1. 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

2. 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?

3. 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).
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

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

5. 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.

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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?

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

12. 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…

13. Flipchart challenges and solutions can be read over coffee

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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