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The Role and Value of the Researcher

This article discusses the roles, motivations, and expectations of researchers, as well as the importance of supporting their development. It also provides an overview of the Vitae Researcher Development Framework and the value of researchers in various sectors.

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The Role and Value of the Researcher

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  1. The role and value of the researcher Zagreb, December 2012 Ellen Pearce ellen.pearce@vitae.ac.uk

  2. Aims 1. About Vitae, context and background 2. The roles, motivations and expectations of researchers 3. The Vitae Researcher Development Framework 4. The value of researchers 5. Supporting the development of researchers

  3. 1. UK background 1968: first GRADschool run by CRAC 1996: Research Careers Initiative 2002: SET for Success report, by Sir Gareth RobertsResearchers lack the transferable skills that employers want January 2003: UK GRAD Programme launched (doctoral researchers) October 2005: full ‘Roberts’ money allocated June 2008: Concordat and Vitae launched (all researchers) Focus on research staff careers March 2011: end of ‘ring-fenced’ Roberts money September 2012: 61 UK organisations with the HR Excellence Award Vitae responds to the need for highly skilled workers to maximise business potential

  4. Vitae • Led and managed by a team based in Cambridge at CRAC • Work in the UK and internationally • Part-funded by the Research Careers and Diversity Unit of RCUK and the UK HE funding bodies • Supported by a range of sector based bodies and advised by a range of expert advisory groups drawn from across the sector • 8 regional hubs located in universities across the UK

  5. Vitae vision and aims “to support world-class personal, professional and career development for researchers” Influence effective policy development and implementation relating to researcher development Enhance higher education provision to train and develop researchers Empower researchers to make an impact in their careers Evidence the impact of professional and career development for researchers

  6. A UK approach HEI provisionLegacy of Roberts Strategic commitments HR Excellence Award Framework The Concordat Roberts Recommendations QAA Code of Practice Researcher Development Framework Practice sharing Policy Fora, events Regional hubs News, reports, feedback Capacity building Vitae courses Masterclasses Networks Research, evaluation

  7. A global agenda Europe’s Innovation Union and Horizon 2020 proposals highlight the importance of researcher capabilities Growing number of organisations with the HR Excellence in Research Award US commission on Pathways Through Graduate School and Into Career promotes the value of doctoral graduates in producing influential researchers, innovators and leaders Development of the International Consortia for Research Staff Associations links RSAs across the globe UK economic growth strategy, ring-fences research funding Initiatives across the globe

  8. 2. The role (s) of researchers Researchers, supervisors, PI, academics Leaders across all sectors Teachers Innovators/entrepreneurs/knowledge transfer-ers/business creators Income generators, intrapreneurs Engagers Employees Career changers ‘RCUK will continue to develop highly skilled researchers to achieve impact across the whole economy, as well as developing the next generation of researchers to maintain national capability.’ http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/documents/RCUKStrategicVision.pdf ‘

  9. Numbers employed in the education sector- 49% overall This varies from 28% for psychology doctoral graduates to 79% of those in modern languages.

  10. Proportion employed as researchers - 35% overall • This varies from 7% for theology to 71% for some biological subjects.

  11. Employed as research staff in higher education- 23% This varies from 6% for theology to 43% for biology, biochemistry, molecular biology and biophysics.

  12. HE lecturing and teaching 14% • varies from less than 1% in physics, chemistry, and microbiology to 56% in law.

  13. … and all kinds of other roles Database manager Librarian Web marketing executive Bishop’s chaplain Policy advisor Investment manager Patent attorney Therapy services manager Facilitator (community interest company) Product engineer Web technology architect Curator Local intelligence officer (police) ‘ ‘in creating gainful employment for scores of other people, I have done something which has had a large impact around the world’ www.vitae.ac.uk/wdrd Career profiles of doctoral entrepreneurs

  14. Motivations and expectationsWhat do researchers want to do? • Postgraduate researchers undertaking doctoral study (4,298 respondents): • 46% were aiming for a career in higher education, 23% in research outside higher education and 15% in other common doctoral occupations • 89% motivated to undertake doctoral study by the subject or to satisfy personal intellectual goals (83%) • 85% felt doctorate was essential or preferred for intended career • www.vitae.ac.uk/careerplanning Strength of career ideas for final year postgraduate researchers, by nationality

  15. What we know about researcher careers Less than 1 in 6 had well formed career ideas at beginning of their doctorate; career intentions formed during doctoral period For those who changed their career plan during their doctorate (just under 50%), top influences were the research experience, personal interest/value, supervisor/faculty staff Preparation for future careers in a range of sectors Career mobility is relatively high; skills and readiness for transitions Engagement at appropriate times (less than 1/3 used career services as a postgraduate) Work experience (of those who had work experience 4/5 said it impacted their career plans)

