Managers of researchers
The Prosper Principal Investigator (PI) Network
The Prosper PI Network is a community of practice aimed at addressing the development needs of principal investigators (PIs) and managers of researchers and, ultimately, the career development needs of research staff. It has run 4-6 online events a year since 2020 and is open to PIs and managers of researchers across the UK. Through expert speakers, PI guest speakers and peer-led discussions, PI Network events aim to positively influence the culture within research institutions, developing PI practice and creating an environment that supports and values research staff and the academics who manage them
Beneficiaries: Research and teaching staff Managers of researchers
Stakeholders: Managers of researchers Professional staff Senior/executive team Funders
Concordat principles: Environment and culture Employment Professional and career development
Keywords: Principal Investigator Networking Managers of Researchers
Fellowship Fortnight
Fellowship Fortnight (FF) was introduced in 2021 with
the aim of celebrating the work of research fellows at the University of York,
and encouraging researchers and staff to learn more about early career
fellowships. Now an annual event, FF2023 welcomed more than 300 attendees from
across the University, from PhD researchers to current Fellows to research
support staff. 97.5% of attendees said that they would recommend the event that
they attended to others. Working in conjunction with Departments across the
University, Fellowship Fortnight is an excellent example of how researchers and
staff across the University can come together to celebrate, collaborate and
support professional development among early career researchers.
Beneficiaries: Research staff Managers of researchers
Stakeholders: Researchers Managers of researchers
Concordat principles: Professional and career development
Keywords: Training Professional development
Academic’s Success Guide
The Academic’s Success Guide, an open-access resource, provides perspectives and relevant advice from Principal Investigators (PIs) and senior managers from academic departments and professional services at Imperial on the induction and probation process, as well as a wide range of tools and strategies to support new academics with establishing their career. The sections on managing projects and leading a research group cover processes and offer tried and tested models, along with useful tip sheets and templates to help navigate the day-to-day work of managing projects and people.
Beneficiaries: Research staff Research and teaching staff Managers of researchers
Stakeholders: Researchers Managers of researchers Senior/executive team
Concordat principles: Environment and culture Employment Professional and career development
Keywords: Leadership development Career management Performance management Guidance and support Professional development Probation Academic career
THRIVE - The Hull Early Career Researcher Integrated Development Programme
To support early career researchers (ECRs) the University of Hull developed a bespoke, integrated and cohort-based programme of training and development accessible to early career researchers across the entire university. THRIVE (The Hull ECR Integrated deVElopment programme) runs over 11 months, with a half-day session each month. Sessions, delivered by a combination of internal and external trainers, cover core research skills, navigating a changing funding landscape, and provide fellowship writing retreats to give researchers time and space to gestate research projects.
Beneficiaries: Research staff Research and teaching staff
Stakeholders: Managers of researchers Professional staff Senior/executive team
Concordat principles: Professional and career development
Keywords: Training Professional development Research identity Research culture Researcher voice Career management Diverse careers Recognition
The Assistant Supervisor role: enabling and recognising PGR supervision by research staff
The Assistant Supervisor role at Queen’s University Belfast enables the official appointment of postdoctoral researchers involved in supervising PhDs alongside academics, within healthy boundaries set to manage their level of responsibility and workload. For recognition, they get an appointment letter and are added to the students' system. They learn by doing, through mentoring and workshops. The role is popular across disciplines and feedback from postdocs, students and academic supervisors has been positive. Some Assistant Supervisors have received Postdoc Awards and/or AF-HEA as a result.
Beneficiaries: Research staff Postgraduate researchers Managers of researchers
Stakeholders: Researchers Managers of researchers Professional staff Senior/executive team
Concordat principles: Environment and culture Professional and career development
Keywords: Mentorship Career development Supervision Recognition
Early career research conference in the School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences
We wanted to reinvigorate our early career research (ECR) community
after the detrimental impact of lockdown. We hosted a whole school conference
for ECRs which included short ‘blitz’ and longer research talks, giving ECRs
valuable experience and CV material. It also included a ‘Dragons Den’ style
grant application process, where pre-written grant applications were critiqued
by senior leadership (‘Dragons’) and then defended by the applicants in a panel
interview. The event was an enormous success and reached capacity for
attendance. Four novel projects were created and sustained to this day.
Beneficiaries: Research staff Postgraduate researchers Research and teaching staff Teaching-only staff
Stakeholders: Researchers Managers of researchers
Concordat principles: Environment and culture Professional and career development
Keywords: ECR Career development Professional development Research identity Research culture Career progression Equality, diversity and inclusion Wellbeing Researcher voice Working conditions Leadership development Research assessment Recognition Community building Multidisciplinary Grants Conference Dragon's Den
Kingston University's 'Rise' Research Leadership Academy
The Kingston University’s Rise Research
Leadership Academy programme runs on Wednesday lunchtimes from January to June.
The content of the programme is designed to align with Kingston University’s
commitment to the national Concordat framework. Each week a series of 16 core
lectures was delivered by esteemed research leaders from across Kingston
University’s faculties and research disciplines. Action learning set (peer
mentorship) group work and individual peer mentorship activities are also
integral to the Academy.
Beneficiaries: Research staff Postgraduate researchers Research and teaching staff Clinicians Managers of researchers Professional support staff
Stakeholders: Researchers Managers of researchers Professional staff Senior/executive team Funders
Concordat principles: Environment and culture Professional and career development
Keywords: Training Professional development Research identity Research culture Career progression Equality, diversity and inclusion Research integrity Researcher voice Career management Diverse careers Leadership development Research assessment Recognition
Summer Vacation Research Competition (SVRC)
The
Summer Vacation Research Competition (SVRC) enables postdoctoral researchers
and professional services staff to run an independent research project with an
undergraduate (UG) intern and thus to gain additional research project and
management experience. Successful UGs work on a cutting-edge research project
and learn first-hand about research careers whilst being paid a living wage.
The SVRC is part of Kent’s combined strategy to support the professional
development of all staff and to enable UGs to participate in and be inspired by
research.
Beneficiaries: Research staff Professional support staff
Stakeholders: Researchers Managers of researchers Professional staff Senior/executive team
Concordat principles: Professional and career development
Keywords: Equality, diversity and inclusion Research culture Research integrity Wellbeing Researcher voice Training Working conditions Career progression Professional development Leadership development Widening participation
Module on the Researcher Development Concordat
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
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