Strategy

The Strategic Plan 2025-2030 for the Society defines our direction for the next five years, encompassing our aspirations and priorities.

It builds upon the Strategic plan for 2020 – 2025 and has been developed to ensure that we have a clear map to build the prominence of the Society by fulfilling its charitable objective of promoting the art and science of experimental biology, while enhancing its value for our members.
 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Our Strategic Plan (2025 – 2030) provides a basis for the activities of our Society, the SEB over the next five years.

 It reinforces our VISION for the Society as:

“The continued evolution of an encompassing and cohesive organisation promoting experimental biologists, their research and disciplines to a wider world.”

Our MISSION in achieving that VISION is to develop an organisational culture in which we:

• Develop a cohesive framework which supports Experimental Biology, its disciplines and the diversity of its membership.
   
• Strengthen innovative and inter-disciplinary approaches to Experimental Biology
   
• Encourage communication and the sharing of ideas, innovations and creative solutions to foster experimentation, collegiality and networking.

Celebrate the successes of Experimental Biology to promote its benefits to the wider world.

WHO ARE WE?

The Society for Experimental Biology was established in 1923 to represent the community of experimental biologists and to support their science by providing opportunities to communicate their discoveries.    The Society has made its overarching goal to foster connections and develop networks between its members, the wider scientific community, and the society at large.  


HOW DO WE DO THIS?

We encourage the cross-fertilisation of ideas and disciplines. We support new ideas, innovation and bold leaps in thinking. We ensure that experimentation is at the heart of biology. We encourage diversity.

We bring people together – sharing learning and experiences, building contacts and relationships, creating links and networks between new and established scientists, and by supporting the next generation of biologists.

We promote the value and benefits of experimental research in the biological sciences - including the development of new methods and novel techniques.

We foster communication and dissemination of our findings to our community of experimental biologists, other scientists and to the wider public.
 

WHAT IS EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY?

Experimental Biology is the use of experimental methods to understand how living things function through the rigorous development and testing of hypotheses and at every level of biological organisation, from the sub-cellular to complex ecosystems.

Experimental Biology embraces the creative pursuit of new knowledge and understanding through rigorous scientific study of organisms and biological systems.

Experimental Biology encompasses and embraces biological research that yields new discoveries of relevance and importance to humanity.     

Experimental Biology helps to find the answers and solutions we need to ensure our earth is protected and managed effectively.

THEME 1: EXTEND THE REACH AND ENGAGEMENT OF THE SOCIETY 

We will improve the Society’s outreach to and engagement with its members, potential members, other stakeholders, entities with a similar purpose and the public. We will also aim to empower members to contribute to the public understanding of science.

In order to achieve this, we will:

• Restructure SEB member categories and their benefits.
   
• Expand SEB into new global regions.
   
• Reinvigorate SEB magazine themes in 2025.
   
• Trial an SEB podcast, led by SEB members.
   
• Ensure best practice and up to date communications with members and the public.
    
• Continue to improve the CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system.
   
• Demonstrate the benefits of SEB and the impact of our scientists’ work.
   
• Improve public and other stakeholder engagement and awareness of the society.
   
• Enhance relationships with other scientific bodies, local and international.

THEME 2: EMBED INCLUSION AND DIVERISTY

We will promote and value at all levels and in all activities, an implemented policy of inclusion and diversity, developing best practice and share this with members, their institutions, and other similar organisations.

In order to achieve this, we will:

• Improve accessibility of website and online materials.
   
• Engage in external policy discussions.
   
• Improve EDI across all SEB judging panels and committees.
   
• Better support our global membership, increasing accessibility and value of member benefits/offer.

THEME 3: OPTIMISE OUR SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS

We will review our scientific meetings and ensure they remain robust and relevant events. We will build an annual meeting, workshop and symposia programme that provides scientific information, education and training with ample opportunities for networking and outreach. 

In order to achieve this, we will:

• Broaden the reach of the Annual Conference, identifying new locations and partners.
   
• Reinvigorate conference themes and sessions.
   
• Engage the local researchers and wider communities more during conferences.
   
• Ensure that the annual conference remains financially sustainable: scientific meetings are managed in the most effective, environmentally friendly and cost-effective way, while remaining affordable for attendees and the Society.
   
