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HRSC (Research)
Paper 4
Researcher Development Strategy
Our postgraduate researchers and Research Staff play a vital role in
creating the vibrant and diverse research culture that gives the
University of Glasgow its world-renowned reputation.
Our vision is to provide the highest quality training for all our researchers, ensuring
access to opportunities that will enhance their skills and employability and equip
them to become leaders in their chosen field.
The University’s Research Strategy (ref) seeks to create a supportive environment
for ambitious early career researchers and to nurture a high quality graduate
research environment. The aim of the Researcher Development initiative is to
provide training and support that meets the needs of our diverse population of
researchers both at postgraduate and at post doctoral level.
Following the recommendations made by Sir Gareth Roberts in ‘SET for Success’
(ref) and in anticipation of the 2008 launch of the Concordat to Support the Career
Development of Researchers (ref), the University has renewed its commitment to
Researcher Development. Funding has been provided by the Research Councils for
the development and provision of transferable skills training and career development
support. The University is strongly supportive of this investment in training and views
it as an integral part of academic life.
We have identified three strategic aims, as well as key objectives that will help us to
realise our vision and guide practice in transferable skills training at all levels in the
University.
Strategic Aims
Key Objectives
How we measure our Success
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HRSC (Research)
Paper 4
Strategic Aims of the Researcher Development Initiative
1. To Promote a culture
• Where personal, professional and career development are key priorities and
integrated into academic life
• That gives researchers the tools and encouragement to evaluate their own
skills and identify areas in which they wish to develop
• That encourages researcher-led initiatives and recognises that development
needs and career aspirations are different for each individual researcher
• That views training as something beyond attending training courses and is
open to new ideas on how to ensure initiatives are relevant and timely
• Where enterprise and entrepreneurship are recognised as key skills for
researchers
2. To Develop a community
• Through creating opportunities for networking, support and sharing of ideas
between early career researchers at both postgraduate and postdoctoral
levels
• With involvement in decision making from all stakeholders, including PhD and
early career researchers (through surveys, focus groups and reps) and
academic and administrative staff (through Faculties, Departments, Graduate
Schools and the Skills Training Forum)
• With coherence of activity across central Services and Faculties, (including
the Careers Service, Learning and Teaching, Research & Enterprise and the
Staff Development Service) to ensure consistent advice and clear
communication that reaches researchers at key points in their career
• That builds on the strengths and diversity of our current researcher population
3. To Develop practice in partnership
• With employers, to ensure researchers have the opportunity to fully explore
career opportunities and develop skills that will enhance their employability
• With other Higher Education Institutions and organisations such as UK GRAD
/ UK HERD for the sharing of ideas, policies and best practice as well as
collaborative events
• To evaluate and monitor the effectiveness of practice
• To lead the way in the provision of transferable skills training in the UK
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HRSC (Research)
Paper 4
Key Objectives and Timescales for the Researcher Development Initiative
2008-2010
1. Culture
Objective Action Responsibility Timeframe
To facilitate Ensure input and feedback are gathered from all researchers, through Faculties, SDS, Skills Ongoing
researchers in taking surveys, evaluation forms, representation on committees and focus Training Officer
the lead in their own groups (PGR & PDR)
development
Encourage researchers to seek out and plan their own events and Skills Training Officer Ongoing
activities, through access to the New Initiatives Fund (PGR & PDR)
Provide Personal Development Planning tools to researchers, to Skills Training January 2009
encourage and support them in evaluating their skills and determining Officer, Learning and
their own training needs (PGR) Teaching,
Employability
Make Research Staff aware of the P&DR support that is available to them Ongoing
and encourage its uptake (PDR) HR Sub-committee,
Faculties, SDS,
Careers Service, LTC
To trial new activities Hold events and trial new activities to understand and meet the needs of part- Skills Training Autumn 2008
or working practice time researchers (PGR & PDR) Officer, Faculties,
to ensure we are LTC
meeting the needs of
all our researchers Investigate the accreditation of courses (PGR & PDR) Ongoing
Skills Training
Officer, LTC
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HRSC (Research)
Paper 4
2. Community
Researcher Development web pages (PGR & PDR) Skills Training Officer July 08
To improve
communication on Input on development opportunities provided for Research Staff web portal Skills Training August 08
training and Officer, SDS, HR,
development Careers Service
opportunities across