  16. Vitae Researcher Development FrameworkArticulating the breadth of researcher roles • Developed by researchers for researchers, robust in methodology and validity • Articulates the knowledge, behaviour and attributes of successful, world-class researchers • Underpinning strategic framework • Common framework and universal language for understanding and communicating researcher competencies internationally • Beneficial for all researchers irrespective of levels of experience • RDS - a strategic statement, endorsed by key organisations • International validation in Europe and the US

  17. Lenses on the VitaeResearcher Development Framework • Using the RDF, a lens provides an overview of the key knowledge, behaviour and attributes developed by researchers that can be acquired through, or used in, particular areas such as enterprise, information literacy, teaching etc Two types of lens development: • Direct focus - Lenses derived from the Vitae Researcher Development Framework • Bridging/mapping - Lenses mapped to existing frameworks, set of professional standards or protocols

  18. Enterprise lens

  19. RDF Planner

  20. RDF implementation • Commitment to explore a European version, ESF trials • Endorsed by over 30 organisations, RCs, FCs, mission groups • Embedded in new Quality Code for research degrees • Widespread institutional provision mapping to the RDF • House of Lords review of HE STEM, July 2012 ‘…we were pleased to hear that the Researcher Development Framework (RDF), developed by Vitae in consultation with employers, has gone some way to improve the employability skills of postgraduates and guide the knowledge, behaviourand attributes of a successful researcher ‘ ‘…several witnesses praised the RDF and use it when mapping or reviewing training and courses in order to provide the skills in the RDF.’

  21. 4. The value of researchersTo society: destinations three years on Other common doctoral occupations: Health professionals (18%); Functional and production managers and senior officials (25%); Engineering professionals (14%); ICT professionals (10%); Business, finance and statistical professional and associate professional roles (15%)

  22. What do researchers do? Innovate and make impact in their careers Innovative some or all of time (>90%) Have positive impact in employment (> 90%) and beyond Use generic skills (> 90%) Value of doctorate (> 80% - important) Use research (> 80%) Undertake research (40% most of the time) http://www.vitae.ac.uk/policy-practice/107611/What-do-researchers-do-.html

  23. What do researchers do?Career profiles of doctoral entrepreneurs All created a business, an income and a career 40 doctoral entrepreneurs from different disciplines • All disciplines • Many different opportunities • Immediately from doctorate • Win business planning competitions • Use networking skills • Support from university • Access to capital essential • Established some time after doctorate • Combination of doctorate and employment • Extensive CVs • Spin out from academic career http://www.vitae.ac.uk/researchers/352591/What-do-researchers-do-Career-profiles-of-doctoral-entrepreneurs.html ‘In order for Britain to move out of recession and into recovery we need to foster a new culture of entrepreneurship in our nation.’ Doug Richards in What do researchers do? Career profiles of doctoral entrepreneurs

  24. 5. Supporting the development of researchers What role should the institution take? What role should the researcher take? What role should supervisors and PIs have? How do we embed professional development as a normal part of doing research? How do we make careers advice accessible to people at the right time? How do we dispell the myths? How do we build career resilience? The role of planned happenstance and serendipity How do we prepare researchers for the wide range of careers they undertake? How do we support the multiplicity of roles?

  25. Courses, resources and networks complement institutional provision • How to be an Effective Researcher • Broadening Horizons • Discovering innovation and intrapreneurship • Social Enterprise • Careers in Academia • Leadership in Action • Collaborative Researcher • Digital researcher • Part-time Researcher • Researcher booklets • Blogs, What’s up doc, PGR tips • GRADschools 'The sense of genuine achievement was very tangible. I can honestly say that the course has changed my attitude to work, research and work colleagues quite fundamentally.'

  26. Researcher news and views

  27. Views on professional development  Importance for RS PI/RL confidence

  28. Impact of researcher development across the sector • Impact Framework as evaluation tool and and framework • High sector engagement • Clear evidence of impact: • significant distance travelled • cultural change: supervisor awareness and engagement • employability; employer awareness • research outcomes: grant income, publications • researcher experience, submission rates • life changing • Maturing agenda: reflection and enhancement

  29. 5. Next steps The ‘global’ researcher; exploring transitions and resilience Opportunity to pilot the RDF Planner Career changers, building career resilience Leadership and entrepreneurship Internships and professional placements Differentiated support for different groups Greater engagement with PIs Sign up for our international newsletters www.vitae.ac.uk/international

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