Environment and culture
Postdoc and ECR Buddy Scheme
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
Researcher Development Roadmap for Researchers
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
Research Culture Awards
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
A training ‘bundle’ to support managers of researchers to fulfil their Concordat obligations
Managers of researchers usually step into the role as a result of them winning grant funding to employ someone to work on their project. They often receive no specific training as a manager, or to fulfil the many, diverse obligations that the Concordat places on them. Following wide consultation with stakeholders, we have developed a training ‘bundle’ to support managers of researchers to meet their Concordat obligations that includes advice, resources, signposting to policies and support, and bespoke training. All content is available on demand and delivered in ‘bite-sized' chunks.
Beneficiaries: Managers of researchers
Stakeholders: Professional staff
Concordat principles: Environment and culture Employment Professional and career development
Keywords: Training Professional development Research identity Research culture Career progression Wellbeing Working conditions Performance management Career management Diverse careers Leadership development
Network of Women+ Professors’ Mentoring Scheme
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
Network of Women+ Professors’ Mentoring Scheme
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
Designing a Concordat Action Plan through Deliberative Democracy
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
Vertically Integrated Governance Group and Active Career Stage Fora
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
Research Staff Awards: Celebrating and Recognising the Achievements of Research Staff
To celebrate and recognise the achievement of the University’s research staff, the Research Staff Strategy Group (RSSG) introduced a new University awards scheme exclusively for research staff (defined as research assistants, associates/postdocs and fellows). The four categories of award (Research Staff of the Year, Best Outstanding Output, Best Outstanding Contribution to Research Impact, and Best Outstanding Contribution to the Research Environment) showcase the excellent work of research staff and raise their profile and visibility across the University.
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: Research identity Research culture Policy Recognition
Research Staff Association
The University of Liverpool Research Staff Association (UoL RSA) supported by the Academy is a research community-owned and -led initiative. It provides a voice for research staff across all faculties, and a platform for communication and networking. It helps co-ordinate central support for researcher development and builds a researcher community that, through representation on committees and working groups, empowers researchers to be involved in decision making.
Beneficiaries: Research staff Managers of researchers Professional support staff
Stakeholders: Researchers Professional staff
Concordat principles: Environment and culture Employment Professional and career development
Keywords: Training development activities Professional development Research identity Research culture Induction Career progression Policy Equality, diversity and inclusion Wellbeing Researcher voice Bullying and harassment Working conditions Career management Diverse careers Leadership development Research assessment Recognition Research staff association (RSA) Community building