LURA Programmes
LURA centralises the training and development support provided by teams across the university. We coordinate, deliver and develop opportunities for the whole Loughborough research community.
The opportunities highlighted below give a flavour of what we offer, from mentoring, to funding, professional development pathways to Summer Schools. Mapped across a broad set of themes, our programme is structured to enable our research community to plan and engage with their development, wherever they are in their career.
The LURA directory pulls all of the available research-related development opportunities into one place, linked to the Researcher Development Framework and, where relevant, to LURA pathways,
Our Programmes
Innovation Consultants
The Innovation Consultants programme is a pioneering collaboration between Loughborough University’s doctoral researchers and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) within the University’s business incubator LUinc. The programme provides a small team of Loughborough researchers with a paid, one day per week, experience in business consultancy and the businesses gain high quality, skilled people to address key business challenges.
Career Mobility Funding
This competitive funding supports career development visits, including with different sectors. Applicants must demonstrate a targeted approach and rationale for building a collaborative partnership, or acquiring beneficial new skills or knowledge.
Research Futures
This programme gives researchers and research professionals support to thrive across multiple career pathways – both within and beyond academia. Drawing on the Prosper resources, participants learn and apply a range of tools and techniques to support effective career management and encourage development.
Research Culture Funding
This fund provides awards of up to £10,000 to support projects, activities and initiatives that strengthen and enhance research culture across Loughborough University. The fund supports colleagues to test new approaches, scale successful activities, and contribute to the University's commitment to fostering a thriving research culture.
Research Leadership
Our research leadership pathway develops the skills, confidence, and strategic insight required to lead interdisciplinary research teams effectively. It engages research leaders in skills transfer processes, spanning team, research and self management.
Mentoring
Through targeted career mentoring for researchers and research-enabling staff, we support the development of the knowledge, skills, and behaviours needed to excel. We are creating a community of mentors and mentees, fostering collaboration and enabling career progression.
Supervisor Development
The Supervisor Development Programme brings together a series of themed activities and resources covering the full doctoral candidate journey. It equips supervisors and students with the skills to succeed in a flexible, accessible format.
Fellowship Foundations
This cohort programme supports future fellows to gain the skills required to build a strong application, build their network, and engage with the wider Loughborough research community.
Summer Schools
During the summer, funded students are given a taste of life as a researcher. The students receive additional training and development coordinated by LURA to support their experience.