Nottingham is the winner of this year's THE Award for Outstanding Support for Early Career Researchers

Times Higher Education Awards Ceremony took place yesterday...
The winner of the 2015 THE Award for Outstanding Support for Early Career Researchers, sponsored by Vitae and presented by Janet Metcalfe, Chair and Head, Vitae, at this year's dinner on 26 November is the University of Nottingham for its ‘Postgraduate Placements Nottingham’ (PPN).

The programme has supported over 200 doctoral researchers to gain valuable experience with over 100 local small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). The researchers report tangible improvements in their competencies around the Vitae Researcher Development Framework, while employers report improvements in the gross added value to their companies. It is a flexible model that enables placements on a part-time basis as well as over a single block of time.

The five other finalists in this category are: 

• University of Aberdeen (in partnership with the universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Strathclyde)
• De Montfort University
• University of Edinburgh
• University of Manchester

•  University of Surrey

This award is given to the individual, team or institution that has developed the most innovative or exemplary scheme to enhance and develop the transferable and careers skills of postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers.

Janet Metcalfe said

“The University of Nottingham’s researcher placement programme is innovative in its flexibility and focus on local SMEs; showing real value to doctoral researchers across all disciplines and to the businesses. Our congratulations go to Nottingham and to the other finalist institutions.’”

For more details visit the University of Nottingham website www.nottingham.ac.uk/graduateschool/placements-and-internships/index.aspx