the University Attend Postgraduate Induction sessions / the New Researchers Seminar Skills Training Officer Ongoing
(PGR & PDR) / Careers Service
Develop an online booking form for courses (PGR & PDR) Skills Training Officer August 08
Information on institution wide initiatives, such as the Effective Researcher Faculties Ongoing
course is integrated into faculty publicity (PGR)
Keep administrative and academic staff informed of new developments in local Skills Training Officer Ongoing
and National training (PGR & PDR) and Faculties
Examples of good practice will be shared between faculties, as well as a Skills Training Forum, Ongoing with
To share best yearly list of courses and tutors, for inclusion in a central database (PGR & HoGS forum, priority over
practice between PDR) Faculties summer period
Faculties and
facilitate cross- Co-ordinate Graduate Schools’ planning cycles for researcher development Skills Training
disciplinary courses activity Officer, Ongoing
Graduate Schools
Researchers engaged in interdisciplinary research will be given opportunities Faculties
to meet attend appropriate courses from other disciplines (PGR & PDR)
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HRSC (Research)
Paper 4
To introduce a Ensure adequate provision of courses that are relevant to Research Staff, as SDS, Skills Training Ongoing
programme of events well as trailing new courses and activities (PDR) Officer, Careers
for Research Staff Service
that provides useful Run a series of ‘for Research Staff’ networking events giving Research Staff
training and the opportunity to make contacts and feedback on the training they would like Skills Training Officer Summer 08
facilitates networking (PDR)
between disciplines
Disseminate feedback and build on this to develop new programmes Skills Training Autumn 08
(PDR) Officer, Faculties, HR
Subcommittee, SDS,
Careers Service
Collaborate with other Scottish Institutions and National Organisations to run Careers Service, Ongoing
networking events for Research Staff and trial new activities (PDR) Skills Training Officer
3. Partnership
To share best Keep regular contact with other institutions and organisations such as UK Skills Training Officer Ongoing
practice and hold GRAD / UK HERD to share best practice (PGR & PDR)
collaborative events
with other institutions Organise a Making Research Connections event, joint with Strathclyde and Skills Training Officer
Glasgow Caledonian Universities; co-manage the Glasgow Local June 2008 /
GRADschool (PGR) August 2008
Evaluate events and plan future collaborations (PGR & PDR) Skills Training Ongoing
Officer, Skills
Training Forum,
Faculties
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HRSC (Research)
Paper 4
How do we measure our success?
We recognise that it is very difficult to measure a change in culture or ‘quality’ of a training programme. However, attendance numbers at non-
compulsory courses and feedback forms or student surveys can be used as an indication of this, particulary as news about courses tends to
travel by word of mouth.
By 2011, we hope to be able to demonstrate that:
Researcher Development is fully integrated into academic life, with increased attendance at courses and events, and opportunties being
available to all researchers, regardless of their circumstances or subject area.
Researcher take the lead in identifying their own needs and seeking out opportunties
There is increased supervisor awareness of and buy-in to transferable skills training, with the ability to direct researchers to appropriate
resources, training or other opportunities.
Researchers receive consistent advice on training and development from all levels of the University, from registration to graduation
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HRSC (Research)
Paper 4
Our main KPIs include:
• The number of institution-wide courses / attendance each year
Volume and Type of • The number of innovative new practices developed each year
Training Provision • Analysis of coverage with respect to the Joint Skills Statement
• The number of courses that have become embedded as an integral and sustainable part of academic life
• Bids to New Initiatives fund from postgraduate researchers, research staff or other university staff
Quality of Individual To be evaluated using feedback forms and post course follow-up sessions
Courses Instances where practice is shared with other institutions or external bodies, e.g. through conferences or representation in National
committees
Through regular researcher focus groups and responses to PRES (Postgraduate Research Experience Survey), including:
• My experience so far has helped me to develop a range of communication skills
• I am encouraged to think about the range of career opportunities that are available to me
Postgraduate • I am encouraged to reflect on my professional development needs
Researcher • I am encouraged to reflect on my career development needs
Satisfaction • There are adequate opportunities available for me to further develop my transferable skills
Research Staff Through participation in CROS, or related surveys and regular researcher focus groups
Satisfaction
Supervisor Attitudes These will be evaluated using STaRRS or in-house surveys. Key points we wish to evaluate include supervisor awareness of:
• The need for development opportunities for all researchers that are fully integrated into academic life, including workloads
and expectations
• Non-academic career opportunities for their researchers,
• Faculty level, Institutional and National developments in PGR training
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