In this blog post Nicola Cuthbert, Researcher Development Manager at the IAD, provides and update on our work around the Concordat action plan and how you can have your say
We’ve reached the point where we are coming to the end of our current Concordat action plan. The 2021-2023 action plan has now run its course and it’s time for the next iteration. However, that’s not to say our last action plan is forgotten, swept to the side, not relevant anymore, quite the opposite!
Many of the actions have now progressed, developed and provided us with new understanding and resource. Some of the actions will continue, others are still in progress and ongoing, and many now form part of our core support for researchers and managers at the University.
It’s great to see all the outputs from the Concordat action plan over the last two years, as demonstration of our commitment and ongoing support for the career development of research staff. Below is not an exhaustive list, but it shows some of our outputs over the last two years:
- Development of the Research Staff Hub for research staff and their managers, including information on induction, community and networking, funding, impact, career development and much more.
- Guide for running Concordat focused events
- Development of Postdoc/Research Staff Champion Role
- Strengthened Careers Support (Micro Workshops, Career Conversations)
- 10 Days Professional Development Web page
- Leadership Resources and Support (Developing your leadership as a Researcher, Leaderships support for Researcher Representatives, Leadership Stories)
- Mentoring resources
As we approach the writing of our next action plan, we would like to hear from researchers and managers of researchers, on their perceptions of the effects of the various initiatives we’ve been working on over the last two years, and would also like to hear about the type of developments you would like to see included in the 2023-25 action plan.
Have you been involved with any of the initiatives that have been introduced, as a result of the Concordat Action Plan, is there anything you feel has worked particularly well, or has been effective?
Is there anything you would like to see, for research staff/research staff societies or managers of researchers, included in the 2023-25 Action Plan?
If you have any feedback, please do let us know by completing the above questions on the attached Microsoft Form: https://forms.office.com/e/F8Rx7PXpx8 or by emailing iad.researchers@ed.ac.uk
The IAD and our Concordat Implementation Group will write our next action plan, then continue to meet to track its progress and implementation across the University. With the committee’s broad representation, this ensures we are continuing to support researchers at all stages of their careers.
Our next action plan will be published on our webpages late April 2023, and we will provide an update here on our plans, and what we will be working on over the two next years. But please do keep an eye on our Concordat Reporting webpage for any developments and feedback if you have any thoughts about how you would like to be supported at the University.
