Rosie Beales
Research Careers and Diversity
RCUK Strategy Unit
Tel: 01793 444159
Rosie.beales@rcuk.ac.uk
http://www.rcuk.ac.uk
RCUK
• RCUK is the partnership of the UK’s seven
Research Councils.
• Individual research missions, but common
objectives.
• Working together as RCUK to:
–
–
–
–
–
maximise opportunities at subject interfaces,
forge new partnerships,
deliver major cross-disciplinary priority themes,
deliver an efficient service,
maximise impact of research.
Structure of the Research Councils
• The Research Councils are nondepartmental public bodies
• They operate at arm’s length from
Ministers – Haldane Principle
• Research decisions are taken by
researchers
• Each Research Council is governed by
a Council with membership drawn from
a range of disciplines
ALLOCATIONS 2011 to 2014
Science Allocations – CSR 2010
3,000,000
2,596,196
2,549,353
2,599,812
2,586,641
2,573,678
2,500,000
2,000,000
1,731,300
1,699,578
1,662,112
1,686,321
1,685,689
Research Councils
HEFCE (QR+HEIF)
1,500,000
National Academies
Other Programmes
UK Space Agency
1,000,000
500,000
205,637
163,805
87,832
43,616
87,465
24,496
192,864
191,963
86,547
24,140
86,547
24,165
179,221
86,547
24,005
0
Baseline 2010-11
2011-12
2012-13
2013-14
2014-15
Allocations by Council – CSR 2010
900,000
800,000
700,000
600,000
500,000
Baseline 2010-11
2011-12
2012-13
400,000
2013-14
2014-15
300,000
200,000
100,000
0
AHRC
BBSRC
EPSRC
ESRC
MRC
NERC
STFC - Core
Programme
STFC - CrossSTFC Council
International
facilities1 Subscriptions2
RCUK Strategic Vision (Introduction)
Working as individual Research Councils and together as
RCUK we:
Provide leadership
Shape the research landscape
Incentivise collaboration and knowledge exchange
Ensure that the UK gets maximum benefit
Promote high level skills
Develop and run the national research infrastructure
RCUK Strategic Vision (Research)
“Promote high level skills both for the
sustainability of the UK research base
and for the benefit of society and the
economy”
Strategic Vision (Research to
address societal challenges)
Productive economy
Healthy society
Sustainable world
• Digital economy
• Lifelong health and
• Living with
•Global uncertainties
wellbeing
environmental change
• Energy
• Global food security
RCUK Strategic Vision - Research
Funding people, funding projects
• Complement other funders’ approaches
• Establish the careers of the best earlycareer researchers
• Develop future research leaders for UK
needs
• Balance the identification of excellent
individuals against strategic considerations
• Build capabilities to address societal and
economic challenges
RCUK Strategic Vision - Research
Training for a highly-skilled workforce,
economic growth and sustainability of
the research base
• Attract the best into challenging and original
research projects
• Ensure critical mass in strategic areas
• DTCs and approaches which deliver greater
concentration and excellence.
• Emphasize high quality PhD provision in
preference to support for taught masters courses
• Freeze minimum stipends at £13,590
RCUK Strategic Vision (IMPACT)
IMPACT
• Increasing our economic and societal benefits
• Choosing our research priorities
• Embedding impact
Individual Research Council
Delivery Plans 2011 -2015
All the plans include:
• Research and Training Priorities
• Cross Council Societal Challenges
• Impact (Economic, Societal and Cultural)
Major Themes are:
• National Capability
• Focus on Strategic Research
• Critical Mass/Centres of Excellence
• Multidisciplinarity
• Collaboration
Skilled researchers for the wider
economy and research capability
• Concentrate training in the best centres
– High quality training environment
– Cohort approach (Centres, BGP etc.)
– Strategic research areas
• Focus training to deliver strategic skills needs for
business, policy and research
– Employability
– Increase CASE awards
– Development of collaboration and Engagement
skills
Research Careers and Diversity
We remain committed to the development of
early-career researchers, both to develop the
skills to benefit the wider economy and to ensure
the continuing pipeline of excellent researchers for
the Nation. As a result we will continue to invest in
the RCUK Research Careers programme,
continuing to support the implementation of the
Concordat for Researcher Development and
managing the transition of the Vitae programme
towards a self-sustaining position.
