HRSC Research Staff
Human Resources Strategy for Researchers (Draft)
Vision
The Human Resources Strategy for Researchers will support the University’s strategic vision to be top 10 in
the UK and top 50 globally through the following over-arching objectives:
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Support researchers’ career and personal development
Foster and enhance the University’s research culture and community
Nurture high quality research capacity, outputs and esteem through effective researcher
development and management
Implement the UK Concordat and EC Charter & Code
Support the University’s HR and Research Strategies’ objectives and implementation
Support the delivery of an excellent, responsive and fully integrated research service infrastructure
This strategy will seek to implement the vision and objectives emanating from a range of stakeholders
focussed upon the support and development of academic researchers; most notably the University is
committed to the delivery of the:
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UK Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers, 2008
The European Charter for Researchers (& Recruitment Code), 2005
RCUK’s Research Careers and Diversity Strategy, 2007
The Concordat is an agreement between UK employers and funders of academic researchers to implement
the EC Charter for Researchers in delivering the national policy agenda supporting excellent management of
researchers and their careers. It seeks to enhance attractiveness & sustainability of research careers
through high quality recruitment, training, CPD, support and management processes. The Concordat
identifies 7 principles which translate into 6 areas of activity for researchers, universities and funders; more
information on these can be accessed in the appendix.
Significantly, not only is the UK signed up to the Concordat implementation, the Research Councils have
also embraced it as a condition of accepting funding for research grants awarded to PI’s. Researchers
themselves also have an active part to play, which is highlighted through their own responsibilities under the
Concordat. In adopting this Strategy the University is highlighting its commitment to its researchers’ career
and personal development and management at all career stages as an integral and vital part of academic
life. Our shared vision is to provide the highest quality training, development and management for all the
University’s researchers to ensure access to opportunities that will enhance their skills and employability,
and equip them to become leaders in their chosen field.
Partnership
This strategy can only be achieved through an effective and active partnership between researchers, PI’s
and the wider University community.
To facilitate this, the HR Sub-Committee (Research Staff) has been revitalised to provide representative
leadership including all these stakeholders, enabling researchers to participate actively in driving and
shaping this strategy and its initiatives. A new web portal has also been developed on the HR website to
bring together into one resource the diverse range of tools and information available both internally and
externally to support researchers and their PI’s in delivering their personal, professional and career
development and management goals and this strategy’s objectives. Focus groups and surveys will continue
to be used to identify needs and solutions for and by researchers. Service departments will continue to work
together to deliver integrated and coherent leadership, facilitation and activity in supporting researchers to
achieve their personal, professional and career development and management goals. This strategy
dovetails with the objectives and activities highlighted in the Skills Training Forum’s Researcher
Development Strategy which primarily focuses on supporting researchers at the PGR stage. Increasingly the
University will work with Vitae, other universities and employers to support this Strategy and its objectives.
Working in partnership with its researchers the University seeks to foster and enhance our research culture
and community to enhance researchers’ and the University’s research reputation, outputs and value.
Context and Key Challenges
In developing this Strategy cognisance has been taken of a variety of national and EC policy drivers
impacting upon this agenda, including:
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The University of Glasgow’s Research Strategy 2006-2010
The European Charter for Researchers, March 2005
The Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers, March 2005
Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers, March 2008
CST’s Pathways to the future: the early career of researchers in the UK, October 2007
The European Research Area (ERA): New Perspectives (Green Paper), April 2007
RCUK’s Research Careers and Diversity Strategy, January 2007
Evidence Ltd Report for HEFCE: Scoping Study of Career Development and Human
Resource Management, May 2005
UCU’s Researchers’ Survival Guide, April 2008
Their challenges are encapsulated into the following core actions for the University:
Macro
 Promotion and implementation of new Concordat and EC Charter
 Deliver new culture and environment which values and professionalizes researchers, supporting
diversity and mobility
 Enhance attractiveness of research careers and University to researchers, supporting recruitment
and retention
 Benchmark, monitor and evaluate implementation
Micro
 Actively engage researcher community in understanding and meeting its needs and satisfaction
levels (eg. Participate in CROS), and in decision-making delivering this Strategy and objectives
 Promote mobility, diversity and researchers’ interests/needs, and remove obstacles
 Deliver Research Career Framework re: 3 career trajectories model
 Train and develop researchers to fulfil their chosen career pathway
 Develop bespoke P&DR system including career development strategies, PDP and mentoring
 Introduce Mentors
 Support & facilitate PIs to deliver this agenda
 Enhance independence of researchers
 Equal treatment of researchers comparable with academics
 Share resources and best practices amongst regional HEIs to deliver agenda
 Excel in delivering this Strategy to enhance competitiveness, value and reputation for researchers
and the University
Objectives
The University will embrace this demanding agenda through the delivery of the following 7 objectives and
their actions. Delivery will be ensured through defining the roles and responsibilities of the partners
(researchers, PI’s and services) and by subsequently evaluating their achievements against relevant
objectives.
