Vitae researcher development conference 2009: realising the potential of researchers 08 September 2009 - 09 September 2009

Event overview

The Vitae researcher development conference is the UK's largest event for people with a commitment to the personal, professional and career development of researchers.

Download your personal copy of the Vitae researcher development conference 2009 report

This conference was for

This conference was for everyone with a strategic or practical role in the development of researchers, and will focus on meeting the emerging needs defined by the new global context.  It has never been more important to focus on the effective development of researchers' or to ensure that researchers are able to make a valuable contribution to the wider community and economy.

This conference addressed strategic and practical implications of the following themes

• sustaining the investment in our researchers in order to build research capacity and remain globally competitive
• research and evaluation relating to the impact of researcher development and of researcher careers
• the implementation of the Concordat, including the benchmarking process
• latest developments in policy relating to postgraduate researchers
• practice to support researcher skills and career development. 

Background

Lord Drayson has recently stated that:

‘ We have to maintain a diverse research base, because we don't know where all the challenges will come from and what kinds of multi-disciplinary responses will be required ’

Since the first Vitae researcher development conference in September 2008, the world has changed significantly.  Economic downturn has brought an increase in competition for jobs in all sectors, pressure on government funding and a widespread sense of uncertainty about the future. Higher education institutions are also facing financial pressures related to pay increases and the recession.

The future will bring further change as the full extent of economic downturn becomes apparent and political leaders prepare for a general election.

On a national level, policies such as the latest HE framework being developed by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, which includes a new focus on postgraduate policy, are set to have an impact. The Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers launched in June 2008 has prompted institutional reviews of provision and conditions for research staff.

Seven years after the Roberts review, institutions are providing a broad range of opportunities to enhance researchers' skills and careers. A growing body of evidence highlights the importance and impact of researcher careers. This conference brought together people and expertise to build on this to strengthen the academic base, economic and cultural prosperity and our place in the global research environment.

Participants at this conference

• explored the key changes in the external context that will affect researcher development over coming years
• discussed strategic and practical responses to external changes and developments in supporting the skills and career development of research staff and postgraduate researchers
• had access to the latest policy, information and research related to this field
• shared ideas and practice with a network of all those who have a stake in developing the UK's researchers.

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