Funding
• PGR funding in fees (14 July 2010 letter )
– in 2010 reporting most institutions mention a rise in
fees
• Research Staff funding in indirect costs (3 Dec 2010 letter
to Roberts contacts and 9 Dec 2010 letter to TRAC
practitioners and Finance Directors).
– plan now for cost recovery - new TRAC rate applies
from 1 Feb
• Future RCUK monitoring will be related to monitoring the
impact and operation of these arrangements
http://www.researchconcordat.ac.uk/
The Concordat
consists of:
• A set of principles for the future support and
management of research careers and, under each
principle, an explanation of how it may best be
embedded into institutional practice;
• A clear statement of the signatories’ collective
expectations for the support and management of
researchers.
• A section emphasising the responsibility
of researchers to take control of their
career and to further it through informed
decisions.
http://www.researchconcordat.ac.uk/
Contents
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
Recruitment and Selection
Recognition and Value
Support and Career Development
Researchers Responsibilities
Diversity and Equality
Implementation and Review
http://www.researchconcordat.ac.uk/
C. Support and Career
Development
Principle 3
Researchers are
equipped and
supported to be
adaptable and flexible
in an increasingly
diverse, mobile, global
research environment.
http://www.researchconcordat.ac.uk/
D. Researchers
Responsibilities
Principle 5
Individual researchers
share the
responsibility for and
need to pro-actively
engage in their own
personal and career
development, and life
long learning.
http://www.researchconcordat.ac.uk/
Implementation progress
http://www.researchconcordat.ac.uk/
Implementation
• Raise awareness/maintain visibility: co-ordinator
• Promote and support HEI implementation
o Build on existing institutional events – staff
conferences etc.
o Ensure coverage of key research –led institutions
• Redeveloped CROS to support the Concordat
• Ensure links to the EU Charter and Code implementation
• Continue practice sharing: Database of practice,
Researcher Development conferences, workshops
http://www.researchconcordat.ac.uk/
Governance
• Strategy Group
• Terms of Reference (amongst other things):
o oversee benchmarking study
o ensure implementation aligns UK with EU C&C
o report to UK Research Base Funders’ Forum
• Executive group
http://www.researchconcordat.ac.uk/
Benchmarking
Six Projects
• Understanding the research staff cohort
• Exploring the experiences CROS (Mar-May of
research staff through 2009)
• HEI approaches to embedding career
development for researchers in HEI strategies
• Reviewing the use of fixed term contracts
• Views and perceptions of principal investigators
• Funders response to the Concordat
http://www.researchconcordat.ac.uk/
CROS 2009:
An analysis by discipline
http://www.researchconcordat.ac.uk/
•
•
CROS anonymously gathers data about
working conditions, career aspirations and
career development opportunities
2009 survey - 5908 responses from 51 HEIs
employing 74% of UK Research Staff, 21%
response rate
• AIM: To highlight similarities and
differences between disciplines in
CROS 2009
•
Breakdown of the aggregate results by
broad disciplinary groups:
• Arts & humanities,
• Social sciences,
• Physical sciences and engineering,
• Biological sciences and Biomedical
sciences.
http://www.researchconcordat.ac.uk/
Messages from
CROS 2009
• The overall picture from CROS is positive
o Recruitment processes are generally transparent;
o most researchers feel valued;
o institutions appear to recognise the importance of supporting
career development
• Nevertheless there are variations and there are
concerns.
o Institutions should identify areas of good practice and share
these with the rest of the sector through the CROS and Vitae
networks.
• Exchange of ideas will help researchers themselves and
enhance their contribution to the UK’s research agenda.
