1. Professional development for researchers NUAS conference, August 2012 Ellen Pearce, Vitae ellen.pearce@vitae.ac.uk

2. What is Vitae? –Vision and aims –Background, UK context Work with higher education institutions –Policy implementation –Underpinning frameworks –Research and benchmarking –Hubs, networks and professional development –Courses and resources for researchers International work

3. Vitae vision and aims “to support world-class personal, professional and career development for researchers” Build human capital by influencing the development and implementation of effective policy relating to researcher development Enhance higher education provision to train and develop researchers Empower researchers to make an impact in their careers Evidence the impact of professional and career development support for researchers

4. About Vitae Led by CRAC: The Career Development Organisation, an educational charity, in partnership with eight Hub host institutions Formally launched in June 2008 We support professional and career development for doctoral researchers and research staff Vitae aims to raise the profile of researchers and their contributions to the economy and society Increase attractiveness and sustainability of research careers in the UK Vitae achieves its aims primarily by working with universities Vitae works with researchers, employers and other stakeholders

5. Background 1968: first GRADschool run by CRAC 1996: Research Careers Initiative 2002: SET for Success report, by Sir Gareth Roberts January 2003: UK GRAD Programme launched (PGR) October 2003: ‘Roberts’ money for first year PGRs and all research staff October 2005: full Roberts money allocated June 2008: Concordat and Vitae launched (all researchers) March 2011: end of ‘ring-fenced Roberts money

6. National organisations: Funding Councils, Research Councils, Universities UK, British Council, Vitae and others 2004 Quality Assurance Agency 2008 Research funders and universities Roberts funding £20m+ per year for skills and career development 120 research- active institutions Maximising investment Networks, information, policy and practice UK government; changes of Roberts funding; European initiatives 90,000 doctoral researchers 40,000 research staff

7. Policy implementation Roberts agenda (2003-11) UK Quality Code (2004, 2012) Concordat to support the Career Development of Researchers (2008) European Charter and Code for Researchers and the associated HR Excellence in Research Award

8. Underpinning frameworks The Vitae Researcher Development Framework The UK professional development framework to realise the potential of researchers to: build and strengthen the UK research base develop world-class researchers Knowledge, behaviour and attributes of successful researchers Common framework across institutions in the UK Universal language for understanding researcher capabilities Developed by researchers for researchers

9. The RDF development by researchers for researchers Literature survey –definitions of research and research roles –competency frameworks - academic and related occupation Empirical data –>100 interviews with experienced researchers –range of experiences, institution types, geographical context, disciplines, demographics –>1000 characteristics and variants, clustered into groups Broad consultation – 242 sector responses –Employer validation –Sector Advisory & Project groups

10. The UK Researcher Development Framework 4 domains 12 sub-domains 63 descriptors

11. I’ve always thought of myself as being quite ambitious, driven and focussed on what I want, but the framework made me realise I can have a much larger visions. It was very good for me to reflect. I realised that nothing is stopping me but myself. The sky is the limit. Think about staging the targets; what can I do smarter, what training do I need to request and what do I need someone else to facilitate so that I can move forward I now have a path that I would like to follow I would see this [RDF] as a barometer...to give me a bit more clarity about what areas I could develop and what might be most important. It’s something I could keep returning to It put career development back into the forefront of my mind as it can often slip back when you’re engaged in what you’re doing day to day. The RDF “…identified areas for me that I needed to hone and really made me think about my career development. I’ve highlighted things now that I know I need to do. What we’ve always tried to do with the postdocs [in Edinburgh] is say 'look this is your career and it’s your responsibility'. Read it carefully and be honest about where you are. You don’t always have to aim for phase 5 - identify shorter term goals that are more achievable. The RDF will encourage me to be more proactive about my career development as it provides me with a framework (list of milestones).

12. RDF implementation by HEIs Endorsed by over 30 organisations, RCs, FCs, mission groups Embedded in new Quality Code for research degrees Widespread institutional provision mapping to the RDF House of Lords review of HE STEM, July 2012 ‘…we were pleased to hear that the Researcher Development Framework (RDF), developed by Vitae in consultation with employers, has gone some way to improve the employability skills of postgraduates and guide the knowledge, behaviour and attributes of a successful researcher ‘

13. Research and benchmarking Research careers, destinations and impact What do researchers do? Motivations and career intentions First destinations Three years on: destinations and impact Career stories Impact Framework and evidence Benchmarking provision –Postgraduate Researchers Experience Survey (PRES) (run by the HEA) –Careers in Research Online Survey (CROS) –Principal investigator and research leader survey (PIRLS) –Concordat HEI strategies survey, Three year review of progress

14. Numbers employed in the education sector- 49% overall This varies from 28% for psychology doctoral graduates to 79% of those in modern languages.

15. Proportion employed as researchers - 35% overall This varies from 7% for theology to 71% for some biological subjects.

