How was the Researcher Development Framework developed, who developed it and has it been validated?

Development was led by Vitae in collaboration with the higher education (HE) sector and other stakeholders.  The framework was developed from first principles using empirical data generated from a series of semi-structured interviews with successful researchers covering a range of experiences, institutions, disciplines and demographics. The final draft of the framework also took into account feedback from 242 responses representing 65 HEIs in a sector-wide consultation process, as well as feedback from non-HE employers.  The  framework was further validated through trials with researchers and in-depth interviews with 14 senior academics from across the disciplines and institution types.