Dr Rebekah Smith McGloin Research Capability Development Manager Implementation of the UK Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers:  Challenges and Innovations for Research Support Staff Dr Rebekah Smith McGloin Research Capability Development Manager

Overview Introduction to the UK Concordat Main areas of focus Key challenges in implementation (UK HE sector) Key challenges for Coventry Group discussion Major initiatives that Coventry has implemented Governance structures Development programmes, funding schemes New Academic Framework Works-in-progress Group discussion and action-planning 30 min presentation Introduction to the UK Concordat What is it? What does it map to in EU? Main areas of focus Key challenges encountered across the UK sector Key challenges for Coventry   30 min exercise What is the biggest challenge for your institution in aligning with HR Charter and Code? 15 minutes table discussion Write the biggest challenge per table on the piece of sticky flipchart in the centre of the table. 15 minutes, participants to circulate and add post-it note solutions to the flipchart challenges In my institution we… At the moment my institution is… What worked really well was… What didn’t work at all was… Coffee Flipchart challenges and solutions can be read over coffee 40 min presentation Major initiatives that Coventry has implemented Governance structures – researcher representation, engagement from senior leadership Development programmes, funding schemes New Academic Framework Work-in-progress: Careers provision, Doctoral College, Short-term research contracts 40 min discussion What is your institution’s flagship initiative to support implementation of the HR Charter and Code? What is the next big thing? What would you tackle in a perfect world? How can you facilitate change in your institution? What ways can you work together, across institutions to implement change?

Introduction to the UK Concordat The UK Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers is an agreement between funders and employers of research staff to improve the employment and support for researchers and research careers in UK higher education.  It sets out clear standards that research staff can expect from the institution that employs them, as well as their responsibilities as researchers. It is one of three research-related concordats The other two govern (1) research integrity and ethics (2012) and (2) public engagement with research (2011). http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/policy-and-analysis/reports/Pages/research-concordat.aspx http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/documents/scisoc/concordatforengagingthepublicwithresearch-pdf/ Introduction to the UK Concordat What is it? What does it map to in EU? Main areas of focus Key challenges encountered across the UK sector Key challenges for Coventry

Three Pillars Supporting Research Research integrity Engaging the public with research Career development of researchers*

Concordat and HRS4R in the UK A specific process managed by Vitae allows UK organisations to gain the HRS4R Award by demonstrating implementation of the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers principles.

UK Concordat: 7 Areas of Focus Principle 1: Recruitment and Selection Measures of success include changes in the make-up of the University population, including increases in the numbers of women and Black and Minority Ethnic Groups. Principle 2: Recognition and Value Constructive appraisals, annual opportunity for progression Principles 3 & 4: Support and Career Development Mentoring, development programmes Introduction to the UK Concordat What is it? What does it map to in EU? Main areas of focus Key challenges encountered across the UK sector Key challenges for Coventry

UK Concordat: 7 Areas of Focus Principle 5: Researchers’ Responsibilities Researchers actively participating in committees, leading initiatives Principle 6: Diversity and Equality Positive working environment, equality in participation, progression Principle 7: Implementation and Review Governance, monitoring, evaluation

Key challenges in UK universities Engagement of senior management Award fatigue – Athena Swan (gender equality), Disability Confident, Stonewall Accreditation (sexuality) Access to data (systems and processes) Researcher engagement Financial – short-term research contracts

Key challenges in UK universities Engagement of senior management Award fatigue – Athena Swan (gender equality), Disability Confident, Stonewall Accreditation (sexuality), Race Equality Charter Access to data (systems and processes) Researcher engagement Financial – short-term research contracts

Data challenges Do your systems collect data on the following? Research staff on fixed-term contract Application and recruitment data to research posts by gender, ethnicity, sexuality, disability Progression data (same terms) Attendance at training data (same terms) What other data would you like to collect that your institution is not currently collecting?

Key challenges @Coventry University Working across departments Short-term contracts Changing policy landscape – new academic framework implementation Symbolic compliance

Group discussion What is the biggest challenge for your institution in aligning with HR Charter and Code? (15 mins table discussion) Write the biggest challenge per table on the piece of sticky flipchart. Please move around the room to read the challenges and add post-it note solutions to the flipchart (15 mins)   In my institution we… At the moment my institution is… What worked really well was… What didn’t work at all was…

Flipchart challenges and solutions can be read over coffee

Major initiatives: Governance Governance structures - researcher representation - engagement from senior leadership Academic Board Board of Governors RESEARCH COMMITTEE Research Sub-Committee for the Implementation of the concordat Research Degree Sub-Committee Major initiatives that Coventry has implemented Governance structures – researcher representation, engagement from senior leadership Development programmes, funding schemes New Academic Framework Work-in-progress: Careers provision, Doctoral College, Short-term research contracts Concordat Working Group

Membership Chair: APVC Research Director, Organisation Development Research Capability Manager Research Staff x2 Early/Mid-Career Researcher Program Manager HR representative Careers representative PhD Staff Member Professor Secretary Research Sub-Committee for the Implementation of the concordat E&D Manager HR Business Partner Head of PGRSU Representative of Research Office E&I Representative Careers Representative ECR/MCR Programme Manager Doctoral Training Programme Manager 4 x Associate Deans Research 1 x Early Career Researcher 1 x Mid-Career Researcher Concordat Working Group

Doctoral Training Centres Staff Doctorate Scheme Supervisor training RESEARCHER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES Doctoral Training Centres Staff Doctorate Scheme Supervisor training Early Career Cohort Programme Middle Career Cohort Programme Working with the Professoriate

Funding schemes Research sabbatical scheme Visiting professor scheme Pump-prime funding scheme Research equipment scheme

New Academic Framework Enable progression for researchers from research assistant to research associate Need to meet criteria for progression and must have a PhD Implementation has been difficult Welcomed by staff but superseded by national policy (Stern Review) Major initiatives that Coventry has implemented Governance structures – researcher representation, engagement from senior leadership Development programmes, funding schemes New Academic Framework Work-in-progress: Careers provision, Doctoral College, Short-term research contracts

Work in progress Careers provision for researchers Move to reduce short-term research contracts and further develop end-of-contract support Doctoral College Major initiatives that Coventry has implemented Governance structures – researcher representation, engagement from senior leadership Development programmes, funding schemes New Academic Framework Work-in-progress: Careers provision, Doctoral College, Short-term research contracts

Group Discussion What is your university’s flagship initiative to support implementation of the HR Charter and Code? What is the next big thing? What would you tackle in a perfect world? How can you facilitate change in your institution? What ways can you work together, across institutions to implement change? Nominate a scribe and a reporter for your discussions 40

20 What will you do when you get back to the office…? Report back and round-up What will you do when you get back to the office…? 20