Vitae Researcher Development International Conference 2013

The established annual Vitae Researcher Development International Conference is the largest dedicated event that brings together all those with a strategic and practical role in developing researchers.

Conference themes

The conference  addressed the strategic and practical implications of the following themes:

  • policy developments relating to the doctoral education and employing researchers
  • building institutional capacity for researchers' professional development to maintain research excellence
  • demonstrating the value of researcher development on research outputs, researcher careers, economic prosperity and society
  • sustainable practice to support researcher skills, professional and career development.

Workshop themes

Workshops addressed the conference themes, and in particular will cover:

  • embedding training and development in the research environment
  • the impact of researcher development and researcher careers
  • implications of policy developments for higher education institutions
  • developing the ‘global researcher'
  • key transitions between academia and industry/other sectors, including employability and work experience and internships
  • developing researchers for knowledge exchange, enterprise, public engagement and research in policy making
  • developing researchers for leadership, multidisciplinary and collaborative working
  • developing a supply of research talent, including widening participation and attractiveness of research degrees
  • equality and diversity issues for research careers.

The 2013 conference included:

  • the launch of the UK aggregate analysis of the Careers in Research Online Survey, being run by over 50 institutions
  • the launch of the UK aggregate analysis of the Principal Investigators and Research Leaders Survey, being run by over 40 institutions
  • outcomes from the RCUK review of Review of Revised Funding Arrangements for Researcher Development and their Operation
  • updates on the European Commission's feasibility study on a certification mechanism for good HR management of researchers linked to the European Charter and Code.

Participants at the conference:

  • explored the political context for researcher development
  • discussed strategic and practical ways of sustaining professional and career development for research staff and postgraduate researchers
  • accessed the latest policy, information and research related to this field
  • shared ideas and practice with a network of colleagues with a stake in developing the researchers.

"The conference was a great experience. I enjoyed meeting some very interesting people, the interest in our work was very encouraging and is opening up new networks and opportunities."

"This conference was much more than I expected, THANK YOU!"

"It was an inspiring event!"

2012 Conference participants

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