SEB Bulletin October 2007
Research Councils invest in over £15 million to support the develpment of postdoctoral and other researchers
The Research Councils1 are pleased to announce an investment of over £15 million in line with their commitment to 'enhancing the quality and output of the UK research base through training the next generation of world-class researchers'. This new contract is in line with the UK Concordat for the management of research staff2 which was established in 1996 and which is being revised this year. It also aligns with the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for their Recruitment.3
In order to meet this challenge they are broadening the remit for the existing UK GRAD Programme4, which currently only supports postgraduate students, to create a new research staff development programme. The contract, to run from 2008-2012, will include support for research staff as well as for postgraduate researchers.
The programme proposed by CRAC5 (who have the contract for the development programme) and their partners (including UKGRAD) will support the personal, professional and career development of researchers through four key aims to:
Champion the development and implementation of effective policy;
Enhance higher education provision through sharing practice and resource;
Provide access to development opportunities and resources;
Build an evidence base to support the researcher development agenda.
"The new programme will give greater prominence to the career development needs of research staff whilst building on the transferable skills activities for postgraduates for which the current UK GRAD programme is well recognised. Research Councils UK looks forward to working with CRAC and its partners and with the HE sector in taking the 'Roberts agenda' forward into the second decade of the 21st century.”
Dr Iain Cameron
Head of Research Careers, RCUK
The UK GRAD Programme will continue to operate until the end of the existing contract on 31 December 2007. During 2008 the activities will be progressively extended to include research staff, before a formal launch of the new programme, at a national conference in September 2008.
The new programme will maintain the current central support combined with the network of regional Hubs, national networks of stakeholders in researcher development, website, resources, GRADschools and other courses, and research and evaluation activities.
1. http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/default.htm
2. http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/rescareer/rcdu/careermanagement.htm
3. http://ec.europa.eu/eracareers/pdf/am509774CEE_EN_E4.pdf
4. http://www.grad.ac.uk
5. http://www.crac.org.uk/