Rosie BealesResearch Careers and DiversityRCUK 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 non-departmental 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

Baseline 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 0

500,000

1,000,000

1,500,000

2,000,000

2,500,000

3,000,000

2,549,3532,596,196 2,573,678 2,586,641 2,599,812

1,731,3001,662,112 1,699,578 1,685,689 1,686,321

87,832 87,465 86,547 86,547 86,54743,616 24,496 24,140 24,165 24,005

163,805 205,637 191,963 192,864 179,221

Research Councils HEFCE (QR+HEIF) National Academies Other Programmes UK Space Agency

Allocations by Council – CSR 2010

AHRC

BBSRC

EPSR

C ES

RC MRC

NERC

STFC

- Core

Progra

mme

STFC

- Cro

ss-Council

faciliti

es1

STFC

- Inter

national

Subscr

iptions20

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

600,000

700,000

800,000

900,000

Baseline 2010-112011-122012-132013-142014-15

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”

Productive economy

• Digital economy

• Global uncertainties

Healthy society

• Lifelong health and wellbeing

Sustainable world

• Living with environmental change

• Energy

• Global food security

Strategic Vision (Research to address societal challenges)

RCUK Strategic Vision - Research

Funding people, funding projects • Complement other funders’ approaches• Establish the careers of the best early-

career 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/

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. Recruitment and Selection

B. Recognition and Value

C. Support and Career Development

D. Researchers Responsibilities

E. Diversity and Equality

F. 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 5Individual 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 studyo ensure implementation aligns UK with EU C&Co report to UK Research Base Funders’ Forum

• Executive group

http://www.researchconcordat.ac.uk/

BenchmarkingSix 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 positiveo 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.

2. Demographic differences

Physical sciences and engineering – predominantly male, younger (<35), more ethnically diverseSocial sciences and Arts & Humanities – older, more part time

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

% respondents Male Age <35 Age >45 Non-UK Full time

Demographic

%

Biomedical sciences

Biological sciences

Physical sciences & Engineering

Social sciences

Arts & Humanities

**

*

*

*

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

Appraisals less prevalent: not related to eligibility or recent appointment

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Participated Not invited Never heard of it

Appraisal

%

Arts and humanities

Average

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

institutionalprocedures

institutionalresearch strategy

induction oncurrent role

departmentalinduction

probationaryrequirements

T&D opportunities

Information NOT offered

%

Arts and humanities

Average

4.4 Career preferencesMore interested in teaching as well as research

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Research Now Research in 5years

Research &Teaching Now

Research &Teaching in 5

years

Career aspirations

%

Arts & humanities

Biomedical sciences

Average

5. Biological sciences trends

61% under 35Highest number of fixed term contracts (90%)Differences in funding supportKnowledge and understanding of policies, processes and initiativesCPDExperiences in workIntegration and value

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Biomedicalsciences

Biologicalsciences

Physicalsciences &Engineering

Arts &Humanities

Social sciences

%

Fixed term Open ended

5.1 Knowledge and understanding of policies, processes and initiatives

Biological sciences respondents less aware of a range of processes and policies

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Terms andconditions ofemployment

PromotionCriteria

Departmentaldecision making

structures

Institutionaldecision making

structures

REF/RAE

%

Biological sciences

Highest Discipline

Average

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Visibility ondirectories

Perfomancerelated pay

Departmentaldecision making

Achievingresearchstrategy

Externalcollaborations

Promotinginstitution

Publicengagement

Departmentalresearchculture

Teaching andlecturing

World classreseacrh

Integration intoinstitutionalresearchcommunity

%

Biological sciences

Average

5.4 Integration and value

Trend for biological sciences to feel less valued, recognised and equally treated

Treated equally with lecturing staff Agree that institution recognises and values the contributions you make

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.

http://www.researchconcordat.ac.uk/

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!