Now in its seventh year, Team Research Support Day (TRSD) is a community of practice and an annual professional development event dedicated to improving research support and enablement at UTS, with the aim of continuous advancement. In this guest post, Dr. Stella Tan encourages everyone to get involved.
Join us at Team Research Support Day 2025
UTS Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President Research, Professor Kate McGrath, has always believed that it is our people who help define UTS today.
We recognise that this year is a tough one for all of us, as factors beyond our control are impacting the entire higher education sector, both globally and locally.
However, there is still research to undertake, people to support, and stories to share about how we make a difference in people's lives. Our goals and dreams to create an impact, educate, and improve lives remain very much alive and are burning brighter than ever!
With increasingly complex issues and demands for evidence-based, high-quality results, traditional ways of working are becoming problematic at best.
The launch of the UTS Strategy 2030 recognises the need to develop and strengthen practices that promote better collaboration across all divisions and encourage more innovative ways of working effectively. But how do we turn this vision into a practical and workable approach that benefits everyone?
This is where TRSD comes in! This year, the theme focuses on ‘A Day in the life of research support – what does it take to engage and build meaningful relationships?’
The full-day event will explore this topic through five key areas:
- In what ways can we better manage expectations, given that many of us serve the many as individuals? How can we achieve this more effectively without burning ourselves out while maintaining strong, healthy relationships?
- For a long time, we've been searching for better ways to recognise who's who in the zoo – so how can we connect with our systems?
- We know we work better when we trust each other. But do we follow through? What can we learn from those who seem to have cracked the secret to meaningful relationships?
- Continuous professional development enables us to stay current with emerging challenges. What are these resources, and how can I access them?
- Research support is more than just an idea; it’s a community of practice. How can I, as an individual, contribute value to someone else at UTS?
If there is one thing that TRSD at UTS truly values, it is celebrating the resilient and adaptable human spirit as we innovate, engage, and nurture collegiate relationships with our colleagues, stakeholders, and students. We are individuals working together as a community to support and empower each other to do our best work yet!
What makes this a MUST-ATTEND event is that we are not afraid to confront our problems head-on and rise to these challenges as best as we can. We may not always succeed immediately, but we will never give up!
So, whether you're from HR, Finance, IT, the Library, or working in the Research Office, at the Graduate Research School, within faculties, schools, divisions, labs, or with Advancement, International, Partnerships and Start-Ups, we encourage you to connect with peers, participate in discussions, contribute ideas, share experiences, and work together towards a common goal. Please join us!
Registration is compulsory and closes on 10 July 2025.
Event details
Team Research Support Day is mainly aimed at research support staff and academic leaders. Researchers who work closely with support staff are also welcome and encouraged to attend.
We understand that not everyone can stay for the full day. Please leave us a note if you would like to attend for half a day or just drop in for a session.
When: 8:45 am – 4:30 pm, Wednesday, 22 July 2025
Where: UTS Aerial Function Centre, Level 7, Building 10
Dr Stella Tan is the Strategic Research Support Coordinator in the Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) and Facilitator of Team Research Support Day. Thanks to Amy Cotton for photographs of Team Research Support Day 2024.