Researcher Development Concordat Annual Progress Report 2021-2022

The following report provides an overview of the University of Dundee’s progress against its current action plan (see Downloads) for implementing the obligations set out for institutions, managers of researchers and researchers within the revised Concordat to support the Career Development of Researchers, hereafter referred to simply as “the Concordat”.  

In the University’s inaugural progress report (see Downloads), in accordance with the reporting standards included in the Concordat itself, we set out the key strategic objectives of our plan, a summary overview of the plan itself, and its key success measures.  

Since the publication of that report, we have had the opportunity to implement the bulk of the specific actions set out in the plan. As such, this report shall focus primarily on the success – or otherwise – of these actions, measured where possible against their success measures. We shall conclude by looking forward to the next planning cycle and lessons learned which can feed into this.  

Strategic Objectives  

In the previous progress report, we noted three key strategic objectives which guide our approach. These are:  

• Ensuring that managers of researchers are properly equipped to support the career development of those they manage by gathering better data on training attendance and training needs for individuals in this category, and producing new information resources for them 
• Ensuring that researchers are better aware of opportunities and responsibilities in relation to career development by means of actions focused on induction, probation and appraisal. 
• In general, to focus as far as possible on making better use of existing resources and tools rather than inventing new ones from scratch. 

These objectives remain currently unchanged.  

Implementation Plan  

The University continues to work with the implementation plan set out in the previous Progress Report. Work is scheduled to commence on a new plan in September 2022.  

Measures of Success  

Quantitative measures of success set out in the University’s action plan are in the main dependent either on CEDARS data which will not be available until the survey runs again in the summer of 2023 or otherwise have a target to be reached in this year. Progress against these will be reported on in next year’s report.  

In 2021-2022 the University met its objective of sending five researchers to attend Advance HR training in research team leadership.  

Progress to Date  

The majority of the specific actions set out in the action plan have now been implemented or are on track to be implemented on time. In particular:  

• A School level induction has been piloted at the School of Medicine and lessons learned have fed into relevant institutional workstreams, in particular… 
• An Inductions Working Group has reviewed and set out good practice recommendations for a comprehensive reform of University induction practices. This work will be handed over to a new working group for implementation over the coming year.  
• Information on the Concordat has been added to relevant induction materials 
• The University’s probation policy has been revised to include a twelve-month probation period for researchers with reviews at three and eight months. This policy has been approved by the relevant trade unions and work is in process on standardised templates for these reviews. Roll out of the new policy is scheduled for  
• A consultation has been completed looking at training needs of managers of researchers across the University  
• Completion rates for mandatory training for PGR supervisors in the area of research integrity have improved in line with success measures 
• Management training workshops have been promoted by both newsletters and bespoke Talent and Development communications  
• A new Managers’ Resource SharePoint has been built and is shortly to be launched including a dedicated section for managers of researchers 
• A Statement of Expectation for managers of researchers promoting better understanding of what the Concordat requires has been drafted. This will be developed in further consultation with managers of researchers within individual Schools  
• A new guidance document has been created and an accompanying bespoke video resource is in the process of being created with the aim of supporting managers of researchers in holding careers conversations with research staff  

Conclusion and next steps  

The obligations set out in the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers are fully aligned with the HR Excellence in Research Award, which recently moved from a two year to a three year application cycle. As a result, the University will be obliged to submit a new three-year Concordat action plan by 22nd September 2023 in the context of its application for renewal of this award. Creation of this action plan will be a key focus over the coming academic year. To this end, the Concordat Implementation Group has been recreated under the new name of the Researcher Career Development working group. The overall approach to planning will be informed by two key considerations:  

First, the working group will seek to coordinate its activity with the university’s ongoing internal review of concordats and agreements, currently being led by the research policy manager. As such, planning will strive as far as possible to be synergistic with other action plans and avoid redundancy.  

Second, guidance from Vitae (who oversee the UK HR Excellence in Research Award process) clearly indicates that universities are not obliged to demonstrate action in all areas of the Concordat in a single action plan. As such, the intention will be to focus on meaningful, long term actions in a limited number of areas.  

Determining and delineating these actions will be a function of the planning process. However, it is anticipated that areas of focus will include:  

• Creation of a new management and leadership training solution for PIs and managers of researchers 
• Creation of coordinated and potentially accredited packages of learning and development to help address the “ten working days” expectation in relation to engagement in professional development  
• More help for research staff to forge links with industry and other partners outside academia, both for knowledge exchange and career development purposes