Academic Career Advancement Programme

• Tuition is funded by the Academic Career Advancement Award.
• You will need to have a conversation with your supervisor before you apply.
• Your supervisor will need to provide a reference letter in support of your application, and they will be notified when you apply for the programme.
• There is a competitive selection process where priority is given to mid-phase doctoral students who have completed their provisional goals. You must have been confirmed by 1 February in the year in which you join ACAP, and your final submission date must not be before November of the same year. Due to the high number of applications, meeting these criteria does not guarantee you a place.
• Due to limited availability, participants will only be accepted into either the Academic Career Advancement Programme (ACAP) or the Doctoral Entrepreneurial Leadership Programme (DELP).
• Orientation Morning is an opportunity for participants to get to know each other. Held during Orientation Week, it provides an introduction to the programme and prepares participants for their role in theregular seminars.
• Regular seminars are co-facilitated by participants and cover key aspects of academic careers such as research, teaching and professionalism. Where relevant, careers external to academia will also be discussed. 
• Participants must be prepared to attend all seminars on City Campus, and co-facilitate a seminar on one of the topics listed below. 
• Seminars are normally held on Wednesdays during term time. 

1. Orientation: Planning your ACAP Year (Wednesday 24 February, 9am-1pm)
Meet other ACAP participants, get an introduction to the programme, and prepare for your role in the regular seminars.

2. Becoming an Academic (Wednesday 3 March, 10am to 1pm)
Get started in academia with confidence. We will discuss adapting to the University environment as an early career academic and examine resources that will help you to plan your entry pathway.

3. Presentation Skills (Wednesday 17 March, 10am to 1pm)
Giving a great presentation is key to getting your message across in a variety of both academic and industry contexts.

4. Academic Citizenship (Wednesday 31 March, 10am to 1pm)
Engaging with opportunities to be an active citizen of your institution and the wider educational community can be rewarding. Explore the University as an organisation, including its structure (departments, faculties and centrally) and the purpose of committees. Understanding the key policies that impact on research and teaching is essential for maintaining academic integrity.

5. Student Engagement (Wednesday 21 April, 10am to 1pm)
When students are engaged in learning, their focus and motivation increases. Discuss ways to develop meaningful learning experiences in a variety of environments: small classes, large lectures and online spaces. Explore the impact of assessment methods on student engagement.

6. Innovation in Teaching (Wednesday 12 May, 10am to 1pm)
Educators innovate teaching practices to improve student learning outcomes. What is innovation in teaching and why is it important? How can teachers and students create innovative learning spaces? How can we look at teaching problems differently in order to solve them? What does the future hold for learning?

7. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (Wednesday 9 June, 10am to 1pm)
Understanding how to research your teaching will improve your practice and contribute to the growing field called the Scholarship of Learning and Teaching (SoTL). Explore the SoTL process of researching teaching and learning within the disciplines and learn how to develop questions that can be researched.

8. The Teaching Profile and Evidence (Wednesday 30 June, 10am to 1pm)
Now is the time to begin developing your teaching profile. Discuss approaches to developing an academic CV and a teaching profile that will underpin applications for employment and promotion. Understanding the impact of teaching is essential for student success. Therefore, a key element of the teaching profile will be the evidence that shows the impact of your teaching. Explore methods for gathering that evidence and writing it up.

9. Getting Research Funding (Wednesday 21 July, 10am to 1pm)
Securing research funding is a challenging but crucial part of being a researcher, so weʼll explore the process for early career researchers. We will cover identifying funding opportunities, knowing when to apply, creating a funding plan, identifying a mentor and/or collaborators, the keys to writing a successful application and what to do if your application is rejected.

10. Getting Published (Wednesday 4 August, 10am to 1pm)
Writing and publishing a journal article is about to get a whole lot easier! Understand the review process, the role of journal editors and reviewers, and how to respond to reviewersʼ comments. Identify the most appropriate journals for your research area and the potential resulting impact on your research profile.

11. Broader Dissemination of Research (Wednesday 25 August, 10am to 1pm)
Disseminating your research to a wider audience can provide opportunities for collaboration. Explore strategies for networking and presenting at international forums, engaging with the public through media and social media, and partnering with government, iwi and industry.

12. The Research Profile and Evidence (Wednesday 15 September, 10am to 1pm)
Now is the time to begin developing your research profile. It will underpin your applications for employment, funding and PBRF (Performance Based Research Fund) reporting. Explore strategies for developing a long term research plan for academic and industry-based careers and for contributing to the wider research environment.

13. Career Planning (Wednesday 29 September, 10am to 1pm)
To ensure success, you need a plan. What does the job market look like for PhDs? How do you go about getting the job you want? Explore ways of representing yourself well in applications for postdocs or for academic, professional or industry jobs.

14. Reflection and Graduation (Wednesday 6 October, 10am to 1pm)