Concordat signatories update - 32 institutions signed up so far - January 2020

by Professor Julia Buckingham CBE, Chair of the Concordat Strategy Group and Vice-Chancellor and President of Brunel University London.

The Concordat Strategy Group (CSG) is pleased to report that the number of signatories to the revised Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers - commonly known as the Researcher Development Concordat - has been increasing at a steady pace since the launch of the Concordat in September 2019.

Since the initial fifteen CSG member signatories in September, there have been a further 17 confirmed signatories, taking the total to 32 organisations and institutions across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Many more are expected to follow in the new year as committees reconvene.

We would like to congratulate the latest 16 organisations to sign up to the Principles:

Signatories will play a vital role in engaging with systemic challenges, including ways to provide more security of employment for researchers and flexible criteria for maternity and paternity benefits.

Professor Julia Buckingham CBE, Chair of the Concordat Strategy Group and Vice-Chancellor and President of Brunel University London said: “The sector has collective responsibility to uphold the Principles of the Concordat and I hope all organisations with an interest in supporting the career development of their researchers will show their commitment by joining the list of signatories.”

Read the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers in full www.vitae.ac.uk/concordat-full2019

Supporting information and examples of practice can be found at www.vitae.ac.uk/concordat

Committing to Concordat:https://www.vitae.ac.uk/policy/concordat2019/Commitment

Information on signatories to date: https://www.vitae.ac.uk/policy/concordat/signatories

Notes to Editors 

Up-to-date information relating to the Concordat can now be accessed via this new self-contained website. This page is under review and will be revised shortly.

About the Concordat to Support the Career development of Researchers

The Concordat, as first published in 2008, provides a framework to support the career development of researchers in UK universities and research institutes. In 2017, the Concordat Strategy Group announced an independent ten-year review to evaluate the progress made in implementing the principles and provide recommendations on the future role, content and governance of the Concordat. As a result, a new Researcher Development Concordat was published in September 2019. Details of Concordat Strategy Group membership can be found here.

About Vitae www.vitae.ac.uk

Vitae provides the Secretariat to the CSG.

Vitae is the global leader in supporting the professional development of researchers, experienced in working with institutions as they strive for research excellence, innovation and impact. It is a non-profit programme, part of CRAC: the Career Development Organisation with nearly 50 years' experience in enhancing the skills and careers of researchers. Vitae strengthens its members' institutional provision for the professional development of their researchers through research and innovation, training and resources, events, consultancy and membership.

CRAC provides research intelligence and innovation for all those who support career development for people of all ages and in all sectors. We work in partnership with government agencies, education organisations and providers and employers and professional bodies.

CRAC is a registered charity No 313164 established in 1964.
Contact

To learn more about this press release, please contact:

Sarah Nalden, Marketing & Communications Executive 22 Signet Court, Swanns Road, Cambridge, CB5 8LA

Sarah.nalden@vitae.ac.uk Mobile: 07708 914976 Office: 01223 460277