Fourth Annual Career Development Conference for Research Staff

1. Fourth Annual Career Development Conference for Research Staff Recent Developments at Cardiff Professor Terry Threadgold Pro Vice Chancellor for Staff

2. Themes from the 2007 Conference • Insecurity of the Research Career • Mobility • Working conditions • Recognition

3. Themes from the 2007 Conference • Communication and Networking • Mentoring, Appraisals and Support Processes • Formal Training • Career Planning, option and alternatives

4. Themes from the 2007 Conference • Issues Specific to Women Researchers • Grant Funding • Nature and Quality of Management

5. What did we do next? • These needs were outlined in the 2007 Conference Report; • presented to Human Resources Committee, Research Committee and Senate; • and informed the 2007/8 Research Staff Development Priorities.

6. What Progress have we made? • Transparency and awareness raising • Conference Report sent to UK Research Councils Executive Group, also published on website for internal and external visitors to be able to see what our research staff had to say.

7. Support not Taken Up • A �Women in Research� Event was scheduled for June 2008 but cancelled due to insufficient numbers. • Elements of the programme have been developed as stand alone sessions: the Your Employment Rights lunchtime seminars. They were to cover: fixed term contracts; probation, appraisal and staff development; and work-life balance policies and legislation. • These were open to all research staff. Each one has been cancelled due to lack of interest.

8. Future Goals: Mentoring • Consultation on developing a systematic career development mentoring programme for research staff to be taken forward in the 2008/9 academic year, building on lessons learned through The Women’s University Mentoring Scheme (WUMS) and the probation mentoring scheme.

9. Funding Information Advice Through: • Research Funding for Early Career Research Staff– 4th annual event held in October 2008. Over 40 researchers attended this event on ‘becoming an independent researcher’. We will be publishing slides on the website for those who could not make it.

10. Funding Advice Through: • Ongoing advice from RACDV. Their group of discipline-based Research Development Officers (RDOs) has grown. Some will be around at lunchtime on the RACDV stand. There is also list of RDOs in your conference packs. • workshops in the Research Staff Career Development Skills Programme

11. Employer Events and Activities • In April 2008, an event was held on alternative careers for researchers in the Humanities. • Further events are planned for physical sciences and engineering and for the biomedical and life sciences.

12. Communication • Attempts to improve communication with research staff are ongoing.

13. Recognition and Visibility • Inclusion of research staff profiles on all school websites • Provision of school business cards to all research staff. These may be generic if school funds are limited. These were agreed by Human Resources Committee and at the Heads of Schools Meeting.

14. Update on Other Developments • The Early Stage Researchers Steering Group: a development plan for ESRs approved in January 2008, to meet the development needs of all researchers ranging from PhD students through to senior professorial staff. • This is important because it means that the University will be looking at the development of all researchers in a holistic way; • and it acknowledges the development needs of the managers of researchers as well as early career research staff.

15. PI Development • This year has seen the further development of the Leadership and Management programme for research team leaders. 4 cohorts of PIs have been through this programme, with a further 3 intakes planned for the rest of the 2008/9 academic year.

16. Training and Development • 6th issue of the Career Development Skills Programme for Research Staff. This was developed in response to feedback from the research staff population about the difficulties they encountered in obtaining funding to attend training sessions that weren’t directly related to their current posts. • The programme has expanded significantly since the (Research and) Graduate Schools took on a broader remit for the development of research staff as well as students, and now includes discipline based training.

17. Training and Development • The University also now has access to online research training modules for researchers – part of our attempt to expand the range of development opportunities available to researchers. • Demonstrations of these online modules will be available at the training and development stand at lunchtime, along with staff from staff development unit and graduate schools who can advise you on any aspect of training and development.

18. Positive Working Environment • Staff Survey • Investors in People • Staff Networks • Staff Counselling • Stress Management • Dignity Advisors • Discount and benefits

19. Staff Composition

20. Fixed Term Employment Policy • A working group will be set up during this academic session to review the University’s Policy on the Use of Fixed-Term Contracts. The Terms of Reference for this group have been agreed by the senior management of the University and membership is currently being finalised.

21. Stands Available at Lunchtime • Researchers in residence • community engagement team • Cardiff UCU • Careers Service • Vitae – a national organisation championing the personal and professional development of researchers