Improving research culture
With the publication of a revised Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers, the UK higher education sector is expected to take a significant step forward in the employment conditions, environment, and professional development opportunities available to researchers.
Vitae will play a continued role in advocating for the professional development needs of researchers at all career stages and sharing good practice on improving wellbeing and mental health, research integrity, and equality, diversity and inclusion, for example. We will work with and for our member community in the UK, Europe and internationally to understand how research culture is realised on the ground, and ensure key messages and challenges are received and heard by policy-makers.
The Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers
With the launch of the new Researcher Development Concordat we look forward to supporting engagement and implementation of the Concordat Principles in the UK and partnering with colleagues in Europe to maintain the link to the European Charter and Code
Researchers and their managers will need help in understanding and fulfilling the expectations on them. Specific information for these groups is available here:
Further resources for dissemination can be found here.
Find out about CEDARS, the new Culture, Employment and Development survey for academic researchers, combined to replace CROS and PIRLS going forward.
If your organisation is a member of Vitae, find out how the new Concordat will affect the HR Excellence in Research Award process by watching the webinar recording from April 2020. Supporting resources are also available.
Wellbeing and mental health
Resources created by institutions as a result of Postgraduate Researcher wellbeing and mental health Catalyst Funding.
In 2019, we established a Vitae member Working Group to consider how we as a community could respond to the clear need for more support and understanding around wellbeing and mental health for researchers at all stages of their careers.
Off the back of her work on a Catalyst funded wellbeing project, Jane Creaton is the perfect fit to Chair this group, and as of September part of her role at University of Portsmouth has been given to this important agenda. A wellbeing symposium was held at the Vitae conference, the outcomes from which will be shared with our members in the coming weeks.
Wellbeing and mental health are important aspects of an inclusive research culture. Find out more about supporting equality, diversity and inclusion with our Every Researcher Counts resources
Research integrity
Integrity underlies good practice and is essential in resolving problems which could compromise both research and relationships between colleagues.
Vitae in partnership with UKRIO have undertaken a research integrity landscape study commissioned by Research England, UKRI. For dissemination events see here.
Vitae members can find out more about how the Researcher Development Framework (RDF) addresses integrity here.
The Concordat to Support Research Integrity can be found here.
The 6th World Conference on Research Integrity took place in June 2019 in Hong Kong. Find out more here.
Did you know that Vitae offers training on research integrity and ethical best practice? To find out more, contact our Learning & Development Team
