Vitae membership update

28/10/2014
We are pleased to announce the names of over 100 institutions who will become Vitae members in January 2015

Vitae has been inviting higher education institutions to join our membership network since Easter 2014. Six months and a new Vitae website later, we are pleased to announce the names of over 100 institutions who will become Vitae members from January 2015.

Starting next year, Vitae membership will support three key themes, which have been confirmed following the consultation with our network:

  • Innovations in researcher development
  • Research staff career development; particularly working with PIs and research leaders
  • Enhancing doctoral provision, including researcher development within the context of changing structures and emerging cohort models

As well as these, during 2014 and early 2015, we will be releasing a series of outputs from the current Vitae contract, funded by the Research Councils and UK Higher Education Funding Bodies which focusses on:  

  • a step change in the careers development of research staff and the implementation of the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers.
  • ensuring research organisations promote the equality and diversity of the research workforce
  • maximising the impact of past investment regarding transferable skills, employability and career development, including consolidating support for doctoral researchers, including the implementation of the Researcher Development Framework 

Highlights for 2014/15 include:

  • Every Researcher Counts conference: Equality and Diversity: Progress and challenges in leading researchers, 26 January 2015, London
  • Training the Next Generation of Doctoral Researchers Event in June 2015
  • HR Excellence in Research Award event: Exploring the external review process in February 2015
  • Three Minute Thesis (®3MT) competition for researchers from member institutions
  • Resources for principal investigators to support career conversations with researchers
  • Connections, series of events for researcher developers (Connections 2, Connections 3

Opportunity to host Vitae regional meetings
  
From January 2015, the new membership structures will come into operation. Our members will be supported by a dedicated Vitae network manager and have access to new communities of practice. We have recently contacted the key contacts at all membership institutions seeking nominations for eight new Vitae Regional Representatives and hosts for the Vitae regional meetings. Get in touch with your key Vitae membership contacts at your institution or to find out more. 
 
Become Vitae membership organisation

If your organisation is not a Vitae member yet, you can still join before January 2015. Being part of Vitae will enable you and your organisation to connect with experts in researcher development, strengthen your expertise, knowledge and resources and influence relevant policy. Find out about our membership benefits here.

Vitae membership is based on the number of doctoral and early career researchers at your organisation and enables all staff and students to access member benefits including the dedicated web content. 

To find out more about our offer and receive Vitae membership package, please visit our membership section or