Introducing Inkpath
In 2023-24, Research Culture and Researcher Development led, events, courses and programmes will be booked through Inkpath. Our aim is to bring an ecology of development available to you from across the University of Glasgow together in one place.
As a member of Research Staff you have and are expected to engage in a minimum of 10 days of professional and career development per year (pro rata).
This includes a broad spectrum of activities and events designed to enrich your skills and working relationships, foster your talents, and accelerate your professional prospects. Inkpath has number of useful features to support you to take ownership and strategically plan your professional and career development.
Every researcher is unique and you should take part in the development activities that are right for you. We believe that research thrives when researchers feel that they are part of a stimulating, fair, and inclusive environment in which colleagues help each other to succeed
The University of Glasgow Inkpath platform
Easy to Use
Every researcher is unique and you should take part in the development activities that are right for you. Inkpath will support you in navigating our development offer here at the University of Glasgow, and in the planning and capturing of your development journey.
Inkpath presents a single location where you can easily find, book, and access:
Events, Courses and Programmes led by the Research Culture and Researcher Development team.
Training offered by the IT Services team
Researcher Development offered by your College - Coming soon
Take ownership of your development
We support you to take ownership of your own development. Through Inkpath, you can manage, record, and reflect on the development activities that you engage with.
Inkpath can help you:
- identify your current development needs, and check back in to reflect on those needs as you progress
- capture your development journey, supporting you to strategically plan your professional development
- prepare for your PDR and promotions
- prepare for job applications and interviews
- future plan for your career development
How do I use Inkpath?
How do I access Inkpath?
You can access Inkpath as a Web app through your browser, or as a phone app.
If using the web app, navigate to: glasgow.inkpath.co.uk
This will take you to the Glasgow SSO sign on page, where you will be prompted for your University of Glasgow credentials to allow you to access the platform.
If you'd prefer to use the phone app, you can
Download it from Google Play
Download it from Apple Store
When signing on via the phone app for the first time, select 'Single Sign On', and choose 'University of Glasgow' from the dropdown menu.
How do I find an activity?
- Log in to Inkpath via the app or web browser.
- Go to home screen ‘My Activities.’
- Click the button ‘Find activities.’
- From here, click the ‘filter and search activities’ search bar to filter by attendance type, and dates.
- Click on the ‘Upcoming’ tab to see all upcoming online or in-person courses (identified as Activities on the Inkpath platform).
- Click on the ‘Self Study’ tab to see all upcoming self-paced resources, asynchronous provision, and mandatory online courses.
- Scroll down to browse all the training activities on offer.
How do I book an activity?
- Click on the Activity
- Click the ‘Details’ tab to find out more about the course including Course Description, Provider, Date and Time, attendance type, and the skills against which the activity is mapped.
- Click the ‘Actions’ tab‘ to book a place by selecting either
- Book Activity if the registration is managed by Inkpath
- Join waiting list if the course is full
- Go to Booking Page if booking is made through another system.
How do I mark my attendance?
You are responsible for recording your own attendance at training and development. There are two ways to do this: by using the code given during the event, or by self-certifying after the event.
Code-Certification: At the end of a session, your convener will display a QR code (for mobile app users) and a unique number code (for web users) on the screen. Click ‘record attendance’ and scan the QR or enter the number code. This will update to show your activity as ‘completed’. If a course takes place across several session dates, this will be at the end of the final session.
Self-Certification: Alternatively, you can self-certify your attendance at an activity by navigating to ‘My Activities’ > ‘Past Activities’, selecting the activity and clicking it ‘Complete’.
Remember that this is your own record of your development, which you can use at PDR, so please do take the time to keep it up to date.
How do I cancel an activity?
- Open up the phone app or navigate to Glasgow.Inkpath.co.uk in your browser
- Click on the ‘My Activities’ tab (shown by the home icon on the navigation bar on the left-side of your screen)
- Find the activity under the ‘Upcoming’ section
- Click on the activity and select ‘Cancel Booking’
- Select your reason for cancellation from the given options and click the "cancel booking" button
If you are unable to do this, please contact the organiser. You can find their contact details on the Activity under the tab ‘Details’
What happens if I miss an activity?
If circumstances result in you missing an activity without having had the chance to follow the cancellation process outlined above, please get in touch with the Organiser to let them know. You can find their contact details on the Activity page in the ‘Details’ tab.
FAQs
Why should I record my development?
Recording the development activities and opportunities you have engaged will support you to effectively manage your professional and career development, find clarity on your strengths and areas for growth, and equip you with knowledge necessary to plan for your present development needs, and future career.
Recording your development will also you to share this efficiently with your PI/line manager and other University colleagues. You can export a PDF of your development record from Inkpath at any time. You can use this document to help you and your PI/Line Manager understand where you are in your development journey, and help you make informed decisions about how best to use your development time in pursuit of your specific ambitions and goals.
