UCD "THRIVE - Leadership in Research"
Programme 2026

Themes explored through the strengths competency include:

• Awareness of personal style as leader
• Communication styles, awareness, and options
• Acknowledging and managing limitations: where do we need support?
• Developing an ongoing personal development action plan
• Presentation skills and confidence

Themes explored through the inclusion competency include:

• Awareness of cultural diversity within teams and implicit and explicit tensions
• Awareness of unconscious bias in relation to visible and invisible difference
• Foregrounding diversity of lived experience as a core value of research
• Building an understanding of diversity and inclusion in relation to group dynamics and power

Themes explored through the growth and autonomy competency include:

• Developing a personal development strategy
• Developing a coaching mindset and skills with colleagues and team members
• Attending to team members’ personal and professional goals
• Balancing directional leadership with trust and devolved leadership opportunities

Themes explored in the managing conflict competency include:

• Having difficult conversations using non-violent communication strategies
• Balancing the needs of individuals with the tasks, aims, and goals of teams or departments
• Creating space for our own vulnerability and the emotional safety of team members
• Confronting elephants in the room
• Exhibiting potency, supplying protection, and giving permission
• Delivering work within organisational systems which inhibit

Themes explored in the creativity competency include:

• Exploring our personal thoughts, feelings and behaviours towards creative expression
• Embedding a culture of creativity and creative problem solving within research teams
• Creativity as a positively disrupting and catalysing force
• Welcoming self-expression, individuality, and creative vulnerability within teams

Themes explored in the career development competency include:

• Realistic career roadmaps and options
• Exploring softer areas of mission, lifestyle and values regarding career
• Examining work-life balance
• Defining career goals
• Promoting career advancement of team members
• Managing competition, complexity, rejection

• Applications are open to UCD Faculty at Lecturer/Assistant Professor or Associate Professor level
• Applicants on Temporary contracts must have a minimum of 15 months remaining on their contract from the commencement date of the first Module in order to be eligible to apply, and to facilitate their attendance to the full Programme (including both “Continue the Learning” sessions – see below)
• Applicants must confirm their availability for all training days
• Applicants must consult with their Head of School in advance of submitting their application

Each application will be evaluated by a designated STEM or AHSSL selection panels comprised of:

• UCD’s Vice President for Research Innovation and Impact
• College Vice Principals/Associate Deans for Research, Innovation and Impact
• Representative from UCD Research

In assessing each THRIVE application, the selection panels will take into consideration a personal statement, CV and track record . Applications will be assessed based on three key areas: research track record, leadership and management, and motivation to engage with the programme.

Successful applicants will be contacted by the end of November 2025 to confirm their place. Due to the large target audience, the opportunity to provide feedback as part of the application process may be limited.

 Workshops will be delivered in-person and online as indicated on the schedule:

*The one-to-one coaching sessions will take place virtually and the dates will be agreed between the participants and coaches in between January and May 2026 based on everyone's availability 

Please note:

• Two "Continue the Learning" Sessions are expected to be held in November 2026 and March 2027