IRB Barcelona´s commitment to training

As part of our mission to promote excellent research in a multidisciplinary environment,
we are committed to training scientists and maximizing the impact of our research on
society.

Coordinated by the Academic Office, with the collaboration of other departments, complementary training focuses on our PhD and postdoctoral researchers. However, community-wide training activities are also implemented.

Training activities

We offer a wide range of regular training activities (courses and workshops) beyond the bench that seek to develop and strengthen the core complementary skills required for a successful research career. Our training programme addresses mainly transferable skills but also includes more technical courses. Training activities fall into the following categories:

1. Career Development

Workshops to improve researchers’ knowledge, skills and experience, enabling them to leverage their science and open up career opportunities beyond academia.

2. Innovation Series

IRB Barcelona’s Innovation Department is actively involved in the design of innovation-related training activities (either delivering them or facilitating contact with experts). Training is designed to enhance a wide range of both hard and soft skills associated with entrepreneurship and business development.

This section includes workshops and training activities, which fall into four axes, namely
Technology Transfer, Entrepreneurship, Value Proposition, and Innovation.

3. Communication

Workshops on communications skills aim to help PhDs and postdocs to improve their oral/writing communication not only when addressing a scientific audience but also the public in general.

4. Scientific-Technical Training

Technical and scientific skills workshops seek to improve researchers’ abilities and knowledge with respect to specific techniques, computer skills, etc.

5. Personal Career development

Each PhD researcher is supervised by a Thesis Advisory Committee (TAC), composed of three members. This committee is responsible for tutoring, monitoring and guiding the PhD researcher in all aspects related to the thesis and career development. The TAC is intended not only to provide support and guidance on scientific issues but also to address any individual concerns that may arise.

Furthermore, following the principles of the European Charter of Researchers, as of 2020 IRB Barcelona is implementing a set of measures to reinforce career development in a personalised manner. In this regard, in 2019, various members of the Human Resources and Academic Affairs Department received specialised training as 'Career advisors' and are now developing individualised career development plans for PhD researchers, thereby helping them to identify, acquire or strengthen skills that will serve to enhance their employment prospects.