How can I use Inkpath to help me prepare for my PDR?
Inkpath is able to generate an excel (.xls) or PDF file export of your development record. This document can inform and support a conversation on your development at your PDR.
In preparation for your PDR, you can export your training record from Inkpath.
To do this, go to ‘My Activities’, and then click ‘Export Activity’.
You can export all of your content by leaving the date range selectors blank, or you can enter a date range to filter your content by before exporting. You have the options to export to an .xls (Excel) document, or a PDF. The .xls document includes detailed information about the activity, completion status and completion date. The PDF export is a less detailed overview of your activity on Inkpath.
We encourage you to log the development opportunities you are engaging with on Inkpath to allow you to get the most out of your PDR, reflecting on the development you have undertake and considering future development plans.
How can I use Inkpath to help me prepare for job applications and interviews?
Alongside the benefits to your career planning and career awareness offered by the tools for self-reflection on your development which are available within Inkpath, the platform can also be used to help you effectively prepare for job applications and interviews.
Mapping your activities against specific skills, and building a detailed reflective record of your professional development can help you to:
- Identify your strengths and areas for growth
- Cross-reference your development profile against job criteria, supporting you to showcase your skills and expertise effectively in cover letters, C.V., and in preparation for interviews.
Is the Inkpath platform fully accessible?
Inkpath has been developed in accordance with WCAG 2.1 AA guidelines and is fully compatible with popular screen readers. Additionally, Inkpath includes a number of in-app features to improve accessibility, including light and dark modes, an option to increase text size, and includes a 'high contrast' mode, which can be enabled at any time with a selector at the bottom of the app. Accessibility is reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that the platform remains accessible to all researchers.
I have accessibility needs which must be met to enable me to attend workshops. How will you ensure this through Inkpath?
Accessible slides, handouts and any additional workshop materials will be provided on the Activity page. Find these by clicking ‘Actions’, and then ‘Click here for more information’. You will be taken to the appropriate folder of the Researcher Development Training Resources Library Sharepoint. If the materials do not meet your accessibility needs, please contact the Activity Organiser to discuss.
If you have other accessibility requirements which we can support with to enable you to engage with our programmes and initiatives, please let us know by detailing how we can meet these requirements in the ‘Accessibility’ open text box during booking.
I am having trouble signing in to Inkpath. Who do I contact for help?
Please refer to the 'How do I access Inkpath?' above and ensure you are logging on using your Single Sign On (SSO) University of Glasgow credentials.
For technical assistance please contact Inkpath support email.
If you are still experiencing issues, please contact the Researcher Development team at Researcher-Development@glasgow.ac.uk
I am both a member of research staff and PGR at the University of Glasgow, which account do I use?
If you have both Staff and PGR GUIDs. Please use your PGR account to sign up and when you want to access and log into Inkpath by SSO. This will ensure that you record of development is inclusive of all your activities. To view and book Research Staff facing events please navigate to about you in the platform and switch to Research Staff.
What counts as an ‘activity’ on Inkpath?
An activity is any opportunity you take up as part of your development while working towards your research degree.
'Activity' is the catch-all term used on Inkpath for every kind of development you undertake. This includes all parts of our offer: courses, events, self-paced materials, and other initiatives, as well as other activities you participate in that contribute to your development, such as conference participation, professional networking, and teaching, among other things.
What is the difference between upcoming, past, and completed activities?
You will notice that the Inkpath My Activities home screen is split into three columns: 'Upcoming', 'Past' and 'Complete'.
Upcoming activities are activities which you have booked to attend.
Past activities are activities you booked on but did not mark your attendance on. These activities will not show on your exported development record.
Completed activities are activities you booked on to and marked your attendance on. To make sure your development record is up to date, remember to complete your activities by marking your attendance using one of the two processes shown above under 'How do I mark my attendance?'
I completed an activity that was not booked through Inkpath, how do I add it?
To add your own activity to your development record:
- Go to the "My Activities" page (click the Home icon in the navigation bar on the left-hand side of your screen)
- Click 'Create Activity'
Once you have logged your activity, mark it as complete by going to the ‘My Activities’ section and finding the activity under the past column, clicking on it and marking it as complete.
This will keep your development record up to date, and allow you to track your progress towards the completion of goals you are working towards.
I couldn’t mark my attendance on a course during the live session. How can I do this afterwards?
If you missed the QR Code that was given out during the session you attended, please use the self-certification option to complete the activity on the platform. For instructions on how to do this, please see 'How do I mark my attendance?' above.
I am on the waiting list, how do I know when places become available?
The waiting list is automatically managed by Inkpath. If you are on the waiting list and a place becomes available, you will be notified by email.