Vitae member updates - July 2022

We have quite a few member updates to relay to you this month, not least around the Vitae International Researcher Development Conference 2022.  

Vitae International Researcher Development Conference 2022 

Many preparations for #VitaeCon2022 have been made since last month, and we are delighted that on Tuesday 13 September, Professor Tim Newton, Dean of Research Governance, Ethics and Integrity, King’s College London will be speaking in plenary two that focuses on the implementation of policy driving a positive research culture. On Wednesday 14 September we will be joined by Dario Capezzuto, Policy Officer, European Commission, DG Research & Innovation, and Dr Gábor Kismihók, Learning and Skills Analytics Research Group Leader, Leibniz Information Centre for Science and Technology (TIB), who will share their global perspectives on the practice of developing researchers as part of plenary four: Supporting researchers into, through and beyond the PhD. 

Book your seats at #VitaeCon2022 

As a preview for Vitae members, online workshops are now live for booking on the conference website. Read through the recently added abstracts and presenter information, giving members advance notice of what to expect from this year’s event. Use the ‘save your seat’ function to make your selection for the interactive sessions at #VitaeCon2022. Some sessions will have limited availability, so please book soon to avoid disappointment.  

As a member, ensure you are logged into the Vitae website before booking your ticket in order to take advantage of the discounted member rate. 

Vitae Three Minute Thesis® competition 

Thanks to all who submitted institutional 3MT® Winner videos, as well as to the judging panel of community members who kindly dedicated their time to review and score the 67 excellent entries. The 12 highest scoring videos will go through to the semi-final at the end of the month; registrants will be notified. Just six finalists will be chosen to present at the competition final on Thursday 15 September 2022. The semi-finalists will be announced on Wednesday next week. 

New practice-sharing resources  

Dr Angela Midgley, Research Staff Developer, University of Liverpool has written a blog about a new toolbox that Vitae’s Researcher Networks working group has been creating. The toolbox, to be published in the Autumn, will contain examples of good practice on how to nurture and sustain researcher networks. An open access panel session, made up of contributors to the toolbox, will ‘unpack’ what the resource offers on Thursday 15 September during the Vitae International Researcher Development Conference 2022.   

Dr Kate Jones, Head of Learning and Professional Development, Vitae has written a blog about the Researcher Development Framework (RDF) and Vitae’s ongoing RDF ‘refresh’ project that has also led to several new projects involving cultural contextual adaptations of the framework. 

Recordings from a recent forum on research culture and practice which Vitae have contributed to are now available to watch online. Vitae’s speaker contributions included the engagement of researchers in 10 days of professional development per year and the importance of multistakeholder responsibility for this obligation under the Researcher Development Concordat, as well as an overview of the Concordat Platform of Practice  which hosts a living library of in-depth examples of practice from the community to inspire innovation and positive change. 

HR Excellence in Research Award call for international peer reviewers  

Vitae is seeking to recruit international peer reviewers for the UK process of the HR Excellence in Research Award. If you would like the opportunity to further your professional development and build experience in HR strategy, then we would really like to hear from you. Further information including what is involved and how to apply can be found on our website; full training will be given to successful candidates. 

Until next month, 

Kind regards,

Rachel Cox
(she/her)
Engagement and Policy Team Lead