1. PE and Impact – using the RDF to identify and develop the skills required Thursday, 28 February Heather Pateman, Project Manager, Vitae

2. Vitae vision and aims
“to support world-class personal, professional and career development for researchers”
Influence effective policy development and implementation 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 for researchers 2

3. The RDS and RDF together provide:
The Vitae Researcher Development Framework (RDF) Articulating the breadth of researcher capabilities
Developed by researchers for researchers, robust in methodology and validity
Articulates the knowledge, behaviour and attributes of successful, world-class researchers
Underpinning strategic framework
Common framework and universal language for understanding and communicating researcher competencies internationally
Beneficial for all researchers irrespective of levels of experience
RDS - a strategic statement, endorsed by key organisations
International validation in Europe and the US
Intro statement (from the video) – The Vitae Researcher Development framework (RDF) provides institutions with a comprehensive statement of researchers’ expertise and competencies to enable a strategic approach to researcher development.
Bullet 1)
Development was led by Vitae in collaboration with the higher education (HE) sector and other stakeholders.  The framework was developed from first principles using empirical data generated from a series of semi-structured interviews with successful researchers covering a range of experiences, institutions, disciplines and demographics. The final draft of the framework also took into account feedback from 242 responses representing 65 HEIs in a sector-wide consultation process, as well as feedback from non-HE employers. The framework was further validated through trials with researchers and in-depth interviews with 14 senior academics from across the disciplines and institution types.
Bullet 5)
Researcher Development Statement (RDS) is the strategic statement of the RDF:
For policy makers and research organisations
RDS endorsed by 34 organisations including research councils, funding councils, QAA etc
An evolution of the Research Councils’ Joint Skills Statement (JSS)
The RDS and RDF together provide:
strategic statement (RDS)
operational framework (RDF)

4. What is a lens on the Vitae Researcher Development Framework
Using the RDF, a lens provides an overview of the key knowledge, behaviour and attributes developed by researchers
that can be acquired through, or used in, particular areas such as public engagement; knowledge exchange; impact, enterprise, teaching etc
Two types of lens development:
Direct focus - Lenses derived from the Vitae Researcher Development Framework
Bridging/mapping - Lenses mapped to existing frameworks, set of professional standards or protocols
Researchers
How various activities can contribute to their professional development
Recognise how their capabilities are relevant to various areas
Identify areas for development
Use to provide evidence of the transferability of their skills and experiences to other sectors
Researcher Developers
Encourage researchers to engage in various activities
Enable researchers to recognise learning and contribution to their development as a researcher
Use to align training and development resources

5. Impact Lens Group being developed Based on RCUK Pathways to Impact
Includes KE experts
academics
Based on RCUK Pathways to Impact
Important to link lenses
Encourage consideration of impact
At all stages
Reference to REF to be made also

6. PE lens has been developed with the NCCPE and RCUK – looking at the skills developed through taking part in public engagement activities, however when people talk about impact they naturally refer to PE activity – this is not impact in its self – it is a vehicle to demonstrating impact.
Consultation finished and final amendments being made

7. Knowledge Exchange
Produced in conjunction with members of AURIL – due to go to consultation shortly
Does not bridge to the AURIL/JISC framework but references it and has taken it into account when developing this.
There will be some crossover to the PE Lens has that is a means of knowledge exchange but again not explicit.

8. Using a lens Researchers:
Identify how specific areas such as enterprise can contribute to their professional development as a researcher
Identify how the skills and attributes they have developed through research can contribute to, or underpin their development in those areas
Select areas to develop further
Provide evidence of transferability of skills 8

9. Using a lens Researcher developers:
Demonstrate to researchers how specific areas can contribute towards professional development
Enable researchers to recognise the learning they have acquired through particular activities
Explore how RDF relates to other frameworks and vice versa
Provide evidence of transferability of skills Align learning and development resources around a lens 9

10. And…….
The lenses are being built into the RDF planner in the next development phase
Next phase of lenses – case studies/events
Innovate project – Leeds
Developing REF briefings for both UoA and researcher developers re: environment