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Each year, provides training to ºÚÁÏÍø researchers. While primarily aimed at early career researchers, PGRs, post-docs, and new academics Essex, Newcomers Research Week is a space for all researchers, and staff supporting researchers, to come together to strengthen knowledge and skills across the research lifecycle.

Building on the success of previous years, the 2026 programme brings together experts from across the University, including Library Services, the Research and Enterprise Office (REO), and the UK Data Archive for a week of insight, skill-building, and collaboration.

A growing tradition of research excellence

Since its launch, Newcomers Research Week has helped hundreds of researchers gain confidence in navigating the research lifecycle; from finding and managing data, to publishing and demonstrating impact.

Following positive feedback from Newcomers Research Week 2025, we’ve maintained the same key themes: research data practices, sharing and impact, planning and writing a grant, writing and publishing, and research ethics.

What’s new for 2026?

For 2026, we’ve updated some of our most popular sessions that will run again, while also introducing new sessions, more interactive opportunities for participants to connect and learn, and a new timing structure.

New sessions include a dedicated workshop on , acknowledging the rapidly growing role of artificial intelligence in academic work.

Another new session for 2026 is , where attendees can learn what makes a successful poster for an academic conference, as well as gain top tips on how to present a poster.

We’re also broadening the scope of Newcomers Research Week by including a new session aimed specifically at any staff in a technical role, as the T-PIKE team will deliver . This session aims to engage all technicians, IT and estates staff, librarians, archivists, and anyone else in technical roles, recognising the key part these people play in the research lifecycle.

As well as introducing new sessions, we’re also providing some asynchronous content for researchers to complete in their own time. This allows us to deliver a programme of live sessions with a more manageable time structure, as there are more breaks between sessions, as well as an earlier finish most days.

More asynchronous content will become available and be circulated before and during Newcomers Research Week, but some initial content includes:

• : find out about opportunities and requirements for open access publishing at Essex. This should take around 20 minutes.
• : learn about using research metrics (such as citations) responsibly, and complete the short quiz to check your understanding. This should take around 20 minutes.

Why attend?

Newcomers Research Week is more than a training programme, it’s an opportunity to connect with peers, learn from experts, and gain the confidence to navigate your research journey at Essex and beyond. Whether you’re preparing your first grant application, exploring ethical issues in your discipline, or learning how to share your work for maximum impact, the week offers something for every researcher.

How can I join?

Newcomers Research Week 2026 will take place 12 to 16 January 2026, with all sessions hosted online.

For more information, email newcomers@essex.ac.uk.

If you’re not already, to keep up with updates and opportunities for early career researchers.