Exhibitors

 Exhibitors at the Vitae Researcher Conference 2008 were:

AGCAS
The Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS) is the professional association of careers professionals in higher education. It numbers amongst its 130 institutional members the careers services of most universities in the UK and Ireland, as well as over 1700 individuals concerned with the delivery of careers information, advice and guidance to HE students and graduates both in the UK and overseas. Its members collaborate with a small permanent staff towards the ultimate aim of improving the quality of careers information, advice and guidance they are able to deliver.



CRAC: The Career Development Organisation
CRAC is the independent, charitable organisation dedicated to career development and active, career-related learning. We have a passionate belief that individuals have the ability to achieve their career goals if they are equipped with the skills to do so. We work in partnership with schools, colleges, universities, government agencies and other key national organisations, ensuring that the work we do impacts on as many individuals as possible, to achieve our vision of a world where people make career decisions wisely and develop their capabilities throughout their working lives.

CRAC's sister organisation, the <b>National Institute for Careers Education and Counselling (NICEC)</b> is a leading research and evaluation body in the field of career development which enhances both CRAC's knowledge base and its ability to ensure the outcomes of its work are measurable.

CRAC previously managed the UK GRAD programme and now manages the new Vitae Programme on behalf of the UK Research Councils.



Epigeum
Epigeum is the e-Learning spin-out from Imperial College London and a leader in the provision of online training to universities. Epigeum has an unrivalled track record in developing online materials using collaborative groups of universities. In the last three years Epigeum has assembled six such groups. Over 60 universities and research institutions from the UK, Eire, Australia and New Zealand, have either partnered in these projects or subsequently licensed our courses.



NESTA
NESTA is the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts - a unique and independent body with a mission to make the UK more innovative.

NESTA runs a series of programs on collaborative innovation. This range of programmes encourages people to connect across organisations, places and disciplines.



RCUK
The Research Councils UK is the strategic partnership of the UK's seven Research Councils; they invest annually around £2.8 billion in research, covering the full spectrum of academic disciplines from the medical and biological sciences to astronomy, physics, chemistry and engineering, social sciences, economics, and the arts and humanities. The partnership is supported by a small strategic unit, working with people across the Research Councils to stimulate and encourage cross-Council collaboration. There are several ways the Research Councils work together, one example being the strategy for research careers.



Researcher Information Network
The Research Information Network (RIN) was set up in 2005 to lead and coordinate the provision of research information in the UK. Its main role is to undertake evidence-based research into information and data issues that relate to professional researchers and to develop policy, guidance and advocacy on that basis.



SRHE
The Society for Research into Higher education is a UK based international learned society concerned to advance the understanding of higher education, especially through the insights, perspectives and knowledge offered by systematic research and scholarship.



The British Council
The British Council is the UK's international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. Our purpose is to build engagement and trust for the UK through the exchange of knowledge and ideas between people worldwide.

Our work in cultural relations is a crucial part of the UK's international relations, connecting millions of people around the globe through education and creativity.

Our independent approach to building trust between peoples and countries is especially relevant today and covers the full spectrum of education, arts, science, governance and human rights.

We support research mobility and career development through a number of different international opportunities and up to date online resources.

The York Skills Forge
The Skills Forge features a highly configurable set of tools to support an HEI in delivering personal and professional development for research staff and students, as recommended by the QAA Code of Practice and the Roberts review "SET for Success". Originally developed for use at The University of York it is now available as a supported service to the wider HE community.



UCU
UCU is the largest trade union and professional association for researchers working in higher education throughout the UK.  Researchers are a priority for UCU.  Our aim is to achieve rewarding career paths for researchers currently on fixed-term contracts by delivering job security.  We lobby ministers and MPs on behalf of researchers and provide evidence for Parliamentary reports.  UCU also works with other bodies to improve the way researchers are employed.  We negotiate improvements for researchers at their university and provide individual support for them.  UCU has published a Researchers' Survival Guide, set up a researchers' e-discussion group and has a national fixed-term and hourly-paid committee which influences UCU policy.



UK HE Europe Unit
The UK sector-wide Europe Unit was launched in January 2004 in response to the burgeoning body of European legislation and policy initiatives currently affecting UK higher education. The Unit's aim is to strengthen the position of the UK HE sector in EU and Bologna Process policy-making forums.

The Unit is funded by Universities UK, the three higher education funding councils for England, Scotland and Wales, the Quality Assurance Agency and GuildHE and has three primary objectives. Firstly, it acts as a central observatory of European higher education and major research issues and informs all HEIs and stakeholders accordingly. Secondly, it seeks to co-ordinate UK involvement in European initiatives and policy debates. Thirdly, where possible, it produces collective UK statements in areas of EU policy and lobby on them appropriately. The policy positioning of the Unit is informed by a High Level Policy Forum and a European Co-ordinating Group: both comprising representatives from key sector organisations.

For more detailed information, please visit the Europe Unit  website. The site is updated regularly and contains all Unit publications including Europe Notes and the monthly European newsletter ‘This month in Europe'.



UKCGE
The UK Council for Graduate Education (UKCGE) was established for the public benefit to advance graduate education in all academic disciplines throughout the UK. The Council aims to achieve its mission through a variety of activities such as the organisation of conferences, workshops and discussion forums debating and reflecting on topical postgraduate issues, and the publication of reports and newsletters. UKCGE also promotes and conducts research surveys and investigations into postgraduate education, as well as providing postgraduate data and information to both members and other interested parties.

UKRC for Women in SET
The UKRC for Women in SET works to significantly improve the participation and position of women in science, engineering and technology occupations in industry, research, academia and public service to benefit the future productivity of the UK and the lifetime earnings and career aspirations of women. It is the UK's leading Centre providing information and advisory services to employers and organisations in the SET sectors and supporting women entering, returning and progressing in these fields.

UUK
Universities UK is the major representative body and membership organisation for the higher education sector. It represents the UK's universities and some higher education colleges. Its 132 members are the executive heads of these institutions. Universities UK works closely with policy makers and key education stakeholders to advance the interests of universities and to spread good practice throughout the higher education sector. Founded in 1918 and formerly known as the Committee for Vice-Chancellors and Principals (CVCP), Universities UK is celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2008.