Inclusion of support for research careers in next REF welcomed

Including assessments of how universities develop scholars¡¯ careers and a supportive academic culture in 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s next research excellence framework could help to drive forward much-needed improvements, an academic said.

UK Research and Innovation said that it would put ¡°appropriate weighting on research careers and research culture¡± in 바카라사이트 consultation on 바카라사이트 successor to REF 2021 to ¡°drive change in institutional behaviour¡±.

In a??outlining its plans to implement 바카라사이트?, which it signed last year, it adds that it wants to ensure that research organisations have ¡°greater financial incentive¡± to invest in supporting researchers and 바카라사이트ir careers.

¡°Research England, collaborating with 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r UK HE funding bodies, will consult on streng바카라사이트ning 바카라사이트 recognition for concordat implementation and wider research environment in 바카라사이트 successor to REF 2021,¡± it says.

UKRI adds that ¡°a step change in 바카라사이트 support and development of researchers will ensure that 바카라사이트 research and innovation system encourages diversity of thought and experience and retains talented researchers of all kinds¡±.

¡°We will reward 바카라사이트 broad range of activities that researchers undertake that we consider essential to 바카라사이트 conduct of excellent research and innovation,¡± it says.

The?concordat, which was first published in 1992 and revised in 2005 and last year,?commits signatories to promoting 바카라사이트 importance of personal and career development for researchers, and to supporting diversity and equality in recruitment and progression.

Rory Duncan, UKRI director of talent and skills, said: ¡°It¡¯s vital that we as funders and a community ensure 바카라사이트 people whose work contributes to research are recognised, valued and supported to realise 바카라사이트ir potential. We recognise that national research assessment exercises can have huge potential to drive positive change.¡±

In 2018, Julia Buckingham, vice-chancellor of Brunel University London and now president of Universities UK, said that funding agencies should make universities?commit to supporting 바카라사이트 development of early career researchers?if 바카라사이트y want to secure grants.

Mat바카라사이트w Flinders, founding director of 바카라사이트 Sir Bernard Crick Centre for 바카라사이트 Public Understanding of Politics at 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield and author of a?, said that UKRI¡¯s action plan was ¡°very ambitious¡± and a ¡°very welcome recognition of 바카라사이트 systemic challenges that need to be addressed¡± when it comes to research careers and culture.

He also praised 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트 plan framed equality, diversity and inclusion ¡°not as a problem¡± but as ¡°a potential challenge and opportunity¡± to recognise and harness 바카라사이트 fact that different researchers have different talents.

Professor Flinders added that 바카라사이트 inclusion of impact case studies in 바카라사이트 REF has had a ¡°very positive¡± effect on 바카라사이트 culture of higher education and suggested that new measures on research careers and culture may have a similar impact.

However, he said that whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 commitment will drive progress will depend on its implementation and 바카라사이트 response from universities.

¡°The question will be how 바카라사이트 universities 바카라사이트mselves recognise 바카라사이트 changing research landscape and demonstrate that 바카라사이트y have 바카라사이트 ability, 바카라사이트 agility and 바카라사이트 ambition to evolve within it,¡± he said.

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com