Reflections on the Vitae International Researcher Development Conference September 2024 - Dr Julie Reeves, University of Southampton

Posted 16/10/2024 by Louise Wheeler

 

Photo of Julie with her ICE Award by Jon Nurse. 

By Dr Julie Reeves, University of Southampton

After an exciting and thought-provoking Vitae International Researcher Development Conference in September 2024, Vitae asked Dr Julie Reeves, Researcher Developer and Lecturer in Academic Practice (Research) at the University of Southampton and a Vitae ICE (Impact, Culture and Engagement) Award winner 2024, for her experiences attending the online and in-person elements of #VitaeCon2024. As an influential and esteemed figure in researcher development, with many years of extensive experience, have a read of Julie’s perspectives on the Vitae conference below, and be inspired to join us for our next conference in 2025.

 Renewed professional vigour

The annual Vitae International Researcher Development Conference never fails to provide inspiring ideas from colleagues, a sense of renewed professional vigour, and the confirmation that researcher development is a great profession to be a part of. This year was no exception, with the professional affirmation even more pronounced for me – but more of this later.

 Lots of options – a good problem to have

I was fortunate to attend the online and in-person elements of the conference, and I enjoyed the fact that the two elements were separated by a couple of weeks. This gave me time to reflect on the online element before preparing to meet colleagues in-person at the conference venue in Birmingham. It’s a good problem to have when there’s a range of great sessions and you want to attend all of them! Luckily, most sessions at the online element were recorded and put on the conference event online platform, so I can catch up on sessions at my leisure.

 A pivotal moment

A key impression this year that I became aware of was that the research community are at a pivotal moment. It could even be said, at a stage of ‘renewal’ (to coin a popular phrase) in researcher development with the challenges faced, and how to deliver our work to enable the changes the research community needs. The challenges posed, and needs to be met, include creating inclusive environments, teams and equitable relationships; the impact of generative artificial intelligence (AI) on researchers and research; how to meet the needs of ‘mid-career researchers’ or how to identify them; or how we capture the PCE section in the UK REF2029 – these issues all served to underscore the point that ‘the times they are a-changing’.

The journey of researcher development

Numerous contributors reflected on the journey of researcher development so far, a point which really struck me. It is exactly twenty years since the first tranche of funding to support the career development and transferable skills training of researchers, or ‘Roberts’ money’ as it was lovingly called, were released by the research councils. Listening to Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser and Dr Janet Metcalfe OBE reflect on the achievements over the period was very special, especially as both women are stepping back from their roles. The standing ovation Janet received at the Vitae Impact, Culture, and Engagement (ICE) Awards at the end of the first day of the in-person event was very moving and endorsed how much she is esteemed and will be missed.

New ideas from researcher developers

What is consistently exciting about the Vitae conference is the new ideas that researcher developers bring to the sector. The panel ‘Navigating AI for researcher development’, led by Dr Alex Pavey at King’s College London during the online element, and Professor Tom Stoneham’s keynote on AI at the in-person event were fascinating and presented questions about the impact of AI that I had not considered. Anna Brady’s ‘ABCDE’ model in ‘Switch on: Crack the code of researcher engagement’, however, demonstrated how low-tech can be fun and informative too.

It was a real joy to have researchers and technical staff join us as presenters and participants, especially for feedback on the refreshed Researcher Development Framework (RDF). I was especially thrilled at the reception the new RDF received on its first outing during the online element and at the feedback from the in-person session - well done to the Working Group!

Stand-out projects

I would urge everyone to check these out if they haven’t already: the THRIVE project, with principles for team-led research led by the University of Liverpool, and the project from Developing Business Aware Academics, led by the University of Exeter.

I enjoyed reflecting on what I am doing for women and how I can intentionally hold an inclusive and empowering space with Sandrine Soubes, ‘Women-only programmes for researchers’. It was uplifting to have the theme of inclusion explored from a variety of perspectives and to consider how to move ‘from Inclusive by design to inclusive by action’ with Angela Midgley and Stephen Ling.

The in-person panels on ‘Belonging Through Allyship’ with Anna Price, Adrianne Arendse, Nysha Givans and Vani Naik, and ‘Recognition in Academia’ with Emma Spary, Lesley Thompson, Maisha Islam, Pooja Khurana and Simon Breeden, were both extremely thought provoking and brought fresh perspectives on who must be included in research. They made me reflect on how we can be more supportive of lived experience and inclusive in our practice, amongst other pressing questions.

Whilst changing ‘research culture’ is very current, it was reassuring to hear from other colleagues that we, researcher developers, have been doing our bit for research culture since the days of Roberts and, I dare to suggest, the sector might need to be reminded of our role in this.

The Vitae ICE Awards

Undoubtedly, a highlight for me was the gala dinner at the Vitae Impact, Culture and Engagement (ICE) Awards! It was a fabulous occasion, and Oli Schofield did an amazing job as compere - his golden shirt was an item of sparkling beauty! It was such a pleasure to celebrate the nominees and winners. To follow the wonderful Dr Saneeya Qureshi with the Outstanding Contribution award, was a huge personal honour and privilege for me. Thank you to everyone who nominated their colleagues – from my own experience, just to be nominated can have a considerable personal impact. I would encourage everyone to nominate their colleagues next year!

Final thoughts – a strong and positive position

The conference did not dwell on the considerable uncertainty in the sector. However, although the situation is very unsettling, the Vitae conference confirmed my belief that, as a profession, we are in a strong and positive position. We have the Researcher Developer Iceberg, the new Peer Mentoring Circles pilot, the refreshed RDF, the research culture framework, the opportunities that the PCE section in the REF2029 are generating (even the very presence of PCE is an achievement!), and a potentially improved UK relationship with the EU (anticipated by Dr Luísa Henriques), all of which provide us with essential structural support. Yet, it is our creativity, innovation, collegiality and compassion that colleagues amply demonstrated at the Vitae conference 2024 and is our enduring professional USP.

Thank you, Vitae and friends!

Catch up on conference recordings and view slides from the presentations on the event platform.