Strategic Objective 4
Mutually supporting and developing research teams
To ensure that our research teams (broadly defined to include academic collaborators as well as research enablers, e.g., professional services colleagues, librarians, and other technical staff) can fulfil their potential, we must create environments that support professional development. Through our adherence to initiatives including the Researcher Development Concordat and the Technician Commitment, we will facilitate collaboration over competition, researcher wellbeing, open and fair employment practices, and will enable research staff time to engage with professional and career development tailored to their needs.
Read more about our strategic objectives and projects in our Research Culture Strategy.
Project 4.1: We will analyse the distribution of staff roles named as Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator on research funding applications (via Kristal).
Aims:
- To increase the diversity of staff roles named as Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator on research funding applications.
Outputs:
- Annual report tracking the distribution of staff roles named as Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator on funding applications.
Outcomes:
- Increased recognition of the range of staff in Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator roles.
- Better recognition of diverse research contributions.
- Stronger submission in REF2028.
Success Measures:
- Wider variety of staff roles named as Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator on research funding applications.
Led by the Head of Researcher Development and Culture.
Project 4.2: We will analyse the number of researchers by career stage attending and benefitting from OD&PL professional development sessions.
We will analyse the number of researchers by career stage engaging with self-guided professional development resources and recorded presentations.
Aims:
- To increase participation by researchers in beneficial professional development.
- To increase use of online professional development resources by researchers.
Outputs:
- Annual report tracking uptake and feedback re OD&PL professional development by researchers at each career stage.
- Annual report tracking engagement with OD&PL self-guided professional development resources and recorded presentations provided by researchers at each career stage.
Outcomes:
- Increased numbers of researchers benefiting from researcher development programmes.
- Clearer monitoring of uptake and benefit from researcher professional development by career stage.
- Increased numbers of researchers engaging with OD&PL self-guided professional development resources and recorded presentations at each career stage.
- Clearer monitoring of uptake and benefit from online professional development by career stage.
Success Measures:
- Increased researcher uptake and benefit from University of Leeds professional development opportunities.
- Increased researcher uptake and benefit from University of Leeds online professional development opportunities.
Led by the Head of Researcher Development and Culture.
Project 4.3: We will use pulse surveys to determine:
Numbers of researchers benefitting from professional development
Barriers to researcher engagement in professional development
Line managers' awareness of professional development provision and expectations.
Aims:
- To determine levels of engagement with and benefit of professional development opportunities by researchers across career stages.
- To identify barriers to engagement.
Outputs:
- Annual report tracking researcher engagement with and benefit from professional development opportunities (live and remote).
Outcomes:
- Increased recognition of the value of professional development, by researchers and line managers.
- Increased uptake in professional development by researchers.
Success Measures:
- Increase in the number of researchers stating they have engaged with and benefitted from professional development opportunities.
Led by the Head of Researcher Development and Culture.
Project 4.4a: We will analyse the numbers of researchers: research enablers as well as research staff on fixed-term contracts; made redundant; on redeployment; and redeployed.
Aims:
- To determine use of fixed-term contracts, redundancy, and redeployment for researchers.
Outputs:
- Annual report tracking use of fixed-term contracts, redundancy, and redeployment.
Outcomes:
- Increased strategic support of researcher destinations.
Success Measures:
- Accurate data on researcher contract types and destinations.
Led by the Head of Researcher Development and Culture
and Research EDI Lead.
Project 4.4b: We will develop and disseminate guidance on responsible use of the redeployment scheme.
Aims:
- To decrease employment precarity and increase researchers, research enablers and research staff retention.
Outputs:
- Redeployment scheme guidance.
Outcomes:
- Increase in researchers using redeployment to find suitable employment at University of Leeds.
- Stronger submission in REF2028.
Success Measures:
- Increased research enablers and research staff retention.
Led by the Head of Researcher Development and Culture
and Research EDI Lead.
Project 4.4c: We will develop and disseminate guidance for hiring managers on the responsible design and use of short-term contracts.
Aims:
- To maximise the mutual benefit of short term contracts.
Outputs:
- Guidance on the responsible design and use of short-term contracts.
Outcomes:
- Increased awareness of the responsible use of short term contracts.
- Increased satisfaction of researchers on short term contracts.
Success Measures:
- Increased satisfaction of researchers, research enablers and research staff on short term contracts, and their Principal Investigators.
Led by the Head of Researcher Development and Culture
and Research EDI Lead.
Progress
Coming soon.....