Online Training Courses 2026

This highly interactive course equips researchers and healthcare practitioners with the skills to develop competitive fellowship and research grant applications. Participants gain an understanding of how UK funding bodies assess proposals, how to tailor applications to different funding calls, and how to manage the collaborative writing and editing process.

The course focuses on developing clear, persuasive proposals, including writing compelling abstracts, demonstrating research impact and planning budgets. Through practical exercises, brainstorming activities and real proposal examples, participants learn how to refine their ideas, communicate complex research to non-specialist reviewers and strengthen their chances of securing funding.

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Describe the proposal review process.
• Effectively manage a collaborative proposal writing process.
• Understand the requirements for each section of a proposal.
• Understand the key differences between criteria for fellowships and research grants. 
• Draft a compelling and concise proposal abstract and text.
• Write convincingly about research impact. 
• Plan a budget. 
• Use brainstorming tools to generate ideas and mitigate risk.
• Refine ideas and writing for a less technical audience. 

The target audience are researchers with little or no experience of writing proposals to UK funding bodies.

Please note that this course is available to BactiVac members only. If you are not yet a member, you will not be eligible to apply for this course. Please find the link to apply for free membership here: Membership application to join the BactiVac Network - University of Birmingham if you are working in the Bacterial Vaccinology remit and wish to be considered for future opportunities.

Preference for the allocation of places will be given to:

• Early career researchers (defined as individuals who do not currently hold a substantive position within their organisation)
• Applicants who are resident in LMIC countries

Please note that attendees of previously held BactiVac Grant Writing Workshops are not eligible to apply.

Applications open: 12 August 2026

Applications close: 13 September 2026 (23:59 UK Time)

Outcome notification email: week commencing 20 September 2026

Course date and time: Wednesday 21 & Friday 23 October 2026 (13:00 – 16:30 UK time). Delivered via Zoom. Full attendance on both dates is a mandatory requirement.

Apply via the following MS form: 

BactiVac Online Training - Grant Writing Workshop – Fill in form

If you experience any issues completing the form, please get in touch with bactivac@contacts.bham.ac.uk before Friday 11  September 2026 (16:00 UK Time).

This course helps researchers deliver clear, engaging and memorable presentations. It combines the core elements of Scriptoria’s Presentation Skills training with advanced techniques that focus on delivery, audience engagement and presenting with impact.

Participants learn how to build a clear narrative, present data effectively and design stronger visuals. The course also explores presentation as performance, techniques for shorter oral presentations and practical ways to engage audiences and encourage meaningful Q&A. The training is interactive and includes examples, short exercises and opportunities for discussion.

Participants will come away with:

• Techniques for building a clear and engaging research narrative
• Skills for presenting figures, images and data in a way that is easy to understand
• Stronger visual design approaches for clean, impactful slides
• Practical tools to communicate with confidence using voice, posture and movement
• Approaches for delivering shorter presentations with clarity and impact
• Strategies for adapting presentations for academic, industry and non-specialist audiences
• Methods for increasing audience engagement and sparking stronger Q&A sessions

The Network will be funding 20 places on this Course on a competitive basis, with preference given to members from LMIC countries and Early Career Researchers. We strongly encourage applications from BactiVac members who are planning to present at conferences and seminars, as well as more regularly in your current job role.

Applications open: 02 February 2026

Applications close: 01 March 2026

Outcome notification email: no later than Friday 27 March 2026

Course date and time: Tuesday 05 and Thursday 07 May 2026 (13:00 – 16:00 UK time). Delivered via Zoom. Full attendance on both dates is a mandatory requirement.

Download the Articulating and Presenting with Impact Application Form (Word, 1.20MB)

Email your completed form in MS Word format to bactivac@contacts.bham.ac.uk by 01 March 2026 at 23:59 UK time.

This masterclass helps researchers translate an academic CV into a document that meets the expectations of industry employers. Academic CVs are designed for scholarly audiences and often highlight publications, technical detail and long-form career histories. Industry CVs require a very different approach, with a clear focus on skills, achievements and practical impact.

Participants learn how to reinterpret and reorganise their academic experience, so it speaks directly to industry needs. The training is practical and interactive, with examples, short exercises and opportunities for discussion.

Participants will come away with:

• Understand the fundamental differences between academic and industry CVs
• Translate academic experience into an industry-focused profile
• Present research outputs and achievements as clear, transferable skills
• Interpret and analyse industry job ads to understand employer expectations
• Match their skills and experience to specific roles and articulate this confidently
• Use layout and formatting techniques that improve clarity and impact for industry readers

The Network will be funding 20 places on this Course on a competitive basis, with preference given to members from LMIC countries and Early Career Researchers. We strongly encourage applications from BactiVac members who are hoping to move their career from academia to industry and need assistance condensing their CV’s.

Applications open: 02 February 2026

Applications close: 01 March 2026

Outcome notification email: no later than Friday 27 March 2026

Course date and time: Tuesday 26 May 2026 (13:00 – 16:00 UK time). Delivered via Zoom. Full attendance required.

Download the Translational CV Writing Skills Application Form (Word, 1.19MB)

Email your completed form in MS Word format to bactivac@contacts.bham.ac.uk by 01 March 2026 at 23:59 UK time.