Development and Professional Learning (OD&PL)

Our Organisation Development and Professional Learning unit is dedicated to offering training courses which cover a wide range of topics and skills including:

  • Professionalisation
  • Communications skills
  • Research methodologies
  • Networking
  • Career management

Support for your research

The Faculty Research and Innovation Office supports various aspects of researcher development including:

  • Dedicated support for external funding applications and support for the Faculty’s portfolio of external research grants (this includes financial support and also support for communications and impact)
  • Access to financial support for research activities such as conference attendance, international collaborations, journal submission, and impact and research engagement support
  • Bringing together interdisciplinary researchers through the annual Festival of Ideas and a full programme of research events across the School and University
  • Engaging with businesses and policy-makers through the Faculty’s Ideas in Practice seminars series and Nexus, an innovation hub that connects businesses to academic expertise and facilities across the University
  • Developing external partnerships through consultancy
  • Developing effective communication channels to showcase research activity, including the Research and Innovation Blog
  • Recognising and celebrating success