FAQs Training

FAQs

Programme booking and enrolment

How do I book, manage or change my bookings for sessions I take through POD?

You can manage all of your bookings through your CoSy portal. Please login to CoSy (cosy.ox.ac.uk) and book, move or cancel your courses from there.

The session I want to join is full. Should I join the waitlist?

Yes. We ask that you please join the waitlist and hold the time in your calendar, as we frequently have last-minute cancellations. Additionally, we open up priority slots via email for waitlist candidates who have been unable to book onto a course at the beginning of every term.

I am a manager and I want to view your course materials. Where can I access those?

The Confident Manager Series course materials are held on the TCM Sharepoint.

I went to the Sharepoint site and it says I don’t have access. What do I do?

All you need to do is hit the ‘request access’ button—you do not need to add any text. We approve these as we see them but please give us 2 working days to approve your request before following up.

I am interested in Exploring Leadership but there isn’t an option to book on your site. How do I sign up for Exploring Leadership?

Exploring Leadership is offered once per term. Those who have completed either Managing at Oxford or Leading and Managing People in Research (formerly called Essentials of People Management in Research) AND Coaching Skills for Managers will be invited via email to book onto Exploring Leadership at the beginning of the term following their completion of these prerequisites.

How do I sign up for the Professional Services Leadership Programme?

Participants for PSL are nominated by the University Registrar’s Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and approved by the Registrar. Typically, PSL is for those in ALC6 and G10 (with G9 considered on an exceptional basis). We recommend you share your interest in being part of this programme with your manager and divisional leads as a next step.

How do I sign up for CULIP?

This programme is run on an invitation only basis to those in senior leadership roles across the collegiate University. Eligible University participants are nominated through their Division. Please speak to your Divisional Registrar if you believe you are eligible and have not received an invitation by the start of the new academic year. Incoming Heads of House are identified in consultation with the Conference of Colleges.

How do I get a coach?

The Oxford Coaching Network is open to all staff at the collegiate University. Please see the OCN site for instructions on joining and information about the Oxford Coaching Network. (SSO required)

Can I join the Oxford Coaching Network as a coach?

The Oxford Coaching Network accepts those who have completed a Level 5 accreditation in coaching, or are currently working towards a level 5 accreditation. Please contact pod@admin.ox.ac.uk if you would be interested in setting up an initial conversation.

How do I get a mentor?

If you are a University staff member (including Kellogg, Reuben and St Cross Colleges) and a member of Professional Services Staff, you are eligible to join the Professional Services Mentoring Scheme. The PS Mentoring Scheme is administered through the MentorNet platform; please see the PS Mentoring Scheme site for more details. (SSO required)

How do I become a mentor?

To become a mentor on the Professional Services Mentoring Scheme, we request that you complete the Mentoring for Development eLearning course before you sign up to the MentorNet platform.

What’s the difference between coaching and mentoring?

While mentoring shares similarities with coaching, mentors often possess direct experience in the mentee's field. Coaching, on the other hand, focuses on skill-building without direct expertise.

Bespoke requests

How do we get a POD facilitator to deliver a session at our department?

For bespoke requests, we ask that you please contact pod@admin.ox.ac.uk with additional details so we can forward your message on to the appropriate consultant.

How do we get a POD consultant to do a piece of organisational development work for our department?

For bespoke requests, we ask that you please contact pod@admin.ox.ac.uk with additional details so we can forward your message on to the appropriate consultant.

What types of Organisational Development work does POD do?

Please see our Organisational Development page for details.

Troubleshooting

Why can’t my Skill Boosters or LinkedIn Learning elearning session play?

We have experienced a high number of enquiries regarding eLearning classes with expired licences, as many people have been given defunct links by their team administrators.

Please note that the University of Oxford stopped offering all LinkedIn Learning and Skill Boosters courses in the summer of 2024. If you have been given a link for one of these sessions, we ask you to notify your local administrator that these courses are no longer available.

All up-to-date and self-managed POD offerings for University Staff are available through your CoSy dashboard search function or through POD's Learning on Demand site.

How do I get my eLearning class to play?

If you are able to log into an eLearning module but the class won't play, try changing your browser and turning your VPN on (or off, if it is already on). If the problem persists, please contact pod@admin.ox.ac.uk.

What do I do if a link is broken?

Please contact pod@admin.ox.ac.uk to let us know.

Non-POD FAQs

What wellbeing resources do you have?

Please see the Wellbeing at Oxford site for wellbeing-related resources:. Additionally, University of Oxford staff (including staff from Kellogg, Reuben and St Cross colleges) can access additional resources through POD's Learning on Demand site.

How do I improve my written English?

While POD does not offer this kind of resource, we recommend you check out the Language Centre.

I am a new starter at the University of Oxford. What resources do you have to help me get up to speed?

Welcome! The New to the University site is a great place to start to find the recommended and required training links for your particular role.

Where can I go to look for other training and development opportunities not offered by POD?

Please visit the Training and Development Providers for Staff page on the Staff Gateway for a full list of providers across the University of Oxford.

Resources by Staff Type

Students

  • None

College Staff, excluding Kellogg, Reuben and St Cross Colleges

University Staff, including Kellogg, Reuben and St Cross Colleges

Researchers or Academics who are people managers

Researchers or Academics who are not people managers

Professional Services Staff who are people managers

Technicans

Professional Services Staff who are not people managers (including aspiring managers)

Technicians