Summary of Actions and Achievements

We've achieved so many outcomes over the last two years, this page is a summary the achievements

Summary: Actions and Achievements

Research Staff Hub

A secondment project focussed on the development of a web space for research staff and the Research Staff Hub was created.  The aim of the Research Staff Hub is to provide landing page drawing together the resources research staff might need during their employment at the University, while also increasing visibility of services that might be useful. The site signposts to other professional services support for Research Staff.  This coordinated approach allows a central point of contact for support, linking to local sites.  Research Staff Hub was launched June 2021. 

Concordat Principle: Environment & Culture and Professional & Career Development

Research Staff Hub

Talent Register

A secondment project carried out research into the University’s Talent Register.  ‘Concordat Action Plan Report: Review of the Talent Register’ was presented to HR in June 2021.  Changes to the Talent Register have recently been made, including renaming it to Redeployment register and improving guidance for recruiters and redeployees.

Concordat Principle: Employment

Blog 'Redeployment Register'

Managing Redundancy - HR webpages

Research Culture Working Group

A Research Culture Working Group was formed in June 2021.  An action plan will be created that will compliment and work alongside the Concordat Action Plan and others.

Concordat Principle: Environment & Culture

Research Culture webpage

Profiles

Information is now available on the University of Edinburgh webpages to support researchers create PURE profiles, allowing the researcher and the research they do to be more visible to more people.

Concordat Principle: Professional & Career Development

Outputs & Outcomes [Research Staff Hub]

Your Research Profile

Leadership Profiles

New webpage called 'Leadership Stories' showcases online profiles of research staff who have taken on leadership roles 

Concordat Principle: Professional & Career Development

Leadership Stories

Induction Support

The Research Staff Hub was launched in June 2021, with a section focussed on Induction and an array of information to support the employment of researchers at the University. 

Concordat Principle: Employment

Induction [Research Staff Hub]

Postdoc/Research Staff Champions

Postdoc/Research Staff Champions are being introduced into a number of Schools/Colleges structures.  A Postdoc Champion Role descriptor was developed in March 2021 and added to Research Staff Hub to support Schools discuss at a local level

Concordat Principle: Environment & Culture

Postdoc Champion Role Descriptor [Research Staff Hub]

Research Staff Representation on Committees

Research Staff are represented on a number of University committees.

Concordat Principle: Environment & Culture

Careers Support

Since January 2020, a dedicated Research Staff Careers Consultant has been based at the IAD running all our careers support (workshops and 1:1 consultations).  This role has also allowed the development of a number of resources, guides, blogs and infographics to support research staff with their career development. 

Concordat Principle: Professional & Career Development

Career Conversations

Micro Workshops

Careers Resources

10 days Professional Development

A new webpage launched on 21st October 2021 supports researchers to engage in their career development.  As per the Concordat’s reference to researchers having opportunities, structured support, encouragement and time to engage in a minimum of 10 days professional development pro rata per year, this webpage supports researchers in this process by explaining how they might use the 10 days (or more) to best effect.

Concordat Principle: Professional & Career Development

10 Days Professional Development [Research Staff Hub]

Code of Practice for the Management and Career Development of Researchers

The Code of Practice has been updated, January 2022, to reflect the changes in the Concordat, the University and the sector.  The document will be updated on an ongoing basis to ensure new processes and systems are reflected in the document.

Concordat Principle: Employment

Code of Practice for the Management and Career Development of Researchers

Leadership Coaching Pilot and Resources for Researcher Representatives

A pilot of leadership coaching ran from June - October 2021, and alongside this a suite of leadership resources created, to support different areas researchers will come across in representative roles.  The aim of the coaching and resources are to support individuals to develop the relevant skills to make the most of their roles, recognise the contribution they make to the University and help sustain and develop representative structures.

Concordat Principle: Environment & Culture

Leadership Resources for Researcher Representatives

Developing your leadership as a researcher

A flexible, 8-module online course created in collaboration with 64 Million Artists to support researchers to focus on research and priorities. Based on the understanding that different people will need different things, the course is flexible and designed to support researchers whatever their needs.  It can be done in parallel with other learning, or as a standalone experience.

Concordat Principle: Professional & Career Development

Developing your Leadership as a Researcher

Long Term Research Staff

An secondee, based at the IAD, undertook a research project focussed on Long Term Research Staff. To reduce the mechanisms of long-term employment on short term contracts, we have to first understand what led to this and this research is focussing on that.  20 focussed interviews were carried out (April - June) and the results have been finalised and presented to various committees. 

Concordat Principle: Employment

IAD4Researchers Blog 'Long Term Research Network'

Concordat Event Guide

A resource has been developed for leading a session on the Concordat in Schools/Colleges and as part of research staff society plans.  The guide is also intended for staff in Schools/Colleges who support implementation of the Concordat.  The aim of the guide is to provide a structure and outline of a session that could be run to raise awareness of the Concordat.

Concordat Principle: Professional and Career Development

Guide for running Concordat events

Concordat Best Practice

The Concordat Best Practice webpage showcases the work going on around the University for research staff and their managers. The practice sharing space aims to communicate and celebrate the work that is happening to support the Concordat and encourage the re-use of initiatives and activities.

Concordat Principle: Environment & Culture and Professional & Career Development

Concordat Best Practice

New Staff Meet-Ups

A collaboration between the Institute for Academic Development (IAD) and HR, to provide dedicated induction support to all new staff. They are run as both online and in person events, signposting to University on boarding support and Induction support via the Research Staff Hub

Concordat Principle: Employment

New Staff Meet-Ups

Research Careers Tool

The Research Careers Tool, developed across the University, can be used in peer groups, mentoring conversations, or as part of annual review and is intended to support researchers in being more strategic in selecting activities that will further their careers.

