If you are a researcher with aspirations to manage your own research team, a new resource on the Vitae website will give you an insight into the role of principal investigator.
The "Leadership development for principal investigators" webpages are hosted within Vitae's Supervisors and managers section and provide new and aspiring principal investigators with information and guidance on the following key themes:
- What is expected of a principal investigator?
- Research environment
- Impact
- Managing people
- Project management
- Networks
The content was developed following consultation with principal investigators and staff who support them. The resources will help principal investigators and research leaders explore the issues surrounding and different approaches to the many aspects of their leadership role. It will also help them to address their responsibilities with respect to supporting their research staff and implementing The Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers.
Principal investigators who have already reviewed the resources offered the following positive feedback:
- "I think these pages are important - I've been a principal investigator for eight years now and this is something I need to do."
- "I'm a researcher but not yet a principal investigator. I would recommend this site to my peers"
- "It is easy to find [your] way around - the index on the left is useful."
- "A really helpful site with lots of useful information."
HEFCE's Leadership, Governance and Management (LGM) fund supported this collaborative project, which involved the universities of Nottingham, Loughborough, Cambridge, Newcastle, Sunderland, UCL and Leicester, as well as Vitae, Research Councils UK, Leadership Foundation for Higher Education, Association of Research Managers and Administrators, and Universities UK.