Welcome to Training for Universities
Key Skills Training for University Staff
I’m Dr Margaret Collins — researcher, former Senior Lecturer at the Royal Veterinary College and founder of Training for Universities.
I’ve spent more than 25 years inside universities and research institutes. I’ve done the PhD, managed postdoc teams, supervised research students, juggled teaching and administration and navigated the particular pressures of an academic career. That experience is the foundation of everything I deliver.
I work with researchers, academics and professional services staff across the full career span – from PhD students finding their feet to senior academics stepping into leadership. My workshops are practical, grounded in how university environments actually work and they are designed to create change that lasts beyond the training room.
Download my brochure.
What I deliver: Workshops and training programmes covering:
- Time and energy management
- Presentation and conference skills
- Assertiveness and saying no positively
- Imposter Syndrome feelings
- Supervising research students
- Research leadership and management
- Stress and pressure management
- And much more — see the full workshop list
I also offer Leading from Expertise, my flagship leadership development programme for people moving into positions of greater authority and influence.
Please do download my brochure now, then contact me on +44 7720 844760 or by email.
But don’t just take my word for this… workshop participants have said:
Dear Margaret,
The first thing I want to say is that this was one of the best time management workshops I’ve attended. It was engaging, the tips and hints on how to implement processes were great.
It has given me a pep to implement your suggestions with time blocking and I really liked the matter’s arising part. That is really useful.
I have been attempting to implement some of this stuff already, particularly the time blocks but then always got distracted by email. I love your comment/question about email being an important job kpi… it’s not!
Margaret nudges people towards realising their own potential instead of shushing people and indicating that she knows better (she does know better, she is brilliant!) Made me feel in control of my own actions and behaviour, really appreciate her role in bringing me to this.
Just few lines to let you know that the Assertiveness Workshop was fantastic for me. The quality of information you delivered helped me a lot in several areas and I am just looking forward to complete the circle. Although this is a hint of the whole, I know there is a window for me to go through to get more. Congratulations for being a wonderful coach.
The supervision workshop was really useful, enabling me to formalize the structures of supervision and gain from the experience of Dr Collins. Learning techniques that have a proven record will not only benefit me by building my confidence but will further enhance the experience of the students I supervise.
The interactive nature of the workshop allowed all participants to discuss existing supervision structures to evaluate and modify these rather than simply starting anew which I feel is important for allowing individual styles of supervision to develop.
A highly recommended workshop, even for those with substantial supervisory experience.
Working with me
I work directly with Researcher Development Managers, HR teams and academic departments to design and deliver training that fits your programme and your people. Get in touch to discuss your requirements — I’m happy to talk through what would work for your institution before any commitment is made.
Please do download my brochure now, then contact me on +44 7720 844760 or by email.