Vitae Connections Week 2020

" We should revel in the discomfort of the current moment to generate a 'new paradigm' not a 'new normal' '' Chime Asonye, Former Senior Special Assistant on Sustainable Development Goals, Office of the Executive Governor of Abia State, Nigeria.


Vitae Connections Week 2020 (#VitaeCon2020); was a collection of live and on demand opportunities for knowledge and practice sharing, networking and discussion among those with an interest in researcher development globally. The week of online activities ran from 14 to 17 September and included live-streamed keynote presentations, small-group interactive and discussion sessions, our popular poster session and exhibition area reimagined for remote access, as well as the Vitae 3MT competition 2020 final, sponsored by Taylor & Francis.


View all the open access recordings of the live-streamed plenary presentations and additional podcast recordings taken from the #VitaeCon2020 opening plenary session, including Minister Amanda Solloway, Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser, and the two-part diversity in research interview.Amanda & Ottoline



View the slides and recordings from our interactive contributor-led sessionsKieran Fenby-Hulse



Browse the varied on demand content, including PDF posters, powerpoint slide decks, videos, podcasts, and articlesWomen using microphone in front of laptop at desk 


#VitaeCon2020 was an opportunity to celebrate the successes of a rapid transition to remote delivery of researcher development, as well as an opportunity to learn from peers, test out new platforms for online engagement, and consider the long-term implications of COVID-19 for the future of researcher development and research culture. Furthermore, by taking place online, with a mix of closed and open sessions, we encouraged participation and networking to extend beyond the boundaries of the core programme, through “fringe” activities and social media engagement. By providing this hub for the researcher development community, we aimed to create links across institutions, job roles, countries, and time zones and increase the visibility of researcher development worldwide.

In these pressured times for higher education and research funding, it is more important than ever to demonstrate the place of researcher development in supporting researchers and research.

#VitaeCon2020 aimed to provide those working in researcher development with opportunities to:

  • Share and solve challenges during this time of global crisis

  • Showcase and build on successes

  • Make new connections and join stimulating global conversations

  • Demonstrate the relevance and impact of researcher development to new audiences

#VitaeCon2020 featured the 2020 UK Final of the Three Minute Thesis Competition 3MT®, that challenges doctoral candidates to present their research and its significance in just three minutes. 

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