Academic career advice

Tips and resources to help you build a successful career in academia. From skills development during your PhD to preparing for a role in university administration, all academic career steps are covered. Here, you will find advice on promoting your work, growing your professional reputation and developing collegiate networks to support your academic career progression - or to help you move into industry.

By Laura.Duckett , 21 April, 2026

From research to reach: working with marketing and comms teams

A researcher being interviewed for a podcast

If research is to shape public debate, support students and inform society, academics must learn how to collaborate with marketing and communications teams to extend its reach beyond the journal page, says Bertha Martínez

Reading time

4minutes

By kiera.obrien , 15 April, 2026

How a science communication competition changed my career path

To connect with scientists all over the world, hone your public speaking skills and improve public trust in science, a science communication competition could be the answer. Find out more here

Reading time

4minutes

By miranda.prynne , 9 April, 2026

Campus Talks: Where research meets enterprise – lessons from a successful spin-out founder

Ashutosh Chilkoti speaks on the Campus Talks podcast

Learn about the journey from academic researcher to entrepreneur and what it takes to launch a successful spin-out company, from a serial founder

By Laura.Duckett , 8 April, 2026

Academics, get your thoughts on the page and unlock your reflective superpower

A man sitting at his desk staring into space

Embedding writing time into an educator’s schedule and sharing insights with others can turn fleeting ideas into actions that improve teaching practices

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton , 6 April, 2026

Why universities should rethink line management before they rethink learning

Strong line management leads to higher staff engagement and retention, supports healthier research environments, reduces conflict and enables smoother adoption of change, writes Annie Owen. Here are ways universities can foster it

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton , 3 April, 2026

An academic career is rarely a straight line

A scientist’s path can include studying abroad, experience in industry, research and teaching as well as setbacks and uncertainty. Here, Kinga Vörös offers reflections as an early career neuroscientist and why the journey is most meaningful when research reaches patients

Reading time

4minutes

By Eliza.Compton , 2 April, 2026

Lessons from being academic chair of a complex department

Being a department head takes both emotional and cognitive energy to juggle people, programmes, contracts and institutional demands. But digging into skills such as trust-building and communication will bear fruit, writes Ben K. Daniel

Reading time

4minutes

By Laura.Duckett , 2 April, 2026

Beyond mission statements: financially literate academics make better career choices

The most valuable research you do this year will not be for your next paper but into your employer and yourself, writes Tom Chapman. Here, he outlines findings from his analysis of university financial statements, offering insight into what to expect when planning a move

Reading time

5minutes

By miranda.prynne , 1 April, 2026

What you need to know about securing investment for your spin out

Young researcher making a business pitch

Venture capitalists are ‘completely different beasts’ to grant bodies so academic founders need to embrace a new style of pitching if they are to secure funding for their companies, as Tim Witney explains

By kiera.obrien , 1 April, 2026

Write a business plan for a university spin-out company

A woman starts her business plan on a whiteboard

Looking to secure investment for your spin-out? Find out how to write a business plan that ticks every box

Reading time

4minutes

Academic career advice