RESEARCH AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (RPDP) FOR PHD STUDENTS

The University College Dublin (UCD) Research and Professional Development Plan (RPDP) is a set of tools to aid in the planning and progress of a PhD student's research and professional skills. It is an integral part of the Structured PhD programme at UCD and has been specifically designed to aid students in the planning, monitoring and completion of their PhD. It is primarily owned by the PhD student, but is intended to be beneficial to both the student and the supervisor. The RPDP potentially has great benefits for the management and timely completion of a student's PhD and in directing the acquisition of both research and professional skills. The UCD RPDP was included as an integral part of the UCD PhD Regulations, which were approved by the Academic Council in October 2006.