National and European contexts

Principal investigators (PIs) need to be familiar with the expectations of government and funding bodies. For PIs in the UK, the key documents are The Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers and the European Charter and Code. As well as these national and European expectations addressing the management and recruitment of researchers, PIs also need to be aware of the legal issues they are required to consider.

The Concordat

The Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers is an agreement between the funders and employers of researchers in the UK that aims to increase the attractiveness and sustainability of research careers as well as to improve the quantity, quality and impact of research. It sets out the expectations and responsibilities of researchers, their managers, employers and funders.

For managers of researchers, including PIs, The Concordat is important as it establishes expectations of funders of research in relation to the:

• recruitment and selection of research staff in line with institutional policies
• constructive use of appraisal and developmental reviews in supporting the development of research staff
• active support for the professional and career development of research staff
• supporting research staff to widen their experience, develop their professional profile and career opportunities
• provision of appropriate tailored support and management to research staff
• engagement with institutional processes to evaluate research staff support.

For a more detailed briefing on The Concordat for managers of research, have a look at Vitae's Concordat briefings to engage stakeholder groups.

European Charter and Code

The European Commission has adopted a European Charter for Researchers and a Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers. These two documents, addressed to researchers as well as to employers and funders in both the public and private sectors, are key elements in the European Union's policy to make research an attractive career, which is a vital feature of its strategy to stimulate economic and employment growth.

The European Charter for Researchers addresses the roles, responsibilities and entitlements of researchers and their employers or funding organisations. It aims at ensuring that the relationship between these parties contributes to successful performance in the generation, transfer and sharing of knowledge, and to the career development of researchers.

The Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers aims to improve recruitment, to make selection procedures fairer and more transparent, and proposes different means of judging merit. Merit should not just be measured on the number of publications but on a wider range of evaluation criteria, such as teaching, supervision, teamwork, knowledge transfer, management and public awareness activities.