(1) Valued Researchers
 Treat as professionals, integral to departments, and equal management comparable to academics
 Seek Champions for this Strategy in each Faculty and include researchers in Faculty’s “membership”
 Target PIs to improve consistency of good/best practice treatment of researchers
 Provide researchers with the tools, opportunities and encouragement to evaluate their own skills and
development needs
 Attain 5 days’ training and development entitlement per annum for personal, professional and career
development and management goals
 Facilitate co-authorship of research outputs
 Code of Conduct/Practice for researchers on their entitlements, role and obligations
 Recruitment and Selection of researchers enhanced via eRecruitment and new Procedure
 Promote and monitor diversity; redress disincentives & obstacles
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Engage researchers in development of provision for them through researcher-led initiatives
Opportunities for greater responsibility relative to career level
Value varied career pathways and aspirations through bespoke P&DR system
Value and promote the development of researchers at all career stages (eg. Throughout early, mid
and end points of career)
Attitude surveys and Questionnaire to explore researchers’ perceptions and needs
Representation on decision-making bodies eg. HR Sub-Committee (Research Staff), Joint
Committee (Academic Staff), appropriate departmental and faculty committees)
Develop sense of community and belonging to Glasgow through opportunities for networking,
support and sharing ideas and experiences between researchers
Annual University conference for researchers to foster understanding and disseminate best practice
(2) Valued PIs
 Alert and sensitise PI’s to new expectations and environment
 Train and develop as people managers via bespoke PI training and role models as exemplars
 Recognise and facilitate/train for multi-faceted PI roles ie. leaders, knowledge workers, project
coordinators, managers, supervisors, mentors, career advisors, science communicators
 Recognise and reward via time allocation, and Promotion, R&R, and P&DR processes
 Code of Practice for PI’s on their entitlements, role and obligations
 Questionnaire to explore PI’s’ perceptions and needs
 Evaluate PI’s delivery relevant aspects of this Strategy via their own P&DR reviews
(3) Career Development and Management
 Create career development strategies for “early career” and long term researchers
 Careers advice for “early career” and long term researchers
 Provide mentors (other than PI’s) for personal/professional/career development facilitation
 Provide development opportunities for learning and teaching roles, and for academic posts ie.
equivalents to GTA and NLTP opportunities
 Development of skills for public engagement, knowledge transfer, income generation and/or
entrepreneurship activities
 Identify skills/competencies necessary for career transitions to promoted posts, academic roles,
industry; provide training & opportunities
 Foster enterprise, KT and/or entrepreneurship skills
(4) P&DR
 Develop bespoke system for researchers and PIs meeting their specific needs eg. Reflecting career
trajectories and aspirations
 Include specific reference to the new remits/activities/expectations and evaluate them against these
to monitor outputs and progress
 Provide a proactive role for mentors and engage their input in P&DR reviews
 Ensure completed P&DRs cover more than just assessment of performance against project and
publication objectives eg. Against personal, professional and career development and management
goals
 Ensure delivery of interim (c. every 6 months) P&DR reviews (or equivalent) via researchers’
subsequent P&DR reports
 Embed career trajectories (academia, industry, research) into P&DR system to support employability
 Extend PDP beyond current job to cover career trajectory and employability
(5) Training & Development and Lifelong Learning
 Deliver opportunities for personal, professional and career development
 Deliver opportunities for transferable skills/competencies
 Deliver opportunities for employability skills/competencies
 Deliver opportunities for project-specific skills/competencies
 Monitor accessibility, effectiveness and take-up of opportunities which are relevant and timely
(6) Attractive Careers
 Enhanced and more visible career prospects
 Case studies of “success stories” re: 3 career trajectories
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Induction planned and enhanced
Open-ended contracts become default norm, with fixed term contracts limited to specific exceptional
requirements
Explore scope for Bridging Funds or alternatives between grants
Facilitate greater redeployment through Job Seekers’ Register
Recruitment and Selection optimised and transparent
Marketing of the University to researchers as attractive and desirable employer
Seek external recognition of key strategic successes ie. seek THES award etc.
