THE HUMAN RESOURCES STRATEGY FOR RESEARCHERS (HRS4R)

INCORPORATING THE CHARTER & CODE AT NUI GALWAY

External Review

NUI Galway was awarded the HR Excellence in Research award in October 2013, successfully renewed in 2015 and due for renewal by external review in 2019. This strategy and accompanying action plan is for the 2019 review phase.

The award continues to be valued by our University but in particular by our research community. The longer phase between renewal periods has not negatively impacted on our commitment to the principles of the Charter and Code and we have kept up to date with newer conditions such as Open, Transparent and Merit-based Recruitment (OTM-R). Conducting the review, surveys, focus groups etc., helps us to identify areas needed for improvement, requirement for policies to be updated or introduced, recognise achievements and most importantly to ensure researchers are engaged and can communicate their needs to the wider university community. We are committed to following best practice while recognising the need for creativity to flourish as we continue to implement and adhere to the principles of the Charter and Code.

About NUI Galway

Founded in 1845, National University of Galway have been inspiring students for 175 years. NUI Galway has earned international recognition as a research-led university with a commitment to top quality teaching across a wide range of disciplines, including the Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences, Business, Law, Science, Engineering, Medicine and Health Sciences.

The unique student experience at NUI Galway owes much to our location in the beautiful west of Ireland. Galway City (pop. almost 80,000) is a ‘college town’ in every sense, with students accounting for approximately 20% of the population of the city during term. This youthful energy is reflected in the many internationally renowned festivals, music, cultural and sporting events that are hosted in the city each year.

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Fast Facts

Established: 1845

18,747 students

96% of NUI Galway Graduates gain employment six months after graduating

5 NUIG researchers were named among the World’s Most Highly Cited Researchers 2018 by Clarivate

We ranked in the top 300 World Universities in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2019/2020

364 collaborative R&D projects with industry partners in 10 years

10% of the NUIG student body studies Irish or through Irish

Galway is European Capital of Culture for 2020.

Importance of Research at NUI Galway

The importance of research at NUI Galway is evident in the Strategic Plan NUI Galway Strategic Plan 2015- 2020 and in our proposed new strategy to take us to 2025. The university fully supports continuing professional development for all staff, including researchers, and we have always facilitated requests from researchers for specific training, development and commercialisation opportunities to the best of our ability. With the Researcher Development Centre (RDC) now established we now hope to promote and extend many of the initiatives we undertook over the years – for example, facilitating researchers who wish to gain teaching experience and qualifications in that area, mobility experience both internal and external to the university, awarding honorary titles to those researchers who meet certain criteria, and an open, transparent, merit-based progression process for researchers to name but a few of our existing and developing actions.

Definition of a researcher

For the purposes of the NUI Galway HRS4R Gap Analysis and Action Plan, postgraduate researchers are termed Early-stage Researchers and postdoctoral and other researchers are referred to as Experienced Researchers. This is in line with European Commission documentation which defines Early-stage Researchers as researchers in the first 4 years (full-time equivalent) of their research activity, including the period of research training. Experienced Researchers are defined as researchers having at least four years of research experience (full-time equivalent) since gaining a university degree/ diploma giving them access to doctoral studies, in the country in which the degree/diploma was obtained or researchers already in possession of a doctoral degree, regardless of the time taken to acquire it.1

1 http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/index.cfm/rights/definitions2

It should be noted that in the Irish higher education system researchers at postgraduate level (early-stage researchers) are not, in most cases, employees but are registered as full-time students. The Charter and Code outlines principles targeted at employers of researchers and this does not therefore include postgraduate researchers in the Irish context. However, for the purpose of the Gap Analysis and Action Plan all researchers are considered professionals regardless of their employment status. This does not, however, constitute a transfer of employee rights or the creation of a relationship of employment for these early-stage researchers. In considering the application of the Charter and Code principles to the policies and practices in NUI Galway, researchers at all stages of the career trajectory were considered.2

HR Excellence in Research – Key Actions

From end 2015 to 2019 (stage 4) we planned to focus on key areas such as;

Communications Induction and on-boarding Policies and Procedures Research Career Strategy Equality & Diversity

1. Communications

Challenges with internal communications, multiple websites, intranets, etc. was identified as a major obstacle during the initial and subsequent gap analysis exercises. This was especially evident within the research community on campus where there can be a high turnover of staff due to short term contracts and projects, lack of standardised communications protocols within units compounded by poor induction/onboarding experiences of researchers.

Update: Communications have improved in the intervening years but there is still room for further improvement.

The website of the Vice-President for Research and Innovation has been improved and the addition of a new Researcher Community Portal brings together in one place information of particular relevance for researchers.

