In 2016, University of Westminster were given the Human Resources Excellence in Research Award in recognition of our vigorous and transparent implementation of a tailored strategy for improving the career development and management of researchers within the university in line with the previous Researcher Development Concordat. We are now preparing to commit to the recently updated Concordat.
The updated edition of the concordat presents an opportunity for us to re-evaluate how we are working to support and develop researcher careers at University of Westminster. Over the coming months the Concordat Working Group, chaired by Prof David Barnes, will be working to develop a structured action plan detailing the institution’s priorities for enhancing the research environment and the researcher experience at Westminster. The Concordat Working Group includes elected early and mid-career researcher representatives and reports to Research Committee.
The new Concordat builds on the principles of the previous one but has been updated to reflect the changes in the research system since its original publication in 2008. The concordat focuses on three strands:
- Environment and culture (acknowledging that excellent research requires a supportive and inclusive research culture)
- Employment (ensuring that researchers are recruited, employed and managed under conditions which recognise and value their contributions)
- Professional and career development (understanding how focussed professional and career development opportunities are integral in enabling researchers to fulfil their potential)
Each of these principles are underpinned by the obligations of four stakeholder groups (funders, institutions, researchers and managers of researchers/PIs); obligations which the concordat outlines clearly. The concordat’s principles aim to benefit all those employed to conduct research at the university by guiding the support we provide for our researchers’ professional growth, shaping the way we approach systemic issues in the national research landscape and focussing our efforts to enhance the research environment at Westminster.
You can read the updated concordat at the below link:
https://www.vitae.ac.uk/policy/concordat/full
If you are interested in supporting the work of the Researcher Development Concordat Working Group please contact Joshua Mead at j.mead@westminster.ac.uk.
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