Postdocs (and other Research staff) at Queen's University Belfast are entitled to up to 10 days per year to spend on activities benefiting their career development.

These days can be used to:

• attend PDC or QUB training courses or events
• attend external courses
• be involved in committees
• contribute to the organisation of events
• undertake a placement
• generate preliminary data for a fellowship application
• prepare for/attend a job interview

Etc.

These 10 days are not meant to be used for activities that are necessary or already part of the postdoc's work, for example attending relevant conferences, technical training used in the project (i.e. personal licence training), meeting partners and collaborators and attending local events the postdoc is meant to attend (i.e. PhD students symposium, School's seminars etc.).

Staff on part-time contract (or contract running for only a part of the year) have access to the relevant pro-rata number of days.

These days can be used when seen fit by the research staff, provided it doesn't "clash" with your contracted duties (e.g. a planned stakeholder meeting or conference you need to attend) and that your contracted work is up to agreed standards.

These days can not be carried-over to the next year in order to encourage staff to pro-actively develop their careers. These are not annual leave.

Staff should record how they use their development days, for example by using this form.

References:

• Policy extended to all research staff (AC1 to AC3) and to all Faculties at QUB: agreed by the University Executive Board on 3 September 2019 (See P&C website).
• Policy originally developped for postdocs in the MHLS Faculty: discussed at the MHLS Faculty Executive Board meeting of the 26th April 2017 and communicated to all postdocs on the 26th May 2017 via an official letter from Pr Aaron Maule, Dean of Research.