Other methods of communicating with researchers include;

Research Matters OnlineThe Research Office produces its own monthly events and updates guide, Research Matters Ezine. This is emailed to all colleges, How to access.

2 http://www.ucd.ie/definition3

Institute E-ZinesAs a researcher, there are some great mailing lists you can join belonging to our research groups.  Sign up on the home page of the Whitaker Institute, CÚRAM, and the Moore Institute.

University DiaryOne of the best resources is Dialann, which is the University's online diary - with an accompanying all staff weekly email. 

ConferencesThe Conference Office website points to the events they are supporting in the coming months.

Blackboard

Blackboard is the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) at NUI Galway and is also used for communications with postgraduate researchers.

Training

Training in media and communications available from the RDC for personal development.

2. Induction and On-Boarding

Improved induction and the role of out A-Z guides for research units should help to get information to researchers more quickly going forward. In brief we’ve identified the main units to support induction and continue to seek improvements in this area.

On-line introduction – presentations from the university management team were recorded and are available on-line to help with staff induction. The new Researcher Community Portal and the Researcher Handbook are both available online to help prospective and existing researchers to have information they need.

On-boarding – HR provides practical help and advice to new staff, such as information on opening bank accounts, PPS numbers (social insurance), local immigration, etc., and this is continually reviewed as external government procedures can change often. In advance of newcomers joining the university an individual pack is sent to their supervisor with a newcomer checklist to help new staff to settle in quickly. A buddy system is in place for all new recruits. We propose to help units develop local A-Z guides to help all staff understand and to become familiar with unit information.

Centralised induction – This is an all staff event for new hires in academia, research and professional services. The focus, in the main, is on University values and gives new staff information on university structure, governance and key policy areas.

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Researcher Development Centre (RDC) induction – Since Q3 of 2019 the RDC has been hosting monthly induction events for all categories of researchers. This purpose of these induction events is to

a) check in with researchers to see what, if any, queries they may have and

b) to introduce them to Personal Development Planning (PDP). In relation to PDP this allows opportunity to demonstrate the training supports researchers may require, key information for researchers and how to use the training tools of the RDC.

The office of the Dean of Graduate Studies organises orientation workshops for postgraduate researchers to introduce them to key supports / personnel / online tools / offices on campus they should avail of to help in achieving their research goals.

3. New Policies

Policies and Procedures (P&Ps) Repository: The Quality Office continues to develop and improve the P&P Repository with new and revised P&Ps as they arise. There are in excess of 800 policies on the repository and all policies are reviewed/updated/replaced, subject to external review, within a specific timeframe as needed.

4. Research Career Strategy / Researcher Development Centre

Many of the gaps identified in previous strategy and action plan directly related to the lack of a Research Career Strategy.

This project was delayed as it was expected that there was to be a national project into research careers undertaken by the Irish University Association (IUA) and we were advised to wait. However, action in this area was slow and lacked investment. Many Irish universities invested in their own strategies so in November 2014 the Research Committee at NUI Galway approved our terms of reference for the NUI Galway RCS project with the plan submitted in late 2015. There was much support for the RCS but unfortunately due to fiscal constraints the key objective of the RCS report, the creation of the Researcher Development Centre was delayed to 2018. The creation of the Researcher Development Centre was also recommended by the Gender and Equality Action Plan (GEAP).

Today the Researcher Development Centre is established and researchers are engaging quite positively with the Centre.

They key aims of the RDC are:

To create and foster a culture of continuing professional development (CPD) for researchers at NUI Galway;

To enable researchers to identify and enhance a range of skills suited to their personal career pathway;

To enable researchers to identify suitable employment opportunities both within and beyond academia and to

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Measure the impact of such training/CPD

The centre has two staff, a dedicated website www.nuigalway.ie/rdc , RDC training room located within the Research and Innovation Centre and a ‘courses and events’ portal to promote, register and record training achievements.

Staff of the RDC have created a researcher handbook to assist researchers in taking control of their professional development – it is hoped to formally launch the handbook in early 2020.

RDC staff also conducted a survey of all staff researchers during Jul-Sept 2019 to ensure we were addressing the training needs of researchers (some details from this survey are attached as annex II).

The top three training requests from the survey were;

Grant writing - delivered by RDC staff on a monthly basis (half-day workshop) Professional development - delivered by RDC staff via 2 separate workshops presently (2x2 hrs.) monthly, as needed Project Management - delivered by external trainer, accredited by PMI.

Other training which took place between April – November 2019 is as follows;

Authorship & co-authorship Brainstorm workshops – Media Training – communicating your research Creative Problem Solving – Experiential workshop Creativity – Design thinking – human centred innovation Data management – how to write a data management plan From Career aspirations to SMART goals GDPR workshop for STEM researchers GDPR workshop for Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Giving presentations using virtual reality Induction for new researchers Introduction to Grant Writing Knowledge Transfer and the Public Value of Social Science, Arts and Humanities Personal Development Planning Presentation skills training Research Integrity Scientifically Speaking – communications training for researchers.

