News

Today Vitae confirms that 12 UK institutions have successfully retained their HR Excellence in Research Award from the European Commission. The Award demonstrates a university's commitment to improving the working conditions and career development for research staff, which will in turn improve the quantity, quality and impact of research for the benefit of UK society and the economy.

Vitae announced the members of the new Vitae Researcher Development Action Group at the Vitae Policy Forum which took place on the 30/31 January in Birmingham. The new group will build upon the excellent work of Vitae's Research Staff Development Advisory Group (ReSDAG) and will serve to provide focus on refining the ideas for the future progress on the step-change in research staff development plus provide ongoing support for PGRs.

Take 230 researchers, 17 HEIs, 17 employers mix them all together and what do you get?

What happened next?

Vitae and the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers were launched together in 2008. This signalled continuation of our work with doctoral researchers under the UK GRAD Programme, and also an expansion of our activities to include research staff in higher education.

The Entrepreneurs and Education Programme was officially launched today by Minister for Business and Enterprise, Michael Fallon.

The Vitae Midlands Hub in collaboration with the Midlands Energy Consortium ran a Digital Researcher Event on 19th October. Over 30 researchers from across the UK attended the workshop to learn and understand more about how social media can be used by researchers. Emma Gilaspy (@vitaenwhub) and Tristram Hooley (@pigironjoe) facilitated the day and provided useful and interesting tips on managing your digital profile and making the most of the digital environment for your research.

UKCGE and Vitae are the two leading UK organisations concerned with postgraduate education and researcher development respectively. Vitae works with higher education institutions to build and strengthen personal, professional and career development for early career researchers, including doctoral students and works directly with colleagues in institutions, providing strategic and practical resources to implement relevant policy and good practice. UKCGE supports all levels of postgraduate education, focusing on the student experience and providing updates for academic and administrative staff about policy development and good practice in the postgraduate sector.

We are delighted to confirm that the Department for Employment and Learning in Northern Ireland, the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales and the Scottish Funding Council now join the Higher Education Funding Council for England and Research Councils UK to support Vitae from 2013.

We are delighted that a number of new initiatives, research and projects are being announced at the Vitae conference this year. These include:

This Saturday, the International Consortium of Research Staff Associations (ICoRSA) was launched in a session at the European Science Open Forum. ICoRSA will provide an international voice for researchers through the collaboration of national associations. Other global associations participating besides research staff associations are a highly-mobile part of the global research enterprise. ICoRSA will provide a collective voice to represent researchers in international policy. ICORSA will also support the development of national associations by facilitating communication across borders and the sharing of best practices.

QAA Quality Code and the Vitae Researcher Development Framework

On 30 May, David Willetts announced that RCUK and HEFCE have come together to strengthen their support for ensuring the development of world-class skills amongst research staff. Recognising the importance of the high level skills developed through research careers, RCUK and HEFCE confirmed their support for Vitae and further funding until 2015.

Scottish Funding Council and seven UK universities gain European Commission recognition for researcher development

What is research about if not finding, absorbing, creating and disseminating information?

A review of implementation of the Concordat's principles over the three years following its launch. The report details funders' responses, researchers' views, integration into institutional policy and infrastructure as well as the extent and depth of practical implementation.

A survey and interviews, with both researchers and researcher developers, were used to explore how researchers use their social capital to elicit careers advice, who they ask, how they rate their networking skills and their career aspirations, attitudes and constraints.

New research probes doctoral researchers' career thinking

The Midlands Hub ran a pilot Leadership in Action programme at the University of Warwick in December 2011. 26 researchers from across the UK attended the course along with 7 tutors (both independent trainers and staff supporting researchers).

RCUK have today announced some key principles to support researchers who move between the UK and other countries worldwide.

Research Councils are investing training resources in centres or clusters of excellence which provide the highest quality research training experience, facilities and development opportunities. Universities are adopting the approach in their own arrangements for doctoral training. Centres of excellence in doctoral training have existed since 2002. The benefits and outcomes of this approach are currently being realised in EPSRC-funded centres whilst ESRC and BBSRC are bringing new centres on stream. These latest models create new opportunities with inter-institutional working and the requirements for internships.

Vitae is very pleased to be supporting this year's award for Outstanding Support for Early Career Researchers. This award will be 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.

As a culmination of the Vitae employer engagement strategy 2011, the Engaging Employers conference showcased national, regional, institutional and researcher perspectives on engaging with employers, coupled with the sharing of practice on placements and other ways to engage with employers successfully.

The Vitae annual conference took place in Manchester last week and was attended by almost 400 participants from 81 UK higher education institutions and 24 international organisations.

The winner of the Elevator pitch competition at the Employer reception, Vitae Researcher Development International Conference

The latest 15 UK universities to gain the HR Excellence in Research award from the European Commission were announced at the Vitae Researcher Development International Conference in Manchester on 5 September. The UK now has 38 of its higher education institutions recognised in this way.

The Careers in Research Online Survey (CROS) 2011 Analysis of UK aggregate results, published by Vitae, presents the views and experiences of research staff employed in higher education

Creating collaborations - an out put from the 2010 Vitae Yorkshire and North East Hub which focused on the enablers and barriers of creating collaborations

Vitae together with the CBI and Research Councils UK hosted a Strategy Forum at the Royal Society on 13 June 2011 looking at the future of research within the UK and the implications for the professional and career development of researchers. It was attended by representatives from the UK Research Councils, funding bodies, universities, employers, researchers, professional bodies, and other UK stakeholders.

Researcher Development Framework resources

The Vitae Midlands Hub has been praised by it's network for facilitating regional collaboration.

This week Vitae has published three major publications.

Vitae has published the following Researcher Development Resources:

The Research Council delivery plans for this spending review period continue to stress the importance of producing highly capable people to sustain the UK research base, enable closer work with industry and to work in many sectors of the economy. In line with the overall Research Council spending review settlement, the Vitae programme is also required to make cost reductions in 2011. Our strategy is to maintain provision around our 2011 priorities, particularly those highlighted in the RC delivery plans, while focusing on consolidation and maximising the impact of existing activities and reducing lower priority activities.

The individual budgets for the seven UK Research Councils over the 2011/12-2014/15 spending review period were announced by David Willetts, Minister for Universities and Science on 20 December.

UK higher education institutions gain recognition from the European Commission this week for their commitment to ensuring good working conditions and career development for researchers.

Michelle Johansen (University of East London) on why it's best not to panic...

29 October 2009...UUK report on Promoting UK Doctorate was discussed at the House of Commons to an audience of MPs and Vice-Chancellors yesterday

Turning your PhD into a publishable book is more of a challenge than ever in today’s economic climate. Publishing Consultant Josie Dixon shares the secrets of success.