Supporting researchers to run better events: new CPLAS planning guidance
The CPLAS Research Culture Group has developed a new event planning guide designed to support early career researchers (ECRs) and PhD students in organising their own academic events.
The guide was created in response to a need for more practical, accessible support for researchers who are often asked to run workshops, training sessions or networking events, sometimes for the first time. Rather than offering a prescriptive checklist, it provides a flexible framework that can be adapted to different formats, scales and audiences,
The guide is designed to build confidence as well as competence. By breaking event planning down into manageable stages, it aims to make the process feel more achievable and to encourage more ECRs to take the lead on organising activities within CPLAS.
This is part of a broader effort by the Research Culture Group to support skills development, community building and inclusive participation across the programme. Alongside initiatives such as career workshops and outreach activities, the guide provides a practical resource that researchers can use immediately in their own work.
The guidance has already been used to support new initiatives within the network, demonstrating its value as a shared resource for the community. As more researchers begin to adapt and use it, it is expected to continue evolving in response to feedback and different event formats.