Public impact career pathway
This pathway is for all doctoral candidates who want to position their research to make a difference.
Key focus areas
- Research impact
- Research communication and engagement
- Networking
- Responsiveness and engagement with Māori
- Ethics and integrity
- Leadership
Flagship programmes
NEW! Doctoral Public Impact Programme (DPIP)
The Doctoral Public Impact Programme is a comprehensive, cohort-based programme that supports doctoral candidates across all disciplines to position their research to make a difference. This one-year programme provides a powerful foundation for candidates who are planning careers in policy and government, consulting and advisory roles, NGO leadership, applied research, or academia with public purpose. Learn more and apply.
Doctoral Personal Leadership Programme (DPLP)
The Doctoral Personal Leadership Programme (DPLP) is a powerful foundation for your personal and professional growth, cultivating self-aware, purpose-driven leadership. It includes three group mentorship sessions, as well as six workshops. Applications for 2027 are not yet open. Watch out for announcements in Doctoral News.
Recommended opportunities
These opportunities include a wide variety of on-demand resources, programmes, courses, workshops, and other events.
Year 1
- Central Doctoral Induction
- Academic and Research Integrity Canvas course
- Social and networking opportunities
- Responsiveness to and engagement with Māori
- Research Ethics
- Finding Information workshops
- Finding Information resource
- Research Impact
- Writing a Data Management Plan
- Preparing for your Confirmation Review
- Explore Career Workshops and Expos
Year 2
- Doctoral Public Impact Programme (DPIP)
- Three Minute Thesis competition
- SGS Research Showcase
- Crafting your Research Elevator Pitch
- Publishing your Research
- Presenting Research with Academic Posters
- Presenting your Research at Seminars, Conferences and Events
- Interpersonal Communications series
- Project Management
- Wellbeing in Academia series
- Explore Career Workshops and Expos
- Network with alumni
Year 3
- Doctoral Personal Leadership Programme (DPLP)
- Preparing for your Doctoral Examination
- Thesis Formatting
- Career Development for Doctoral Candidates series
- Network with Alumni
Notes to remember
- Balance additional activities with research progress
- Not all activities will be relevant for every candidate
- You will likely need to also engage with research methods / technical training relevant for your own project / discipline
- Discuss plans with supervisors, both during the training needs analysis required as a candidature milestone, as well as regularly throughout your candidature
- Document all development activities for your CV