Foster and encourage Flexible working conditions
Undertake Exit interviews to support monitoring of effectiveness
(7) Mobility
 Encourage it, remove barriers
 Facilitate mobility between academia/industry, UK/overseas, research disciplines/groups through
placements & exchanges etc.
 Value, recognise and reward it in P&DR, Promotion and R&R, PDP processes
 Develop and enhance Welcome and Support resources for overseas recruits and staff
KPI’s
The main KPI’s to evaluate the delivery of this Strategy will include:
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UK Concordat implemented effectively and timeously through action plan with defined
responsibilities and milestones
Researchers’ personal, professional and career development and management are key priorities
integrated into mainstream academic life
Introduction of bespoke P&DR, PDP and mentoring processes for researchers
Codes of Conduct for researchers and PI’s supports role definition and evaluating outputs
PI’s effectively valued, supported and developed to deliver this agenda
Evaluating performance against relevant objectives through both researchers’ and their PI’s annual
P&DR reviews
Enhanced satisfaction levels and needs identification through CROS and University surveys
A vibrant and effective HR Sub-Committee (Research Staff) reflecting researchers’ involvement in
shaping and delivering this agenda
Effective leadership, facilitation and support from integrated and responsive service infrastructure
Track record of effective partnerships with Vitae, other universities and employers
Benchmarking progress and effectiveness against relevant comparator universities
Enhanced reputation evidenced through researchers’ satisfaction levels and attainment of external
recognition of success eg. THES award or equivalent
Mapping Concordat & Strategic Objectives
The table below demonstrates the synergy between the Concordat’s 6 areas of focus and this Strategy’s 7
objectives.
UK
Concordat
Glasgow’s
Strategy
Recruitment & Selection
Recognition & Value
Support
&
Career
Development
Researchers’
Responsibilities
Diversity & Equality
Implementation & Review
SDW, 10 March 2009
Valued
Researchers
Valued
PIs
Career
Develop’t &
Management
P&DR
T&D and
Lifelong
Learning
Attractive
Careers
Mobility
Appendix
UK Concordat
The Concordat’s 7 principles and recommended practical implementation measures include:
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1) Importance of recruiting, selecting and retaining researchers with the highest potential to
achieve excellence in research:
o appointing and developing researchers for HEIs’ research needs
o R&S procedures as relevant, informative, transparent, and open to all through relevant,
recent training for interviewers and providing feedback to unsuccessful applicants only if
requested
o Pay and grade determined by post’s needs not by the terms of the grant awarded.
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2) Researchers are recognised and valued as an essential part of their organisation’s human
resources & key component in developing and delivering world class research:
o Recognised, valued and equal treatment.
o Seek to ensure researchers’ development not jeopardised by contract instability (ie. Fixed
term contract/funding not a reason not to develop them).
o PIs must provide active performance management, career development guidance, and team
supervision.
o Organisational systems to support continuity of employment, recommends bridging funds
between grants or redeployment systems where resources allow, and seeking funding from
Research Councils to facilitate this.
o Transparent pay progression.
o Transparent and open promotion opportunities, and focuses on developing career
frameworks for early career researchers’, and career frameworks embedded in HR
strategies.
