Research Focus Weeks have been created to allow uninterrupted and concentrated time for you to develop research projects. This might, for example, include grant writing, finishing a paper, or discussing grant proposal opportunities with your colleagues.
Learn when the three Research Focus Weeks occur each year.
Three Research Focus Weeks are held each academic year: one in September, one in January, and one in May. The September week coincides with the end of the summer vacation, and the January and May dates with revision weeks.
Ideally, Research Focus Weeks should offer uninterrupted time for valuable work. For this reason, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise) has asked that you avoid holding University, faculty- or departmental-level meetings during them.
Things to consider to help you make the most of Research Focus Week.
Think about how you might want to structure your Research Focus Week to make the most of the time it offers.
For example, you could hold department and faculty-level initiatives such as sandpit-like events, on the Monday, to help encourage interdisciplinary research programmes. The discussions these begin could then develop in a focused way during the rest of the week.
Research and Innovation Services (RIS) colleagues are encouraged to provide support and research events, like drop-in sessions, during Research Focus Weeks.
You may also want to consider the value of 'meeting-free' days. Do you have a view? We welcome your feedback.
Research Focus Weeks are a great opportunity for doctoral students.
The Doctoral College organises workshops and activities to create an optimum working environment and to help researchers focus and re-engage.
To make the most of the week, remember to set some goals (for example, write a chapter, finish your research paper, and so on) and use this time to plan future work that will help you remain on track with your research project.
Dates to put in your diary for the academic year 2025/26.
If you have any questions or feedback we'd like to hear from you.