Support workshop recordings
The full archive of fortnightly Thursday workshops, from proposal writing through to the discussion of findings. Available to registered members on the learning portal.
Open the archiveResources and media
Everything the network
has already written down
Courses on the learning portal, workshop recordings, podcasts and Open Educational Resources on thesis writing, research methodologies and scholarly publishing.
On the learning portal
Courses, facilitated live
Each course pairs written material with the fortnightly Thursday workshops. Sign in to the portal with your MUPSN membership to enrol.
Media
Watch and listen
Workshop recordings, podcast episodes and conference sessions from across the network.
Episode Three: Mixed Methods
A conversation on designing and defending a mixed-methods study, and on when combining approaches genuinely strengthens a finding rather than doubling the workload.
ListenOpen Educational Resources
Guides you can keep
Navigating postgraduate research: tips for writing a strong thesis
Holding an argument together across chapters, from framing the problem to defending the contribution.
Balancing academics and mental well-being
Finishing a thesis is a marathon. Strategies from the network for protecting your health while you run it.
Scholarly publishing after the degree
Turning a chapter into an article, choosing a journal, and surviving peer review with the thesis intact.
Funding
Scholarships, grants and financial aid
MUPSN shares funding calls across the network as they open, and facilitators help candidates frame an application a funder will actually read.
Funding opportunities move quickly and closing dates are short. The fastest way to hear about them is the WhatsApp group and the mailing list at the foot of this page.
Who can use these resources?
Any master’s or doctoral candidate at a partner university, and any candidate who has joined the network. Supervisors, early-career researchers and research-support staff are welcome too.
Do the courses cost anything?
No. MUPSN is a collaboration between participating universities and the courses, workshops and recordings are free to members.
How do I get onto the learning portal?
Register through the network, then sign in at portal.mupsn.co.za. If your account has not come through, email the coordinator and it will be sorted out.
When are the workshops?
Every second Thursday, 17:00–19:00 SAST, on Microsoft Teams. Recordings go up on the portal afterwards.
What are the research incubators?
Two intensive cycles each year, in April and July, where a cohort works with facilitators to move one piece of research from draft to defensible. You leave with a completed chapter, instrument or framework.
Still stuck on something specific?
A 45-minute session with the right facilitator usually beats another week of reading.