New research skill building program at CDU

Charles Darwin University (CDU) has launched a series of new professional development training programs to support researchers at the university. 

The Early Career Researcher (ECR) Skills Upgrading Program and The Foundation ECR (fECR) program are designed to equip research staff with the right tools to build their research outputs and skills. 

More than $1 million has been invested in the ECR and fECR programs over five years.

CDU's Pro Vice-Chancellor Research and Innovation Dr Steve Rogers said the program was part of CDU’s strategy to further enhance the university’s research quality and enhance staff development.

“The program will help early-career researchers get a head start on producing high quality research,” Dr Rogers said.

“We want to nurture and promote our researchers and enhance our research impact as a university to solve real-world problems.”

The activities include workshops, networking events, online modules, mentoring schemes, and reward systems that are tailored specifically for early career researchers.

Early career researchers are those who earned a PhD in the last five years.

CDU Vice Chancellor Professor Scott Bowman CDU said the program was focused on making sure the needs of its research community are met through a quality training system to grow the university’s research capacity into the future. 

“CDU has some of the world’s best researchers in their fields, and we’re focused on developing the next generation of researcher into the future ,” Professor Bowman said. 

“I encourage all CDU researchers to participate in this excellent professional development opportunity.”

Professor Drew Dawson from Central Queensland University has been appointed to lead the new initiative.

Professor Dawson expertise in organisational psychology and human behaviour will be vital contribution to help new researchers to CDU in adapting to the Territory’s research environment.