Social Transformation and Advocacy through Research (STAR) project

1.) The STAR project MRes (Health and Bioscience, Social Science or Performance):

Master of Research (MRes) degrees are an important pathway into research as unlike taught Master degrees, an MRes places more emphasis on research expertise. The STAR project offers a specialist MRes route that combines high-level research training (recognised by relevant funding bodies) with additional research advocacy skills and campaigning and lobbying expertise.

The three MRes courses we offer are Health and Bioscience, Social Science or Performance. Each course shares core activities and learning such as lectures and masterclasses from leading international scholars as well as the opportunity to attend guest speaker events with key influencers in the research landscape (such as funding bodies, government departments, publishers) giving insight into the value and potential impact of research careers

2) Continuous professional development course for community and voluntary sector groups seeking to increase their research capacity:

Continuous professional development (CPD) courses are powerful tools to increase your knowledge and build skills required for career progression. We offer a CPD course to community and voluntary sector groups such as Positivity UK to support individuals in building their professional research capacity. Our CPD course focuses on building research and research advocacy skills tailored to meet the needs of our community partners to enhance research career routes in those sectors.

3) Extending research careers for professional pathways:

This package builds on UEL’s expertise in Professional Doctorate and practice routes to extend access to research careers for a range of professional pathways, with a focus on career paths linked to Performance, Social Sciences and Health and Biosciences. We offer an extended Professional Doctorate programme in Performing Arts or Social Sciences, and an Academic Fellowship for Health and Allied professions, in particular for professional routes not at present served by Clinical Fellowship programmes.

4)    Near Peers 1 (Postgraduate to Undergraduate):

Our Near Peers programme aims to build research advocacy and outreach skills among postgraduate (PGR) students and undergraduate students. Near Peers 1 involves UEL PGR students undertaking outreach with UEL second-year undergraduates (UGs) by delivering sessions to the undergraduates where they communicate the impact of research across diverse sectors, advocate for research and research careers and support UGs to develop research skills. The PGR students are able to build their research advocacy skills which will be essential for enhancing their career, whilst the undergraduates have an increased understanding of PGR routes and the value of a career in research.

5)    Near Peers 2 (Undergraduate to local schools):

The other half of our Near Peers programme involves UEL second-year undergraduate students undertaking outreach with students from local secondary schools and sixth forms. The undergraduate students work with the school students on a research project chosen by the school students that is designed to highlight the value of research in our community and at the end of the programme, the students present their findings to a wider audience in a public exhibition. The undergraduate students gain research advocacy skills whilst the school students gain a better understanding on the impact of research and research careers. This programme also supports UEL in building sustainable partnerships with schools to showcase the value and contribution of research practice to their communities.