Prosper Cohort

Click here explore Prosper, a new approach to career development that unlocks postdocs' potential to thrive in multiple career pathways.

Are you a postdoc ready to unlock your potential?

Join the Prosper Cohort, a programme specifically designed for postdocs ready to take control of their career development. Embark on a transformative journey that will empower you with the skills and knowledge to shape your future in academia or beyond.

This programme is based on insightful tools and resources that are available through the Prosper Portal, an initiative spearheaded by the University of Liverpool for the sector, but has been tailored to our White Rose environment.

Why Participate?

Over three immersive in-person days, you will receive:

Holistic Career Coaching: Enjoy personalised career coaching and development workshops tailored to your unique needs.
Diverse Community: Connect with a vibrant group of postdocs from various disciplines and across the White Rose institutions, fostering a rich environment for collaboration and growth.
Empowerment: Gain the tools and confidence to identify your strengths, set career goals, and navigate your career path with clarity and purpose.

Programme Structure

The Prosper Cohort offers a comprehensive structure designed to support your career development. You will engage in three in-person workshops, each hosted at a different White Rose partner institution (Leeds, Sheffield and York), covering essential career development topics that will enable you to reflect, explore and act. Additionally, you will receive individualised support from an experienced coach and build valuable connections with peers across the White Rose organisations.

Further information

Click on the events below to discover the topics and activities planned for each lab.

Applications close at 12:00, Friday 17 January 2025.

You are eligible to apply to be part of the Prosper Cohort if you meet the following criteria:

You hold a PhD (or equivalent) and are a member of staff who is employed to carry out research as a postdoc. You may be on a fixed-term contract or contract of limited duration due to funding.

You are employed at one of the White Rose universities (Leeds, Sheffield or York) for the duration of the Prosper programme (until May 2025).

You can commit to attending all three in-person training days. Attendance at all the following programme elements is mandatory:
- Day 1 - Reflect: 25 February 2025 (Leeds)
- Day 2 - Explore: 25 March 2025 (Sheffield)
- Day 3 - Act: 30 April 2025 (York)

At the White Rose University Consortium, we are committed to creating a welcoming and supportive environment that fosters growth for all our people. Ensuring that our programmes are accessible to everyone is a key priority for us. If you have any concerns or factors that might hinder your access or full participation in our programmes (such as caregiving responsibilities or specific accessibility needs), please reach out to us at info@whiterose.ac.uk. We are eager to provide solutions that will enable you to fully engage with White Rose activities.

To express your interest in joining the White Rose 2025 Prosper Cohort, please complete the application form.

The application form covers:

About you:

First name
Last name
Role title
Email - please use your institution’s email address
Institution
In which discipline do you work
Your PhD viva date
Your contract end date

Why Prosper:<

Why do you want to join this Prosper cohort? What aspects of the programme interest you the most?
What are your career thoughts following your current postdoc

Your commitment:

This programme includes three in-person days, and attendance at all sessions is mandatory. By answering “yes,” you confirm that you have checked your schedule and are available to attend all dates in full.

Deadline: Applications close at 12:00 on Friday, 17 January 2025.
Notification: Successful participants will be notified during the week beginning 27 January 2025.

Preference will be given to applicants nearing the end of their contracts. There are 24 places available, with eight participants from each White Rose University (Leeds, Sheffield, and York).

The cost of attending this programme is £650 per participant, funded on your behalf by the Consortium.

The White Rose University Consortium actively engages with institutional, regional and national partners to propel positive change and create sustained impact for individuals, communities, and the region.