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3) Researchers are equipped and supported to be adaptable and flexible in an increasingly
diverse, mobile, global research environment:
o Suggests permanent employment opportunities limited and recommends career
development comparable to other sectors to make research careers attractive in their own
right.
o Ensure culture supports recognition and valuing of mobility and varied career pathways.
o Embedded transferable skills training beyond confines of immediate post (ie. On-the-job,
Research Council-funded and generic).
Develop wider research, subject-specific,
communication and professional skills valuable outwith project/HE.
o Access professional, independent career management advice beyond immediate discipline;
Offer training and placements for other fields/sectors.
o Provide clear systems for career development planning linked to transparent promotion and
reward policies; raise awareness of local/national career development strategies/trajectories.
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4) Recognise and promote personal and career development and lifelong learning at all career
stages.
o Provide planned induction to organisation and its policies/practices; PIs to provide effective
environments supporting training and development and encouraging researchers’ CPD.
o Articulate skills for each career stage/path & encourage researchers to acquire/practice
them (eg. Financial management, student and PGR supervision).
o Develop specific career development strategy for all researchers at all career stages and
provide mentors for personal/professional/career development facilitation.
o PIs and Research Councils encourage CPD within project plans.
o Researchers accept personal responsibility for own development & career trajectory; Use
evaluation and appraisal systems for regular & transparent feedback & advice on realistic
career prospects.
o Development for researchers to include preparation for academic practice; provide
comparable CPD to other HEIs.
o Provide training and support to researchers undertaking teaching and demonstrating
opportunities.
o Provide researchers with representation to input into organisational policy/practice.
o Provide mentors for researchers as key mechanism for career development & enhancement.
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5) Researchers personally responsible for own personal/career development & lifelong
learning.
o Researchers ensure independent, honest and critical thought to advance knowledge.
o Researchers develop own ability to transfer and exploit knowledge.
o Researchers disseminate results for societal benefit; HEIs provide public engagement
opportunities.
o Develop new skills facilitating career trajectory.
o Researchers manage own careers, utilising Vitae, identifying and fulfilling training needs; PIs
provide honest advice and encouragement to do PDP/CPD; HEIs provide structures and
tools.
o Researchers discuss, monitor and evaluate career development needs/actions with PIs &
mentors and engage in activities, and record PDP/CPD in logs.
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6) Promote diversity and equality in researchers’ recruitment and career management
o Recognises discrimination illegal on grounds of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, race
or religion; positively promote via action plans re: gender, race & disability to redress underrepresentation or lack of progression.
o Encourages recruitment and retention from the widest pool of available talent.
o Strong encouragement to actively address the disincentives and indirect obstacles to
retention and career progression for ‘disadvantaged’ groups (ie. Women balancing childcare
responsibilities)
o Provide flexible working conditions to combine family/work and children/career; recognise
that “early career” period may be prolonged due to career breaks and atypical routes into
research.
o Flexible working requests to be supportively considered.
o Research Council funders to update mechanisms/policies to facilitate provision of additional
funding/duration of grants to cover maternity/paternity/adoptive leave.
o Seeks representative balance re: gender, disability, ethnicity and age at all staff levels; and
reflected in selection & evaluation committees; aim to ensure percentage of
applicants/appointments reflects the percentage in the available pool.
o Take account of personal circumstances of researchers which might disadvantage them;
change policies/practices to remove disadvantages – eg. Researchers with young children
or adult dependants, English not primary language, older/younger Researchers, disabilities
or long-term health issues.
o Provide systems to report/address discrimination, bullying or harassment.
o Consider participation in other schemes eg. Athena SWAN Charter, the Juno Project.
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7) Undertake regular and collective review re: delivery of attractiveness and sustainability of
research careers
o Promote implementation by monitoring.
o Deliver innovation and best practice through sharing within community, aligning support for
transferable and career development skills, and delivery via Research Councils’ Skills
Development Programme.
o No new data creation and share good practice between HEIs.
o Concordat principles become a condition of grant.
o Steering Group to oversee implementation and review of Concordat.
o Independent benchmarking study upon launch to assess state of sector.
o Implementation Plan to ensure coherent and sustained approach by Research Councils and
HEIs, using CROS to monitor.