, by DiveIn Admin

Co³ Academy Welcomes New Cohort

This June, DiveIn welcomed a new cohort of supervisors and collaborators to the Co³ Academy (Cohort, Co-create, Contribute). The programme brings together our wider research community to help shape the future of doctoral training, strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration, and build a thriving, ethical and inclusive research culture.

Now in its second cohort, the Co³ Academy continues to grow as a Community of Practice – welcoming new participants alongside colleagues from the first round, all committed to shaping the postgraduate experience at DiveIn. Through facilitated workshops and shared discussions, members have the opportunity to connect across disciplines, explore innovative approaches to collaboration and supervision, and help embed these approaches across the DiveIn CDT and the wider University research community.

Co³ Academy participants seated together at a workshop table, engaged in discussion.

Gather to Spark: Building the Foundations for Collaboration

The first workshop, Gather to Spark, focused on the skills, behaviours and mindsets that enable effective interdisciplinary working.

Facilitated by Emma Skipper and Toby Scott from Knowinnovation, the session introduced participants to the Creative Problem Solving (CPS) process and explored how ideas move from early-stage challenges through to practical implementation. Through interactive activities, attendees reflected on their own approaches to problem solving, learned facilitation techniques, and explored how collaboration can be strengthened across disciplinary boundaries.

Discussions highlighted several key ingredients for successful interdisciplinary research, including developing a shared language, building trust, managing expectations, and maintaining curiosity about different perspectives and ways of working.

A glass wall displays a collaborative workshop setup with a large handwritten heading in blue marker reading “Recipes for Success”, framed by arrows pointing inward from both sides. Below the heading, several square yellow sticky notes are arranged in rows. Each sticky note contains handwritten ideas in black ink. Visible notes include: “Be curious about each other’s work and ask questions that challenge field assumption.” “Developing a shared language.” “Understanding each other – expectations, mechanisms/environment, priorities.” “Having the freedom to explore ideas and approaches.” “All partners use unified and common language for the best clarity of collaboration.” “Manage expectations about how long it might take, about realistic outputs and the need to build collaboration.” Additional notes are partially visible at the edges. A small note at the bottom mentions simplifying language by breaking it down into simple context.

Build to Trust: Supporting a Positive Research Culture

The second workshop, Build to Trust, focused on DiveIn’s commitment to Trusted, Responsible and Open Research and Innovation (TRORI) and the role supervisors and collaborators play in embedding these principles within the doctoral experience.

Facilitated by Jillian Couto-Phoenix, the workshop gave participants the opportunity to learn about the University’s wider research culture agenda and DiveIn’s approach to integrating TRORI throughout its training programme. The session also included a contribution from Dr Samantha Oakley, Research Governance & Integrity Manager in Research Services, who joined to present on trusted research as part of the TRORI discussion.

The group explored how these principles can be applied in practice, reflected on progress made by the first cohort, and discussed how they can support postgraduate researchers in developing responsible, reflective and socially aware research practices.

By bringing colleagues together to share experiences and contribute their perspectives, the session reinforced the importance of collective leadership in creating a positive and supportive research environment.

Attendees in discussion during the Build to Trust workshop session.

Shaping the Future Together

The Co³ Academy reflects DiveIn’s commitment to building not only excellent researchers, but also a collaborative and engaged research community. As each new cohort joins the Academy, this Community of Practice will continue to grow, strengthening the network of support around DiveIn postgraduate researchers and creating shared approaches to supervision, research culture and interdisciplinary collaboration.

We would like to thank all of the supervisors, collaborators, facilitators and speakers who contributed to the June workshops. The conversation continues next at the three-day Scope and Connect event in September, where the new cohort of postgraduate researchers will come together with supervisors and collaborators for the first time – marking the next step in building this shared research community.