Vitae Researcher Development International Conference 2014

Vitae logo A Vitae event

Manchester, Tuesday 09 September - Wednesday 10 September 2014

Presentations from this event are now available. Browse all presentations or see links from programme and workshop listing.

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 will address 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 will address the conference themes, and in particular will cover:

  • New approaches to enabling researchers to reach their potential and make powerful career choices
  • Working with PI's and supervisors to transform everyday conversations into those that further professional development and embed training and development in the research environment
  • Case studies and examples that mainstream equality and diversity for research careers and the research environment
  • Developing a pipeline of research talent, including widening participation issues and the strategies to attract the best candidates into research degrees
  • Leadership development for researchers
  • Researcher development and researcher careers evaluation and impact studies to further our understanding and knowledge of the researcher landscape
  • New and interesting ways of supporting mobility - international, intersectoral and interdisciplinary
  • Researcher development within the cohort model: practice sharing from doctoral training centres/partnership and other cohort based models (e.g. ITN's)
  • Researchers' development across boundaries: learning from international collaborations and exploring intercultural competence

Bookings now open

Early Bird booking discounts are available until Wednesday 30 July. Book your place.

The 2014 conference will include:

  • The launch of the findings of the HEFCE funded project undertaken by CRAC ‘Understanding the recruitment and selection of postgraduate researchers by English HE institutions’
  • The launch of the findings of the HEFCE funded ‘International comparisons in postgraduate provision’ research
  • The publication of ‘Vitae occasional papers, volume 1: The Impact of Researcher Development’. A collection of papers based on workshops at the Vitae Researcher Development International Conference, 3-4th September 2013, Manchester UK
  • The final of the UK 3 Minute Thesis competition which takes place before dinner with an RCUK sponsored prize of £3000 for the winner

  • Access for conference participants to the International Journal of Researcher Development

Participants at the conference will:

  • explore the political context for researcher development
  • discuss strategic and practical ways of sustaining professional and career development for research staff and postgraduate researchers
  • access the latest policy information and research
  • share ideas and practice with a network of colleagues who have a stake in developing researchers.

Workshops will include:

  • Realising Researcher Potential – Introducing the CNA– Confidence Need Analysis! 
  • How embedded evaluation can secure the future of resource intensive researcher development programmes 
  • A hidden resource for researcher developers: engaging and developing technical scientific staff
  • Developing experienced researchers’ use of technology: examining some critical issues 
  • Might increasing expectations limit the intrinsic attributes derived from a research degree? 
  • Ethical leadership in research
  • Supporting Widening Participation students in their transitions onto postgraduate and research study

"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!"

2013 Conference participants

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