Concordat Principle: Professional & Career Development

Research Careers Tool

Building your Research Profile, 1:1 Consultations

1:1 consultations for research staff and fellows.  45 minute, in person  or online, consultation for researchers looking to identify strategies to build their research profile or wishing to develop compelling narratives around their research activities to date.

Concordat Principle: Professional & Career Development

IAD4Researchers Blog 'Identifying Strategies to Build your Research Profile' 

Mentoring Resources

A suite of mentoring resources, to support individuals to consider mentoring as a career development opportunity, from both the mentor and mentee perspective.  Exploring what mentoring is and what it is not, the role of the mentee in finding and building mentoring relationships and the skills required in the role of the mentor, along with resources for further reading and support.

Concordat Principle: Professional & Career Development

Mentoring Resources

Interdisciplinary Research

SharePoint resources for interdisciplinary researchers at the University, aiming to connect people, information, resources and events for all things to do with interdisciplinary research and researchers at the University of Edinburgh

Concordat Principle: Professional & Career Development.

SharePoint: Interdisciplinary Research

Fellowship Support

A new resource 'A Comprehensive Guide to Fellowship Applications' provides information on the different types of fellowships, has guiding questions for self-reflection and covers the essentials of a compelling narrative for an application.

Concordat Principle: Professional & Career Development.

A Comprehensive Guide To Fellowship Applications

IAD4Researchers Blog 'Benefits of Writing Fellowship Applications'

Career Themed Events

A guide to support Research Staff Societies to run career themed events or events including a career related activity

Concordat Principle: Professional & Career Development.

Career Event Support, for Research Staff Societies

New Staff Career Development Timeline

A comprehensive guide designed to highlight key resources for career planning and the stage at which you might need them during your time at the University of Edinburgh.

Concordat Principle: Professional & Career Development.

Career Planning Guide for new Research Staff

Local Level Initiatives that Support the UoE Concordat

EI Engage Edinburgh Innovations

EI Engage is a new online learning programme that consolidates training and events offered by Edinburgh Innovations to give researchers the tools and confidence to grasp commercial opportunities and supports translation of their research.  Designed for research staff at any level who are new to external engagement.  It is a set of stand along, individual modules (seven in total) that participants can choose from to suit their own needs, they contain resources and tools useful for researchers as their career progresses

Concordat Principle: Professional & Career Development

EI Engage

Scientific and Well-being Initiative School of Informatics 

The University of Edinburgh established a collaboration with ETH Zurich's staff association (VMI) to implement a joint "Scientific and Well-being Initiative". Various events, workshops, and workshops are organized that motivate PhD students and scientific staff to develop the soft-skills needed to be successful as a scientist.

Concordat Principle: Professional & Career Development

Scientific Excellence and Wellbeing Initiative

Coaching Through COVID Programme (CTC) The Roslin Institute

Coaching support for academic staff, in the context of working in the Covid 19 pandemic, those in their middle career with protected characteristics were prioritised, but all staff in the College were invited to apply to the programme. The programme included both 1:1 and group work.  Themes included: Preparing for promotion or new roles, caring, family, changing working arrangements, pressure/overwhelm, productivity, not knowing, career concerns, relationship with manager.

Concordat Principle: Professional & Career Development

Research Support Webpage and Research Staff Committee The College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine (CMVM)

To recognise their contribution, optimise the CMVM research experience while in Edinburgh and prepare researchers for their next role, dedicated support has been introduced in the College.

Concordat Principle: Environment & Culture

CMVM Research Support Website

Postdoc Appreciation Week CMVM Research Staff Societies and the School of Biology

A full week dedicated to showcasing the work and achievements of research staff across the University.  Promotion on Twitter by CMVM and the School of Biology and nominations/awards presented in CMVM around Public Engagement, Citizenship and student supervision and support

Concordat Principle: Environment & Culture

Pilot, ECR Observation of PhD Studentship Interviews The Roslin Institute

In recognition of the important work early career researchers undertake in the day-to-day supervision of postgraduate research students, The Roslin Institute did a pilot to provide ECRs with an opportunity to gain an insight into the student recruitment process.  Offering ECRs across the Easter Bush campus (at Roslin) the opportunity to apply to observe a short block of PhD student interviews taking place online over 21st-24th February, and to subsequently offer their reflections to the panel.

Concordat Principle: Professional & Career Development

CMVM Careers Seminar Series The College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine (CMVM)

The career seminar series includes speakers who have left academia and work in industry, charities, medical communications, plus more, will give their stories on leaving academic, how they obtained their current post, challenges faced.  One 1hr session, per month will run as part of this series.

Concordat Principle: Professional & Career Development

Senior Leadership Programme for Women of Colour Edinburgh Research Office and Institute for Academic Development

A programme designed for women of colour, who are at grade 8 or 9 and aiming to move forward in their academic leadership.   The programme included workshops, coaching sessions, action learning sets and talks from external speakers from a range of organisations.

Concordat Principle: Professional & Career Development

The Collective Agreement UoE, HR and UCU

Development of best practices and guidance for managing fixed term staff, taking into account the good practice advocated within the Concordat.

Concordat Principle: Employment

Easter Bush Career Development Committees CMVM - Easter Bush Campus

The Easter Bush Campus (mainly the Vet School and Roslin) Career Development Committees have merged into a single committee, with different task groups dedicated to different tasks (Research, Teaching and Clinicians), with staff linked to several of those tasks which will allow for a wider representation and consideration for all staff groups

Concordat Principle: Better information for Researchers