Researchers
The University of Liverpool Research Staff Association Buddy Scheme
The University of Liverpool’s Research Staff Association (RSA) Buddy Scheme is open to all research staff (those on research-only contracts) at University of Liverpool. It provides a structured space/activity for these staff to meet new colleagues, build their networks and share their experiences of working at the university. It was designed as a way for research staff to meet peers at similar career stages across different faculties and create informal support networks. The scheme is a researcher-led and -owned initiative by the University of Liverpool RSA.
Beneficiaries: Research staff
Stakeholders: Researchers Professional staff
Concordat principles: Environment and culture Employment Professional and career development
Keywords: Equality, diversity and inclusion Research culture Wellbeing Induction Research identity
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
York Researcher Festival
The York Researcher Festival celebrates the contribution that postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers make to research, culture and community at York. The programme is researcher-led, with the majority of sessions devised, designed and delivered by researchers - with input from academic and professional support staff. Lasting for a week and with over 20 sessions on offer, the Festival enables researchers to take stock and focus on personal goals and career aspirations, learn from each other and academic staff and develop and enhance skills. In 2022 over 400 researchers took part and gave an overall satisfaction rating of 93%; 95% would recommend the event.
Beneficiaries: Research staff Postgraduate researchers Research and teaching staff Managers of researchers
Stakeholders: Researchers Professional staff
Concordat principles: Environment and culture Professional and career development
Keywords: Training Professional development Research culture
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
Integrated Knowledge Translation Toolkit for Open Research
The Integrated
Knowledge Translation (IKT) is an approach to knowledge translation that emphasises
working in an engaged and collaborative partnership with stakeholders
throughout the research cycle in order to have positive real-world impact.
Beneficiaries: Research staff Postgraduate researchers Research and teaching staff Clinicians Managers of researchers Professional support staff
Stakeholders: Researchers Professional staff
Concordat principles: Environment and culture Professional and career development
Keywords: Citizen Participation Education Participatory Planning Collaboration Inclusion
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