Agreement on research careers to strengthen UK's skills base
26 June 2008
By setting out clear expectations for researchers, research managers, research institutions and funders of research, the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers aims to enhance the research workforce and thereby sustain research excellence in the UK, bringing benefits to the health, economy and well being of our nation.
Minister for Science and Innovation, Ian Pearson, said:
"We want the UK to be the best place in the world for science, research and innovation. The Concordat is an important contribution in realising the potential of researchers and demonstrating both nationally and internationally that researchers working in the UK can expect a high standard of management and support".
The new Concordat consists of seven principles for the future support and management of research careers, and under each principle, an explanation of how it may be embedded into institutional practice:
- Recognition of the importance of recruiting, selecting and retaining researchers with the highest potential to achieve excellence in research.
- Researchers are recognised and valued by their employing organisation as an essential part of their organisation's human resources and a key component of their overall strategy to develop and deliver world-class research.
- Researchers are equipped and supported to be adaptable and flexible in an increasingly diverse, mobile, global research environment.
- The importance of researchers' personal and career development, and lifelong learning, is clearly recognised and promoted at all stages of their career.
- Individual researchers share the responsibility for and need to pro-actively engage in their own personal and career development and lifelong learning.
- Diversity and equality must be promoted in all aspects of the recruitment and career management of researchers.
- The sector and all stakeholders will undertake regular and collective review of their progress in strengthening the attractiveness and sustainability of research careers in the UK.
Research Councils UK (RCUK) and Universities UK (UUK) brought together a higher education sector working group with representatives of the UK's principal research funders, including the UK funding councils, government departments to develop policies and practices to support the growing number of staff employed to carry out research. This commitment to adopt the Concordat's principles should ensure maximum benefit to the researcher during their employment in higher education.
To support the UK's already high standing in Europe for its attention to the management of researchers, a gap analysis led by RCUK and UUK was conducted to align the Concordat with the principles of the European Charter and Code. In endorsing the principles of this Concordat, the signatories adopt the principles of the European Charter and Code.
Vitae, a new initiative to champion the professional and career development of both doctoral researchers and research staff in higher education institutions and research institutes is also launched today. The new organisation will play a major role in working with institutions and researchers to implement the Concordat. Funded by RCUK and managed by CRAC: The Career Development Organisation, Vitae builds on previous work by the UK GRAD Programme and UKHERD to build capacity in the HE sector to support researchers.