• Work to increase the diversity and range of session proposals and award nominations.

• Ensure that scientific meetings are catering to the needs of all our members, including students, volunteers and non-academics.
   
• Demonstrate the public benefit and impact of Experimental Biology by showcasing the science to scientists and the wider community, increasing public engagement
   

THEME 4: ATTRACT AND DEVELOP THE NEXT GENERATION

We will provide support, networking and benefits to the next generation of scientists, which will include – but not be limited to - Early Career Scientists (ECS).

In order to achieve this, we will:

• Increase engagement with university students.
   
• Better support early career researchers (ECRs) and create more networking opportunities
   
• Support career building opportunities for scientists.
   
• Maintain a mentoring programme.

• Provide ready access to career resources, to include multi-media support.
   
• Continue to expand our portfolio of career training opportunities outside the Annual Conference.
   
• Support our members in delivering experimental biology education and outreach to schools, public and university students.

THEME 5 : ENHANCING SEB JOURNALS AND STRENGHTHENING THE LINKS WITH THE SOCIETY 

We will demonstrate the impact of experimental biology through publication of high-quality peer reviewed science in our journals and we will deliver greater benefits to our membership and community by improving the links between the Society’s journals and the core business of the SEB, including meetings, outreach and engagement activities.

In order to achieve this, we will:
 

• Showcase our media engagement to keep members and supporters informed of our growing representation.
   
• Celebrate society journals more prominently at SEB events.
   
• Explore all options to make our journals sustainable and equitable as Open Access.
   
• Explore options to make our open data policies even more progressive than they are already.
   
• Explore options to geographically diversify journal submissions, supporting the global community of experimental biologists and ensuring long-term sustainability.
   
• Implement the Society’s publications strategy, monitoring opportunities and financial viability of making all our journals open access.
   
• Increase the visibility of our journals and journal science across Society events, social media, website and publicity material, to highlight their relevance and impact. 
   
• Embed the science in our publications in our education and outreach programmes.
   
• Review business models to ensure the financial viability of our journals.

THEME 6: REVIEW STRUCTURE OF THE SOCIETY

We will ensure and implement an effective structure of the Society that aligns with the interests and needs of its current and potential members across the world, supports inter-disciplinary science, and can assist in delivering its aims effectively across the breadth of experimental biology. 

In order to achieve this, we will:

• Strengthen the governance of the Society the effectiveness of the Board
   
• Reinvigorate Section Committees and Special Interest Groups (SIGs) to improve engagement and visibility
   
• Reinvigorate cross-disciplinary workshops and symposia (in place of satellite meetings).
   
• Create an Early Career Research (ECR) members panel led by the ECR trustee.
   
• Ensure the structure is forward-looking to ensure the Society remains innovative, responsive and relevant, actively pushing scientific boundaries and supporting its members to deliver the best science possible.

THEME 7: STENGTHEN CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
 

We will strengthen our Corporate Governance, ensuring the Society’s long-term sustainability, while making certain that all Trustees are aware of their obligations and fiduciary responsibilities. 

We will review our Corporate Governance, considering the Society’s long-term sustainability, while making certain that all Trustees are aware of their obligations and fiduciary responsibilities. 

In order to achieve this, we will:

• Review the Articles of Association.
   
• Carry out an assessment against the Charity Governance Code.
   
• Review the effectiveness of the board structure.
   
• Enhance SEB cyber security, online file management and data security.
   
• Foster effective collaboration between staff and trustees to ensure clear communication.
   
• Compete for outsourced services regularly.
   
• Ensure all legal Corporate Governance obligations are met and, where practicable, implementing best practice.

THEME 8: PRESERVE SEB'S HISTORY

Following the success of the centenary year, we will endeavour to preserve the history we uncovered during the celebrations. We also aim to find a safe home for SEB’s archive material so that it is preserved for future generations, and available to share with our members.

In order to achieve this, we will:

• Preserve SEB’s archive material to safeguard our history for future generations.
   
• Share SEB’s history and impact through articles, press releases and online resources.
   
• Create a dedicated section on the SEB website to showcase our historical discoveries.
   
• Highlight key moments and influential figures from SEB’s history to inspire and connect with our community.