”During the pandemic, we held many back-to-back virtual training sessions. Before we started using Inkpath, I was tasked with manually inputting attendance information for each conference session into several spreadsheets. Now, everything is in one place, students can book themselves onto each training session and there is a clear record of what they’ve selected. No more spreadsheets!” – Training and Collaboration Coordinator, Northern Bridge Doctoral Training Partnership
Northern Bridge Consortium is a Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) bringing together cutting-edge expertise and exceptional resources of seven universities and their non-HE partner organisations.The DTP offers around 70 funded studentships per year to outstanding postgraduate researchers across the full range of Arts and Humanities subjects, and students benefit from supervision, training and development of the highest quality, tailored to their needs.
The DTP needed to streamline its training and events booking system to simplify the process for staff and students alike, so looked to Inkpath to provide a more efficient way to manage its training and development programme.
“Before we started using the platform, I spent a lot of time sending out email reminders about our training programmes.”
“I’d add and remove people to and from waiting lists, and I’d manage the whole booking process manually. I wanted a platform to make this a much easier and more efficient process, for both staff and students.”
Automated waiting lists and reminder notifications have taken the stress out of running events. Students can simply scan their training into the Inkpath app, and verify their attendance, providing feedback while they do so. There is no need to enter their attendance into other systems manually.
“Today, I no longer have to constantly check bookings. I used to get so many emails from students regarding training events, but now all enquiries and information is in one place. All details are now just a click away for me and for our students.”
With Inkpath, students can discover the best training available tailored specifically to their needs. Wherever the event occurs and whoever delivers the course, all events are brought together in one place. Inkpath shows you key information about each event and directs you to the relevant booking page.
Students also retain access to the platform and all this information, for life, enabling them to build a rich portfolio of activity. This record of activity, evidence and notes can all be exported when the time comes to write CVs or apply for funding.
As well as streamlining the training and development booking process, the DTP can now record placement and activities for students. It has been using the platform to track alumni, too.Tracking these activities allows Northern Bridge to report back to its funder on the impact of the funding received both during and after students have undertaken their projects with the DTP.
“Through the Inkpath platform, we can also collate reports for the annual Arts and Humanities Research Council review to report back on engagement and results. Before having the system, we would have to manually hunt for these and gather all of the information ourselves, which was really time consuming.”