What does the Concordat mean for Researchers and PIs?
Our ambition is that every researcher should be enabled to be at their best, and to make informed and active choices about their career ahead.
The Researcher Development Concordat is our commitment to researchers and PIs to support improving the employment and support for researchers. Supporting researchers to develop not only towards academic careers but towards a diversity of careers post-academic careers.
But what does the Concordat mean for Researchers and PIs (Managers of Researchers)?
The UofG action plan sets out institutional actions. However, implementing the Concordat is a shared responsibility and we expect all parties to read it and reflect on their own roles and responsibilities. In particular, we are asking PIs to consider how they support the careers of others and encourage a culture of professional development.
We have highlighted below what the expectations and responsibilities are for researchers themselves and for PIs (Managers of researchers). Our role and the role of the institution is to support researchers and PIs meet these expectations.
Actions, projects, and initiatives both centrally and within the Colleges/Schools/Institutes have been / are being developed to implement the Concordat – see our Priorities, Action Plan and Actions and Achievements for more details.
For Researchers
Professional and Career Development
- Take ownership of their career, identifying opportunities to work towards career goals, including engaging in a minimum of 10 days professional development pro rata per year.
- Explore and prepare for a range of employment options across different sectors, such as by making use of mentors, careers professionals, training and secondments.
- Maintain an up-to-date professional career development plan and build a portfolio of evidence demonstrating their experience, that can be used to support job applications.
- Positively engage in career development reviews with their managers.
- Seek out, and engage with, opportunities to develop their research identity and broader leadership skills.
- Consider opportunities to develop their awareness and experience of the wider research system through, for example, knowledge exchange, policy development, public engagement and commercialisation.
Environment and Culture
- Actively contribute to the development and maintenance of a supportive, fair and inclusive research culture and be a supportive colleague, particularly to newer researchers and students.
- Ensure they act in accordance with employer and funder policies related to research integrity, and equality, diversity and inclusion.
- Take positive action towards maintaining their wellbeing and mental health.
- Use available mechanisms to report staff who fail to meet the expected standards of behaviour, particularly in relation to discrimination, harassment, bullying, and research misconduct.
- Consider opportunities to contribute to policy development aimed at creating a more positive research environment and culture within their institution.
Employment
- Ensure that they work in accordance with, institutional policies, procedures and employment legislation, as well as the requirements of their funder.
- Understand their reporting obligations and responsibilities.
- Positively engage with performance management discussions and reviews with their managers.
- Recognise and act on their role as key stakeholders within their institution and the wider academic community.
For PIs (Managers of Researchers)
Professional and Career Development
- Engage in regular career development discussions with their researchers, including holding a career development review at least annually.
- Support researchers in exploring and preparing for a diversity of careers, for example, through the use of mentors and careers professionals, training, and secondments.
- Allocate a minimum of 10 days pro rata, per year, for their researchers to engage with professional development, supporting researchers to balance the delivery of their research and their own professional development.
- Identify opportunities, and allow time (in addition to the 10 days professional development allowance), for their researchers to develop their research identity and broader leadership skills, and provide appropriate credit and recognition for their endeavours.
- Engage in leadership and management training to enhance their personal effectiveness, and to promote a positive attitude to professional development.
Environment and Culture
- Undertake relevant training and development opportunities related to equality, diversity and inclusion, and put this into practice in their work.
- Ensure that they and their researchers act in accordance with the highest standards of research integrity and professional conduct.
- Promote a healthy working environment that supports researchers’ wellbeing and mental health, including reporting and addressing incidents of discrimination, bullying and harassment, and poor research integrity.
- Consider fully, in accordance with statutory rights and institutional policies, flexible working requests and other appropriate arrangements to support researchers.
- Engage with opportunities to contribute to policy development aimed at creating a more positive research environment and culture within their institution.
Employment
- Undertake relevant training and development opportunities so that they can manage researchers effectively and fulfil their duty of care.
- Familiarise themselves, and work in accordance with, relevant employment legislation and codes of practice, institutional policies, and the terms and conditions of grant funding.
- Commit to, and evidence, the inclusive, equitable and transparent recruitment, promotion, and reward of researchers.
- Actively engage in regular constructive performance management with their researchers.
- Engage with opportunities to contribute to relevant policy development within their institution.