The Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers – The UWE plan for implementation and review

The Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers was launched in 2008. It sets out the expectations and responsibilities of researchers, their managers, employers and funders. It aims to increase the attractiveness and sustainability of research careers in the UK and to improve the quantity, quality and impact of research for the benefit of UK society and the economy.

UWE is committed to enhancing the support for early career researchers as part of its strategic plan and the responsibility for implementation of the Concordat is placed with the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), the Research & Knowledge Exchange Executive, Human Resources, the Researchers’ Forum Planning Group and Research, Business and Innovation (RBI).

In the first half of 2011, a Researchers’ Forum task group led by the Researcher Skills Development Officer and the HR Manager (Projects & Staff development), conducted an internal analysis of UWE’s progress to date with respect to the implementation of the principles of the Concordat. The analysis took into account the views of Early Career Researchers from the CROS surveys undertaken in 2009/2011, the UWE Staff Satisfaction Survey (2008) and specific input from the Researchers’ Forum in the interim which resulted in the drafting of the gap analysis and implementation plan.

Prior to this, the following Concordat implementation activities have been undertaken:

• Sent the Concordat to all research staff and line managers of research staff (including Principal Investigators)
• Organised a Researchers’ Forum specifically for the launch of the concordat
• Profiled the Concordat on institution’s internal and external web pages
• Profiled and added links to the Academic Career Pathways
• Embedded the Researcher Development Framework into the Researcher Skills Development Programme run by Research, Business & Innovation
• The Researchers’ Forum has been used to promote Concordat-related discussion and development with both Early Career Researchers and Principal Investigators
• Administered Careers in Research Online Survey (CROS) in 2009 and 2011. The outcomes and priorities have been/are being explored in the Researchers’ Forum
• The Researchers’ Forum is convened by an Associate Dean (Research) who sits on the Research & Knowledge Exchange Executive providing a direct line of representation to the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic)
• Increased the number of research staff representatives on the planning group of the Researchers’ Forum
• Attracted more Principal Investigators to contribute to career development activities run as part of the Researchers’ Forum events

The Researchers' Forum planning group under the auspices of the Research and Knowledge Exchange Executive will undertake an annual review of the implementation plan (pdf file).