http://www.researchconcordat.ac.uk/
2. Demographic differences
100
90
*
80
*
70
%
Biomedical sciences
*
60
Biological sciences
50
Physical sciences & Engineering
*
40
Social sciences
Arts & Humanities
30
20
*
10
0
% respondents
Male
Age <35
Age >45
Non-UK
Full time
Demographic
Physical sciences and engineering – predominantly male,
younger (<35), more ethnically diverse
Social sciences and Arts & Humanities – older, more part
time
4. Trends in Arts & Humanities
More part time workers
(not related to gender or nature of contract)
Interview, Induction and Appraisal
Training and development
Career preferences
4.1 Interview, Induction and Appraisal
> 1 in 4 not interviewed
Induction process less informative
70
60
%
50
40
Arts and humanities
30
Average
20
10
0
institutional
procedures
institutional
research strategy
induction on
current role
departmental
induction
probationary
requirements
T&D opportunities
Information NOT offered
Appraisals less prevalent:
not related to eligibility or recent appointment
60
50
%
40
30
Arts and humanities
20
Average
10
0
Participated
Not invited
Appraisal
Never heard of it
4.4 Career preferences
More interested in teaching as well as research
80
70
60
%
50
Arts & humanities
Biomedical sciences
40
Average
30
20
10
0
Research Now
Research in 5
years
Research &
Teaching Now
Career aspirations
Research &
Teaching in 5
years
5. Biological sciences trends
61% under 35
Highest number of fixed term contracts (90%)
Differences in funding support
Knowledge and understanding of policies,
processes and initiatives
CPD
Experiences in work
Integration and value
120
100
%
80
60
40
20
0
Biomedical
sciences
Biological
sciences
Physical
sciences &
Engineering
Fixed term
Arts &
Humanities
Open ended
Social sciences
5.1 Knowledge and understanding of
policies, processes and initiatives
Biological sciences respondents less aware of a range
of processes and policies
90
80
70
60
Biological sciences
%
50
Highest Discipline
40
Average
30
20
10
0
Terms and
conditions of
employment
Promotion
Criteria
Departmental
Institutional
decision making decision making
structures
structures
REF/RAE
5.4 Integration and value
Trend for biological sciences to feel less valued,
recognised and equally treated
70
60
50
40
%
Biological sciences
Average
30
20
10
0
Visibility on
directories
Perfomance
related pay
Departmental
decision making
Treated equally with lecturing staff
Achieving
research
strategy
External
collaborations
Promoting
institution
Public
engagement
Departmental
research
culture
Teaching and
lecturing
World class
reseacrh
Agree that institution recognises and values the contributions you make
Integration into
institutional
research
community
Conclusions
Despite differences in demographics and
minor trends observed for some disciplines,
essentially all researchers have very similar
responses to CROS
Most trends could be predicted in relation to
disciplinary expectations
Trend for less engagement in Biological
sciences requires further investigation
Our vision is for excellence with impact; the UK to
be as renowned for the impact of its research as it
is for its excellence.
This means continuing to invest in the best
research, people and infrastructure; whilst aiming
to enhance the impact of that funding on society.
RCUK Statement of Expectations
• We provide flexibility and autonomy to researchers and
universities
• In return, these should maximise impact by:
–
Disseminating findings widely
–
Engaging with public and users and build networks
–
Exploiting results where appropriate
–
Ensuring that researchers and students
develop skills to match career paths
• Peer review operational changes
Challenges in demonstrating impact
• Long gestation period for research
• Choice of metrics
• Outcomes tend to be highly skewed (“needle
in a haystack”)
• Complex environment/multiple funding agencies
• Different stakeholder interests
• Attribution issues
• Collection of data
What do we know about impact?
UK research makes a huge contribution to society and the
economy: both UK and global impacts
For the Research Councils we find:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Diversity of impacts across portfolio
Multiplicity of processes to achieve impact
Both expected impacts and serendipity
Impacts manifest at many scales: project, person, organisation etc
Time lags and multiplier effects
Researchers and research are enriched by impact
However, considerable scope both to enhance the delivery of impact
and to articulate both it’s potential impact and achievements more
strongly
RCUK Impact Strategy
Engaging Key Stakeholders: advance the rate of innovation from our
investments by developing forward-looking relationships that identify
and address the needs of users of research
Maximising Research Impacts: increase impact from our investments
by improving support mechanisms, as well as through evaluation,
sharing best practice and communicating the benefits of our continued
support of research, training and the provision of facilities.
Delivering Highly Skilled People: drive innovation in knowledge
exchange through enhancement of knowledge exchange skills in the
research base and encourage movement of highly skilled people
between the research base and user communities at all career stages.
Key Messages and Policies
• We want to encourage applicants to think about the
potential impacts of their research and the resources
required for knowledge exchange/impact activities
from the outset.
• The primary criterion for RCUK funding remains
excellent research. Beyond that there are a number
of considerations to be taken into account, of which
Pathways to Impact are one.
• RCUK reserve the right to withhold the award of grant
until Pathways to Impact are of a standard
appropriate for the project.
RCUK response
• Collective and individual
• External funding and institutes
• Linking career development to the grants
process?
• Expectations/messages for PIs
• Central role of Vitae
http://www.researchconcordat.ac.uk/
Thank you for your attention!
http://www.researchconcordat.ac.uk/