From learning to leadership: My journey through ARMA’s Advanced Certificate
Our refreshed qualifications programme is now open for registration. Hear how Advanced graduate Rupert Avis strengthened his research management expertise and career progression.
Research managers are required to respond to a fast-changing and dynamic research environment, and there is often limited time to think in-depth about the issues that face the sector. During the first year of my role as Research Support Officer at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, I completed ARMA’s Certificate in Research Management (Advanced), and the learning provided through the qualification has played a significant role in my development.
To complete the Certificate, I produced six 2500-word assignments on six discrete but interconnected topics on research management: research policy and strategy; equality and diversity in the research environment; research governance; managing a funding portfolio; systems, people and processes; and managing collaborations. For each, I had to demonstrate in-depth understanding of a broad range of national and international issues as well as the intersection of these with the particularities of Guildhall and my role within it. This model of learning was particularly important in developing my understanding of research management across multiple scales, from the international and national to the institutional and interpersonal.
Through the assignment on managing funding portfolios, for example, I learned that effective, efficient and sensitive methods of managing portfolios was essential to developing sustainable, equitable and integrated funding portfolios within Guildhall. Guildhall has traditionally functioned as a teaching-focused institution, but research has become increasingly central to the institution’s identity. In a resource-constrained environment, ensuring that research contributes more broadly to the School’s institutional strategy was vitally important for its integration.
Relatedly, the assignment on equality and diversity in research management provided opportunity to evaluate the potential and limitations of initiatives aimed at promoting EDI within research. In particular, a question that I grappled with throughout the assignment was how equity could be integrated within processes developed to support, for example, research governance, and the specific role I could play in supporting this. In writing the essay, what struck me was the number of factors that determine the success of EDI initiatives which again cut across multiple international, national and institutional scales, including the interpersonal.
In July 2026, I take on a senior position in research management at the University of Wolverhampton where I will lead university-wide research initiatives. Moving from a small specialist arts institution to a post-92 university will provide opportunity to apply the learning encountered through ARMA’s Advanced Certificate to a larger and, in some ways, more diverse research environment. In particular, the critical thinking across multiple scales the Certificate has encouraged will mean, I am sure, that I contribute positively to the University’s research culture in informed and sensitive ways.
Find out more by joining one of our Summer online Information Sessions, open to everyone and featuring guest speakers from our graduate community:
14 July | 12:30–13:30
20 August | 13:00–14:00
16 September | 13:00–14:00
It’s a great chance to learn more about the qualifications and hear first-hand experiences from our graduates.
And finally, a big congratulations to all our 2026 graduates, celebrated at the ARMA Conference Gala Dinner – a fantastic achievement. Well done to you all!
