Research and teaching staff

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


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


The Research and Knowledge Exchange Development Framework (RKEDF) aims to ensure Bournemouth University researchers have access to the support required to make a step change in their research activity and performance, strengthening the opportunities for career progression, retention of high-performing staff, and acceleration of research income. The RKEDF offers a range of standalone workshops, structured courses, and online resources. These are delivered by BU staff with topic expertise or external facilitators. In addition to many individual events, the RKEDF includes several targeted and cohort-based courses each year.


Beneficiaries: Research staff Postgraduate researchers Research and teaching staff Managers of researchers
Stakeholders: Researchers Managers of researchers Professional staff Senior/executive team
Concordat principles: Professional and career development
Keywords: Training Professional development Research culture Career progression Leadership development Recognition


The Bournemouth University Academic Targeted Research Scheme (ATRS) was launched to attract and recruit talented early career researchers in targeted research areas, with the potential to become future research leaders. As an academic at Bournemouth University (BU), they are developing their career in an exciting work environment, provided with a high level of dedicated time to drive research activity and build capacity, and have the freedom to develop their research interests within targeted areas. Six appointments were made, which are still ongoing. The opportunity has led to strong research networks, collaboration, and time to achieve goals.


Beneficiaries: Research staff Research and teaching staff Managers of researchers
Stakeholders: Managers of researchers Professional staff Senior/executive team
Concordat principles: Employment
Keywords: Research identity Career progression Career management Leadership development


Research Tuesdays is a programme of events based on a constructivist approach to learning where communities of practice are developed between new members of staff and more experienced researchers. Events are designed to showcase the creative practice of academics who may not have previously encountered research in an arts university. This intervention has led to emerging practice-based researchers becoming more confident in starting up interest groups that have created group exhibitions, symposia and publications. 


Beneficiaries: Research staff Research and teaching staff Managers of researchers
Stakeholders: Researchers Managers of researchers
Concordat principles: Environment and culture Professional and career development
Keywords: Training Professional development Constructivist scaffolding creative practice practiced-based research Research culture Induction Career progression Research identity


The revised Concordat to support the career development for researchers includes reference to researchers having opportunities, structured support, encouragement and time to engage in a minimum of 10 days professional development pro rata per year.

Professional development can take a variety of forms and varies with career stage. The University of Liverpool have developed a web resource Development Activity Guidance which includes examples of opportunities that enable researchers to develop skills and experience to support their career and professional development.


Beneficiaries: Research staff Postgraduate researchers Research and teaching staff Teaching-only staff Technicians
Stakeholders: Researchers Professional staff
Concordat principles: Professional and career development
Keywords: Signposting Professional development Guidance and support Policy Equality, diversity and inclusion Research culture Research integrity Wellbeing Researcher voice Bullying and harassment Training Flexible working Induction Job security Working conditions Career progression Performance management Career management Diverse careers Leadership development Research identity Research assessment Recognition