/ Grants at the Royal Society / Training, mentoring and partnership schemes

Innovation and the business of science

These courses aim to equip Research Fellows with the necessary skills to communicate and negotiate effectively and understand the innovation process, as well as how to create value from their own research.

Course dates and eligibility

Eligible attendees: Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin, Industry, Newton International, Sir Henry Dale, University Research and Wolfson Fellows.

2024 course dates:

  • 13 - 15 March: Leadership effectiveness (registration closed)
  • 5 - 7 June: Leadership effectiveness (registration open)
  • 12 September: Introduction to management
  • 16 - 18 October: Leadership effectiveness
  • 26 - 29 November: Scientific entrepreneurship

The Innovation and the business of science programme has been designed in partnership with Imperial College Business School to help researchers develop their leadership capabilities, run a successful research group and learn what it means to be a scientific entrepreneur.

Leadership effectiveness

This module focuses on management skills and leadership behaviours that underpin effective leadership in science. Dr Sankalp Chaturvedi, Professor of Organisational Behaviour and Leadership, will explore attributes, qualities and behaviours of inspiring leaders and the challenges facing researchers in managerial roles. You will also have the chance to learn more about your own personal leadership style.

Through talks and team exercises you will explore:

  • Managing motivation
  • Negotiation and influencing skills and techniques
  • Effective coaching and mentoring
  • Creating high performance teams

We recommend attending this module once you have completed the first year of your fellowship. The module is relevant for researchers who are, or will be, managing people and groups.

Scientific entrepreneurship

Professor Bart Clarysse, Chair in Entrepreneurship and a successful founder of several high-tech start-ups, will take you through the challenges and opportunities associated with scientific entrepreneurship. Along with input from experts in entrepreneurship, business and funding you will build the awareness and skills necessary to be a more effective scientific entrepreneur. 

  • Understand the evolution of science into commercially applicable technologies
  • Role of intellectual property in new ventures
  • Heuristics required to drive new ventures forward
  • Entrepreneurial finance

The culmination of this module is a ‘Dragons’ Den’ style judging panel where participants will pitch ideas based on their research and get feedback from expert panel members.

This module is designed for those with an interest in scientific entrepreneurship, with particular relevance for those with an idea they are looking to commercialise.

Introduction to Management

This module focuses on people management skills that you will use throughout your entire career. Consultants for Research Development at Imperial College London, Dr Ines Perpetuo and Stefanie Edler-Wollstein, will explore people management issues and common challenges faced at this important stage of your career. This includes topics such as team recruitment and development and how to manage your time in an efficient and effective way.

In this programme, through talks, case studies and group exercises, you will learn about:

  • Self-awareness -  communication and leadership style, time management
  • Managing your team - recruitment of students and staff, how to have difficult conversations

We recommend attending this module during the first year of your fellowship if you are, or will be, managing people and groups.

Please note that the Leadership effectiveness programme and Introduction to Management are complementary. Some of the content topics are similar but the approach is different; this programme is very practical and scenario based.