Key Information
Tutor: Dr Caroline Hargreaves
Duration: 2 hour 15 minute session
Delivery: Live (In-Person, South Kensington) & Live (Online, MS Teams)
ECRI Credit (PGR only): 1 credit
Audience: Research Degree Students
Dates
There are no further sessions taking place this academic year. Course dates for 2026-27 will be available to book from late September.
What motivates you? How can you develop independence?
This course assists you to identify your motivators and opportunities for effective communication and building independence.
'This course provided me experiential understanding which was highly applicable towards PhD life. The course delved deeper into strata beyond the technicalities of the PhD, this provided broader holistic meaning and understanding for me and a unique skillset that I am able to apply effectively to navigate daily encounters. I will definitely recommend this course to my fellow PhD students'. (Anonymous, Clinical Medicine PhD student).
You will need to dedicate a total time of ~2 hours 45 minutes to complete this course, which includes ~30 minutes preparatory activities carried out via Canvas. There is a lot of material to explore via the Course Notes and links on Canvas after the live course, and optional follow ups are available.
This course is open to Research Degree Students.
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course and using preparatory and post- course materials you will be better able to:
- Recognise your motivators
- Practice using some problem solving tools
- Identify theories to build motivation
- Consider possible opportunities to develop independence
How to Book
Book via Inkpath using your Imperial Single-Sign-On. Bookings will close one week before each live session.
Please ensure you have read and understood ECRI’s attendance & cancellation policy before booking.
Further Information
- Pre-Course Work
- Netiquette for Online Training
- Confidentiality
- Participant Quotations
- Other Resources
You will be sent a link to the online platform to complete preparatory activities before the live course and to engage with during the course. This is designed to take ~30 minutes, with material to read or listen to and consider, and polls and forms to complete. Discussions and group activities build on the pre-course work, so previous participants request that we require you to complete this.
- It is important that you are fully present and an active participant, to create a safe space for sharing and discussion.
- Please ensure prior to attending that you have a fully functioning camera and microphone. If you have any issues with your equipment, please contact us as soon as possible.
- Please ensure that you are in a private space where you can maintain confidentiality and the privacy of the other participants.
- To maintain confidentiality, all participants are asked to agree to keep what is said within the group, and not record or take screenshots/photos without permission. Pictures or quotes from the session should not be posted on social media or elsewhere.
- Your discussions on the day are crucial to the course activities, so that you can learn from each other and the tutor and see what may be improved. If you do not wish to share or are not permitted to share particular details, do not include or anonymise in your examples.
- If you have a concern about a particular issue, you can organise a 1-1 with the tutor who will be able to signpost you to appropriate individuals or resources.
'I like that this is a safe place to share ideas and we are introduced to different concepts and frameworks that help guide ourselves.'
'It actually boosted my confidence level, I believe to be approaching my phd life from a different positive perspective.'
'Will use the problem solving toolkit to work through struggles with motivation, and keep an open line of communication with my supervisor.'
- The online platform with the pre-course work has many resources for you to consider before and after the course.
- Individual support and wellbeing
- Planning Your Career
- Personal and Professional Effectiveness