16. Employed as research staff in higher education- 23% This varies from 6% for theology to 43% for biology, biochemistry, molecular biology and biophysics.

17. varies from less than 1% in physics, chemistry, and microbiology to 56% in law. HE lecturing and teaching 14%

18. Distinct doctoral occupation clusters 86% employed in 5 occupational clusters

19. Occupational cluster by discipline Other common doctoral occupations: Health professionals (18%); Functional and production managers and senior officials (25%); Engineering professionals (14%); ICT professionals (10%); Business, finance and statistical professional and associate professional roles (15%)

20. Value of aspects of doctorate * DLHE data for corresponding L DLHE respondents only

21. Implications for training researchers Less than 1 in 6 had well formed career ideas at beginning of their undergraduate programme By later stages of the doctorate, around 1/3 have definite career intentions, 1/5 have no idea Career intentions formed during doctoral period 50% of doctoral graduates move outside HE immediately (23% in research staff roles in higher education Preparation for future careers in a range of sectors Six distinct occupational clusters ; 44% moved between clusters Career mobility is relatively high; skills and readiness for transitions… Engagement at appropriate times (less than 1/3 used career services as a postgraduate) Work experience (of those who had work experience 4/5 said it impacted their career plans)

22. Recognition and value: Undertake reviews and appraisal CROS 2011 All eligible should have regular review/appraisal – which most should report as useful; should address work practices and problem-solving Q20&21. …have you participated in staff appraisal/review? 55% have had appraisal in last 2 years [2009: 50%] Higher amongst those with open-ended contract (75% vs. 49% FTC); also higher (65%) for those not on first contract Some improvement in usefulness (i.e. some aspects): 63% found it useful overall [2009: 62%] 58% useful for career development [50%] 36% led to changed work practices [32%] 51% to highlight issues[48%] NB. 20% [23%] still claim not invited to appraisal/review

23. CROS 2011 (Even) more RS feel encouraged to engage, but no increase in formal career plans or PDPs. Little evidence for change in demand for CPD or take-up: Recommend HEIs consider how to foster more engagement with careers advisors and staff developers Recommend using RDF planner to record development No progress on uptake of placement/secondment opportunities – there is still very limited availability: Recommend exploration of how to increase opportunities, in line with recent initiatives for postgraduate researchers Recommendations – Support /career development

24. PIRLS 2011 Targeted at those: “principally responsible for setting the intellectual direction of the research and personally responsible for the management/ supervision of research staff and/or postgraduate researchers” Parallel online surveys by HEIs in May-June 2011, using core question set Guided by CROS/PIRLS Steering Group 33 institutions, 2500+ responses

25.  PI/RL confidence  Importance for RS

26. Impact of researcher development across the sector Impact Framework as evaluation tool and and framework High sector engagement Clear evidence of impact: –significant distance travelled –cultural change: supervisor awareness and engagement –employability; employer awareness –research outcomes: grant income, publications –researcher experience, submission rates –life changing Maturing agenda: reflection and enhancement

27. Vitae work with HEIs: Hubs, networks and practice Hubs, local networks, peer support and collaboration Vitae databases of practice, resources, trainers Professional development for practitioners Briefings and translation of policy Collective input to policy developments

28. Vitae courses and resources The researcher booklet series GRADschools Broadening Horizons Effective Researcher Careers in Academia Leadership in Action Collaborative Researcher Digital researcher Social Enterprise Managing your academic career Part-time Researcher And more... 'The sense of genuine achievement was very tangible. I can honestly say that the course has changed my attitude to work, research and work colleagues quite fundamentally.'

29. International work RDF trials in Europe and the US Development of an online professional development planner, available via subscription Courses for researchers Train the trainer, master-classes and professional development Projects and research International newsletter (register at www.vitae.ac.uk/international)www.vitae.ac.uk/international

30. Next steps: challenges and opportunities Sustainability of researcher development (fees, funding, Roberts, restructuring) Consolidation (realise value of past investments, demonstrate value and achievements) Focus on employability, managing career transitions, added value in the work place, leadership, collaborative working, enterprise Embed the Researcher Development Framework Extend number of institutions with the HR Excellence in Research Award Extend international collaborations; the global researcher ellen.pearce@vitae.ac.uk

31. Useful links Vitae: www.vitae.ac.ukwww.vitae.ac.uk What do researchers do? www.vitae.ac.uk/wdrdwww.vitae.ac.uk/wdrd Career stories www.vitae.ac.uk/careerstorieswww.vitae.ac.uk/careerstories CROS survey www.vitae.ac.uk/croswww.vitae.ac.uk/cros Impact and evaluation www.vitae.ac.uk/impactwww.vitae.ac.uk/impact Courses for researchers www.vitae.ac.uk/courseswww.vitae.ac.uk/courses Researcher booklet series www.vitae.ac.uk/researcherbooklets www.vitae.ac.uk/researcherbooklets DOCENT project http://docentproject.euhttp://docentproject.eu ellen.pearce@vitae.ac.uk