1. The Researcher Development Framework for career development of research degree students Alison Mitchell
Vitae®, © 2011 The Careers Research and Advisory Centre (CRAC) Limited

2. Aims of presentation About Vitae
The UK Researcher Development Framework
Using the UK Researcher Development Framework
Researchers
Staff supporting researchers
Institutions
Discussion
How many have seen/are familiar with RDF?
These are our aims in the next 50 mins. 2

3. Vitae vision and aims
For the UK to be world-class in supporting the personal, professional and career development of 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 3

4. Researcher development in context
The UK is committed to the development of world-class researchers.
Researchers are critical to economic success
Researchers’ careers span a wider variety of employment sectors
Strong UK commitment to
researcher development

5. The Researcher Development Framework (RDF)
Major new approach to researcher development
Builds the UK research base
Develops world-class researchers
Enhances the personal, professional and career development of researchers
Developed through UK-wide interviews with successful researchers in a range of disciplines
Led by Vitae in collaboration with the HE sector and other stakeholders

6. The Researcher Development Framework (RDF)
Framework of the knowledge, behaviour and attributes of successful researchers
Enables self-assessment of strengths and areas for further development
Common framework across institutions in the UK
Universal language for communicating researcher capabilities

7. The Researcher Development Framework (RDF)
The professional development framework to realise the potential of researchers

8. The RDF development Literature survey
definitions of research and research roles
Literature review – competency frameworks
academic and related occupations
Empirical data
experienced researchers
audio-recorded, semi-structured interviews
>100 interviews
range of experiences, institution types, geographical context, disciplines, demographics
>1000 characteristics and variants, clustered into common groups
Broad consultation
242 sector responses
Employer validation
Advisory & Project groups

9. The Researcher Development Statement (RDS)
The Researcher Development Statement (RDS) is the strategic statement of the RDF:
for policy makers and research organisations
endorsed by 26 stakeholder organisations including the Research Councils, QAA, UUK and the funding councils
an evolution of the Research Councils’ Joint Skills Statement (JSS)
The RDS and RDF together provide:
strategic statement (RDS)
operational framework (RDF)

10. Using the RDF and RDS Researchers:
identify strengths and priorities for professional and career development
Managers, supervisors and employers of researchers
fundamental to planning researcher development
Staff supporting researchers in HEIs
underpins strategies for researcher development
Policy makers, employers and other stakeholders
realising researchers’ potential for all sectors of the economy and society

11. 4 domains
12 sub-domains
63 descriptors 11 11

12. The Researcher Development CPD tool
Choose a domain to develop skills
Click on the relevant additional buttons to access report, guidance notes and useful resources for personal and
career development planning

13. Choosing areas for development

14. Assess your skills/knowledge

15. Lens on the RDF Clusters of knowledge, behaviour and attributes
Identified using a special lens methodology
Intrapreneurship
Public engagement
Enterprise
Teaching
Leadership
Information handling

16. Intrapreneurial Lens on RDF
Example:
mapping 1 section of Intrapreneurial capabilities
RDF Domain
RDF Category
Intrapreneur capability B
Perseverance
A1.Persistence and resilience
Preparation and prioritisation
B1. Environmental scanning D
Networking; Interdisciplinary awareness
C1. Maintains contacts out of academia or own discipline
Enterprise
D1. Impact and influence
Self-confidence
E1. Self awareness

17. Researcher feedback
‘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 vision.’
‘It was very good for me to reflect. I realised that nothing is stopping me but myself. The sky is the limit.’
‘The RDF will encourage me to be more proactive about my career development as it provides me with a framework (list of milestones).’
‘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.’

18. Links and resources RDF: www.vitae.ac.uk/rdf RDS: www.vitae.ac.uk/rds
RDF profiles:
Downloadable CPD tool:
Contact: