Now closed - Call for content

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The call for content for Vitae International Researcher Development Conference 2023 (#VitaeCon2023) is now CLOSED.

The Vitae conference brings together a global community of those supporting the development of researchers to share diverse and varied perspectives, making progress for the wider research culture agenda through the sharing of policy and practice. The Vitae conference aims to be inclusive of all parts of our community, particularly from an international perspective.  

We warmly invite submissions for peer review for sessions in the form of: 

  • Online activities; for example, an interactive workshop, roundtable, panel discussion or presentation;  

  • On demand content; for example, a short video, poster, recorded presentation or document;  

  • In person activities; for example, a workshop, special interest session, networking activity or discussion forum.  

Proposals should aim to enhance #VitaeCon2023 by:   

  • Moving the collective conversations of researcher development forwards; 

  • Building on past and current experiences to predict future goals and challenges; 

  • Showcasing examples of policy and practice and enabling participants to embed them; 

  • Bringing together diverse perspectives to create shared learning.  

Proposals should relate to one or more of the #VitaeCon2023 themes, or topics suggested by our community collaborators.  

Overarching conference themes for 2023:

  • Catalysts for transformational change in research culture
  • Innovation and practice in the professional and career development of researchers
  • Achieving equity in the research environment
  • Horizon scanning in researcher development

We called for community collaborators to help us in shaping this year’s conference and from our discussions have produced a short list of potential topics for activities and content, though this is not meant as an exhaustive list. If you have a proposal that you think would fit with one of these topics please mention it in your application: 

  • Accessibility in research and researcher development 
  • Adapting researcher development support for different audiences 
  • Allyship in the research environment 
  • Career stories of researcher developers 
  • Co-creation and community partnership 
  • Developing early career researcher employability 
  • Engaging researchers in career and professional development: doctoral researchers, particularly in years 2 and 3; mid-career to senior researchers; supervisors and managers of researchers 
  • Global touchpoints – collaboration and exchange within an international community 
  • Ideas that never got a chance to see the world 
  • Industry collaborations and knowledge transfer partnerships 
  • Influencing internal stakeholders 
  • New and emerging technologies: threat or opportunity for researcher development? 
  • Supporting academics to become research active 
  • Technology, multiformat and hybrid delivery of researcher development provision 

View the submissions forms in PDF format

If you would like to speak to someone about preparing your submission, please email Hannah Russell at events@vitae.ac.uk. 

Further information 

All proposals will be peer reviewed by an external panel who will be aiming to create a varied and inclusive programme, both in theme, format and representation. Submissions not accepted in your proposed format may be offered an alternative format.  

Online sessions will primarily take place in a parallel format during the online element of the conference, to be delivered on Wednesday 6 September and Thursday 7 September. If your proposal is successful, the date and time of your session will be confirmed with you prior to the event. 

In person sessions may take place in parallel or world café style, depending on the content, at the in person element of #VitaeCon2023 taking place at the Science and Industry Museum Manchester, UK on Monday 25 September and Tuesday 26 September. If your proposal is successful, the date and time of your session will be confirmed with you prior to the event. 

On demand content will be accessible via our event platform and can be viewed by participants before, during and after #VitaeCon2023. It will be promoted during live sessions and participants will be encouraged to view the content in preparation for the conference and as well as continuing to be promoted after the event along with recordings of live sessions.  

The lead proposer is responsible for providing sufficient information for the peer review panel to judge how the session or content would enhance the experience of #VitaeCon2023 for participants.  

If submissions are accepted, the lead proposer will be provided with a date by which to provide the #VitaeCon2023 events team with: 

  • Their own and any additional contributor biographies and photos (if not included in application form) 

  • PowerPoint slides, if using - Online and in person sessions only 

  • Online meeting/session access details (e.g. Zoom link) – Online sessions only 

  • Content files for publication – On demand content only 

  • Recording of workshop – Online sessions only 

  • Post-event summary - Online and in person sessions only 

If accepted, the lead proposer and any additional contributors will be provided with a code to access the discounted contributor rate to attend the whole event. Additional contributors will not automatically be able to access the rest of the event without booking a ticket.  

Important dates  

The call for content is now CLOSED.

If you have submitted a proposal you will be informed if it has been successful following the peer review process in June.  

Full briefing and guidance will be provided to all accepted contributors.  

If successful, the information you have provided in your proposal will be published for participants (unless stated otherwise in the proposal form).  

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