Research staff

The Skill-up! Research Skills Development Fund at the University of Hertfordshire promotes bespoke researcher development through a researcher-led mechanism for managing and distributing funding. It enables researchers to apply for training that is not offered within the university, through a competitive application process. Early career researcher (ECR) representatives from each School work together to design the process, assess the bids and distribute the funding. The scheme is well received by researchers and provides a useful developmental opportunity for the ECR representatives.


Beneficiaries: Research staff Postgraduate researchers Research and teaching staff Managers of researchers Professional support staff
Stakeholders: Professional staff Senior/executive team
Concordat principles: Environment and culture Professional and career development
Keywords: Research culture Training


This open-access development module explores the Principles of the Concordat and the resulting responsibilities for staff. The module serves to foster conversations that nurture a positive and inclusive culture in which researchers take responsibility for the development of their personal and professional practice. As role-related training, the module will be available to new and existing staff as needed, allowing them to refresh their understanding of the Researcher Development Concordat.


Beneficiaries: Research staff Postgraduate researchers Research and teaching staff Teaching-only staff Technicians Clinicians Managers of researchers Professional support staff
Stakeholders: Researchers Managers of researchers Professional staff Senior/executive team
Concordat principles: Environment and culture Employment Professional and career development
Keywords: Training Professional development Research identity Research culture Induction Career progression Policy Equality, diversity and inclusion Research integrity Wellbeing Researcher voice Bullying and harassment Flexible working Job security Working conditions Performance management Career management Diverse careers Leadership development Research assessment Recognition Open Transparent and Merit-based (OTM) recruitment and progression


The Buddy Scheme offers postdocs and early career researchers (i.e. staff on research only contracts) the chance to meet new colleagues, expand their networks and enrich their experience of the University’s research culture in an informal setting. It is an opportunity to meet peers at similar career stages across all faculties, to build connections outside of their research group and to enhance their professional, research and social frames of reference. It is led by the University of Liverpool’s Research Staff Association (RSA) and runs twice a year.


Beneficiaries: Research staff Research and teaching staff Managers of researchers Professional support staff
Stakeholders: Researchers Managers of researchers Professional staff
Concordat principles: Environment and culture Employment Professional and career development
Keywords: Training Professional development Research identity Research culture Induction Career progression Policy Equality, diversity and inclusion Wellbeing Researcher voice Working conditions Career management Diverse careers Leadership development Research assessment Recognition


The Academy’s Researcher Development Roadmap (RD Roadmap) provides diverse opportunities for research and research-related staff to create bespoke development pathways in support of their professional practice. The searchable RD Roadmap has been designed for individuals to navigate the wealth of online content available in a range of accessible formats to support career development and progression. The RD Roadmap is updated on a regular basis and is designed around 4 key topics: Career Confidence and Progression; Engagement and Influence; Research Impact; and Personal Effectiveness.


Beneficiaries: Research staff Postgraduate researchers Research and teaching staff Teaching-only staff Technicians Clinicians Managers of researchers Professional support staff
Stakeholders: Researchers Managers of researchers Professional staff
Concordat principles: Environment and culture Employment Professional and career development
Keywords: Training Professional development Research identity Research culture Career progression Policy Equality, diversity and inclusion Research integrity Wellbeing Researcher voice Performance management Career management Diverse careers Leadership development Research assessment Recognition


'Advancing in Academia' at King’s College London (KCL) is a four-week blended learning course for PGRs (doctoral researchers) and Research Staff who are considering or planning a career in academia. The course is designed and run in partnership with the researcher careers team at KCL and the College Centre for Doctoral Studies. The most recent version, in 2022, was run for people with dual academic and clinical careers. The course has run since 2017 focussing on different academic disciplines each time, and in 2022 it focussed specifically on clinical academics. Although the general principles described below apply to all iterations, the course run in 2022 represented the most challenging and also the most rewarding.


Beneficiaries: Research staff Postgraduate researchers Research and teaching staff Clinicians Managers of researchers
Stakeholders: Researchers Managers of researchers Professional staff
Concordat principles: Employment Professional and career development
Keywords: Training Professional development Research identity Research culture Career progression Equality, diversity and inclusion Career management Diverse careers Clinical


We are not always good at saying thank you, especially for things that are difficult to measure. The Research Culture Awards aim to recognise and celebrate those who demonstrate good role modelling and make the environment better for others; staff can thank those around them who are good leaders, mentors or organise valued activities. The longer-term aim is to include these aspects in promotion criteria and to value them more formally, but this informal method has helped develop a community of people who actively think about good research culture and how to replicate it elsewhere.


Beneficiaries: Research staff Research and teaching staff Technicians Managers of researchers Professional support staff
Stakeholders: Managers of researchers Professional staff Senior/executive team
Concordat principles: Environment and culture
Keywords: Research culture Researcher voice Working conditions Leadership development Recognition


The Network of Women+ Professors at the University of Hertfordshire promotes career progression and progress towards gender equality in the professoriate in line with the institutional Athena Swan action plan and supports HR to close the gender pay gap and gender ratio in the professoriate. The network has established a mentoring scheme to support women aspiring for Reader, Associate Professor and Professor levels with individual mentoring support offered to people who identify as women+ at the University by nationally and internationally recognised colleagues.


Beneficiaries: Research staff Research and teaching staff Managers of researchers
Stakeholders: Researchers Managers of researchers Professional staff
Concordat principles: Environment and culture Professional and career development
Keywords: Training Professional development Research identity Research culture Career progression Equality, diversity and inclusion Career management Leadership development Research assessment Recognition Mentorship


The Network of Women+ Professors at the University of Hertfordshire promotes career progression and progress towards gender equality in the professoriate in line with the institutional Athena Swan action plan and supports HR to close the gender pay gap and gender ratio in the professoriate. The network has established a mentoring scheme to support women aspiring for Reader, Associate Professor and Professor levels with individual mentoring support offered to people who identify as women+ at the University by nationally and internationally recognised colleagues.


Beneficiaries: Research staff Research and teaching staff Managers of researchers
Stakeholders: Researchers Managers of researchers Professional staff
Concordat principles: Environment and culture Professional and career development
Keywords: Training Professional development Research identity Research culture Career progression Equality, diversity and inclusion Career management Leadership development Research assessment Recognition Mentorship


This case study describes the social science approach (termed Merging Knowledge) utilised to develop the University of Oxford's Concordat action plan. The case details the action plan design and drafting process, which involved participants from across the University, selected to represent the Concordat stakeholder groups and to reflect diversity across disciplines, career stage, ethnicity, and gender.


Beneficiaries: Research staff Managers of researchers Professional support staff
Stakeholders: Researchers Managers of researchers Professional staff Senior/executive team
Concordat principles: Environment and culture
Keywords: Forum Representation Concordat Research culture Policy Researcher voice


The University of Portsmouth is a modern University employing 120-140 Research Staff, depending largely on the number and type of externally funded research grants and contracts. Recognising that our existing structures were not delivering the levels of engagement necessary to deliver on the aspirations in our Concordat Action Plan, we redesigned the group that has oversight and governance of researcher development to bring in representation from PhD through to Professor, reinvigorating career stage fora.


Beneficiaries: Research staff Research and teaching staff Managers of researchers
Stakeholders: Researchers Managers of researchers Professional staff
Concordat principles: Environment and culture
Keywords: Professional development Research culture Policy Researcher voice Career management Diverse careers Recognition