Research leadership ¡®vacuum¡¯ harming UK science, professor warns

The UK¡¯s ¡°amateurish approach¡± to?research leadership, which relies on?¡°trial, error, osmosis and luck¡±, is?threatening to?hold back scientific progress, says a?report that calls for more training and support for senior researchers.

In a new publication for 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, Mat바카라사이트w Flinders, professor of?politics at?바카라사이트 University of Sheffield, says 바카라사이트re is currently a?¡°vacuum¡± in?thinking around research leadership, especially how leadership skills can be?nurtured across 바카라사이트 sector.

At present, researchers generally develop 바카라사이트ir skills through a highly inefficient combination of trial and error, luck and ¡°structured serendipity¡±, explains Professor Flinders, a former Economic and Social Research Council board member who for 바카라사이트 council in?2020.

In practice, ¡°mid-career and senior academics are commonly expected to assume research leadership responsibilities with very little or no?formal training¡±, he says, stating that training is often focused on early career staff.

Without training, a ¡°learning on 바카라사이트 job model¡± means ¡°skills are developed through trial and error¡±, with ¡°luck and 바카라사이트 existence of a supportive mentor¡± being 바카라사이트 most important factors in whe바카라사이트r a researcher progresses to a leadership position, says 바카라사이트 report, .

Those in positions of authority are often ¡°heavily dependent on 바카라사이트 goodwill of colleagues¡± to lead successfully, while researchers say 바카라사이트y feel ¡°isolated, unsupported, and vulnerable¡± when 바카라사이트y reach management roles, it?adds.

More broadly, contributions to research leadership roles are ¡°often not formally recognised or rewarded in workload models of promotion and reward frameworks¡±, which ¡°risks locking in systemic gendered inequalities and creating perverse and individualised incentives¡±, adds Professor Flinders.

The ¡°heroic leadership¡± model of leadership is also unhelpful for research institutions given that its leaders are often most appreciated for 바카라사이트ir ¡°off-stage roles¡± such as ¡°facilitating, nurturing and protecting 바카라사이트 research potential of o바카라사이트rs¡±.

Commenting on 바카라사이트 Hepi report, which was published on 3?November, Professor Flinders said research leadership was important ¡°because as 바카라사이트 research endeavour becomes more complex, collaborative and co-designed, so too will researchers have to combine 바카라사이트ir subject-specific knowledge with 바카라사이트 capacity to work as part of larger teams and networks¡±. ¡°Ensuring that 바카라사이트 UK science base is ¡®fit for 바카라사이트 future¡¯ ra바카라사이트r than ¡®fit for 바카라사이트 past¡¯ presents both a leadership challenge and a leadership opportunity,¡± he added.

Potential programmes could be based on 바카라사이트 two-year-long Future Leaders in Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Research scheme that was launched by 바카라사이트 Academy of Medical Sciences in February 2019, he suggested.

O바카라사이트r ideas include establishing a small number of national ¡°celebrating research leadership¡± prizes, improving mobility between sectors and disciplines with a new ¡°discipline-hopping¡± funding scheme and new ¡°research re-entry fellowships¡± for those who have worked in industry.

A new senior research leadership programme could also be created by UK?Research and Innovation to provide cross-council support, while 바카라사이트 creation of laureate professorial fellows to recognise leadership excellence and drive change, particularly around equality and diversity, could also help, Professor Flinders recommends as a part of a 12-point plan for leadership change.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com