Working and studying with us

We are a successful and internationally-recognised department, and this is entirely due to the achievements of our staff and students. The Department is large, with around 130 staff, including over 40 academics, large numbers of PhD, MD and other postgraduate students, all engaging in wide-ranging research, clinical and teaching activity. As staff and students here, there are many benefits to being part of such a thriving department and institution.

We are committed to supporting and developing all students and members of staff, and to providing an excellent working environment, culture and work/life balance for all. In the spring of 2016 we were awarded an Athena SWAN silver award, and we have a strong focus on implementing and reviewing an action plan (developed as part of the award submission) in order to support the advancement of women in cardiovascular sciences research, and to promote continuous improvement more widely.

We undertake an annual staff survey and have established a Working Lives Group which has a key role in the development and implementation of our improvement strategy. The Working Lives Group aims to improve the working culture, environment and work/life balance for all members of the Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, as set out in our Terms of Reference. Working Lives Group membership is drawn from all sections of the Department.

We also have a Social Committee, which was instigated by the Working Lives Group in response to staff and student requests for more organised social events.

Staff and student development

We are committed to the development of all staff and students, to enable individuals to fulfil their potential and make a significant contribution to the work of the Department.

The University's Staff Development Partnership provides personal and professional training and development opportunities and the Academic Practice Unit supports the initial and continuing professional development of staff engaged in teaching, research and academic leadership activities across the University.

The College of Life Sciences has introduced a new mentoring scheme, and academic and research staff in the Department are encouraged to participate. The Department has also appointed a senior academic as a post-doctoral mentor, who arranges regular meetings for post-docs and early career researchers.

Information and guidance for postgraduate students, covering topics such as skills and career development, supervisory meetings, internships and placements, and planning your final year, is available through the Doctoral College.

Departmental seminar programme

An active programme of seminars, given by distinguished external speakers in all aspects of cardiovascular research, sees seminars held approximately monthly, and we also offer three research half-days per year. We also have a programme of seminars given by PhD and MD students.

In addition, we hold two annual named lectures aimed at a more general audience: the John Swales Lecture and the Reverend Derek Hole Cardiovascular Lecture.