News
Survey of HEI strategies launched: Concordat benchmarking project also helps institutions demonstrate alignment with the European Charter and Code
On 6 January the Concordat Coordinator, on behalf of the Concordat Strategy Group, launched a survey
of HEI’s approaches to staff development and their implementation of the Concordat. A note was sent to
Vice Chancellors and Principals across the UK and the survey
will be available online until 6 April 2010.
As well as providing valuable benchmarking information for the Concordat Strategy Group, the survey will help institutions demonstrate alignment with the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers. More details on how the Concordat, the Charter and Code and the HEI Strategies survey support one another is available from the benchmarking pages.
Article published in Overview magazine
Tom Papworth, the Research Concordat Implementation Coordinator, wrote an article for Overview magazine in which he outlined the key role Principal Investigators will play in delivering the Concordat and the wider research staff development agenda.
http://www.vitae.ac.uk/CMS/files/upload/Overview_DEC09.pdf
European Charter and Code - alignment with Concordat
The UK has set out how the Concordat and the associated benchmarking projects will enable UK institutions to align themselves with the European Charter and Code.
Concordat Chair submits recommendations to Research Excellence Framework consultation
Sir Ivor Crew, Chair of the Concordat Strategy Group, wrote to HEFCE on 15 December 2009 as part of the consultation on the Research Excellence Framework. A copy of the letter is availiable here.
Two more organisations have formally agreed to support the Concordat
The Biochemical Society whose aim is to promote the advancement of the science of Biochemistry.
The Biosciences Federation - single authority representing the UK's biological expertise, providing independent opinion to inform public policy and promoting the advancement of the biosciences.
The supporters of the Concordat will play an important part in taking forward the actions in the Concordat, in particular the development of the implementation plan and supporting this plan through their organisations.
Professor Sir Ivor Crewe to lead on implementation of new research careers Concordat
Professor Sir Ivor Crewe is to take on the chair of a new high level strategy group set up to oversee the implementation of the recently launched Concordat to support the career development of researchers. The Concordat, a collaboration between Research Councils UK and Universities UK, sets out the expectations and responsibilities of researchers, their managers, employers and funders.
For more information please visit the Universities UK website.
Hard Copies of the Concordat
As the new academic year commences, have you enough copies of the Concordat for all your new researchers and academics? The initial print run of 50,000 copies has been sent out to the sector and we have had a reprint to ensure that copies are available for all new researchers and academics.
Please contact Rosie Beales if you need further copies.
Promotion of the Concordat
Some universities and regions have held or are planning events to promote the Concordat. We would welcome details of these events for the Concordat web site.
If you are planning an event please note that we stated in the Overview of the Implementation that representatives of the signatories and supporters particularly RCUK and UUK staff will seek to attend meetings of interested organisations to promote the Concordat and its implementation.