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The RDC is working with other units such as the Library, Career Development Centre, Equality & Diversity and other units to promote and deliver training using the RDC portal which will hopefully help us to capture data and to ensure no overlap of training.

Feedback after all training events is gathered online to ensure we’re delivering the training required by researchers and to address improvements and identify training gaps.

It is planned to introduce training certification for researchers who achieve a specific number of training events and discussion are progressing on this matter.

5. Equality and Diversity

The Office of the Vice President for Equality and Diversity was established in 2016 and is responsible for leading and promoting all aspects of equality and diversity throughout the University. The Vice-President for Equality and Diversity is a full member of the University Management Team as recommended by the NUI Galway Gender Equality Task Force 2016 and supports the governance structure to guarantee clear and consistent leadership, responsibility, accountability, and oversight of equality, diversity, and inclusion.

The structures put in place allow for information to flow from local School or Unit level through the appropriate committee and into the Governing Authority. There are two Institutional EDI Committees - The Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Campus Committee was established in 2016, and following from that, the Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee of Údarás na hOllscoile (Governing Authority) was established in May 2017.  Both of these committees work toward progressing the equality agenda in all areas at NUI Galway. Researchers are represented throughout the committee structures at NUI Galway and have opportunity to participate and contribute to the equality and diversity agendas.

Athena Swan

NUI Galway has achieved Athena Swan Bronze Status and aspires to achieve Silver Status by 2025. Currently the VPED are supporting 9 STEM schools with their applications for Athena Bronze departmental awards to be submitted in 2020.

Networks

The Office of the Vice President for Equality and Diversity (VPED) also provides support to university networks such as the University Women’s’ Network and the LGBT+ Staff Network and a new network for international staff is also in the pipeline.

Aurora

Aurora is a women-only leadership development programme provided by Advance HE.  It is a unique partnership initiative bringing together leadership experts and higher education institutions to take positive action to address the under-representation of women in leadership positions in the sector. NUI Galway provide internal funding each year for a number of employees to attend the programme. 

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NUI Galway’s Aurora programme is targeted at women in academic, support and research roles in the University – from Postdoctoral up to and including Administrative Officer roles and Lecturer grades - in order to enable leadership potential and provide an opportunity for growth and development.

See facts and figures for further information and latest updated report delivering on gender equality.

Other actions / updates

Presidents Awards for Research Excellence

The NUI Galway President’s Research Excellence Awards rewards and celebrates the outstanding contributions of academic and research staff to excellent, relevant, and innovative research that enhances our university's reputation at an international level.

There are three distinct categories reflecting the different career stages of our research community;

Early Stage Researcher Awards Established Researcher Awards Research Supervisor Awards.

Continuous improvement – Reviews and Recommendations

Institutional Review of Research Performance (IRRP)

IRRP is a research assessment exercise for all sixteen schools of the University. Four senior reviewers acting as Overall Chairs jointly lead the review process and are assisted by one or two Panel Chairs for each School. Each Panel Chair selects at least two Reviewers (Readers) for each Subject Area defined by a School. 

The overall aim of IRRP is the enhancement of research performance at NUI Galway and compliance with the Irish Universities Act for a peer review of research quality. IRRP also complies with reviewer’s recommendations from IRRP2012 for a ’second stage’ review of research outputs. The specific aims and objectives of the research assessment will be as follows:

1. Engage all academic staff in self-assessment of the quality of research and identifying ways that further enhance quality.

2. Conduct a peer review and assessment of the quality of research within Schools by Reviewers that will assign quality ratings to Schools and issue reviewer’s comments and recommendations for quality enhancement.

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3. Further develop a culture of high quality research that adds to NUI Galway’s success in attracting competitive funding.

4. Assure greater public accountability and increase further, the reputation of NUI Galway, its staffs and the wider community. 

See a list of External Reviews to include further recommendations and to get an insight into all the activities of our university.

Committees & Participation of Researchers.

Feedback from surveys of researchers often report lack of visibility or unsure where they ‘fit’ in the structure of the university. Significant work has been done in this area to attract researchers to join the various committees, boards and working groups. Academic Council is a key committee reporting directly to the governing authority and its membership was reviewed to ensure researchers were represented from each of the colleges along with other academic colleagues.

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Staff researchers are represented throughout the structures of NUI Galway as follows;

Údarás na hOllscoile - 5 elected representatives under the category ‘Other University Academic Staff’

Academic Council - 2 elected researchers from each college

University Management Team (UMT) - Vice President for Research and Innovation

At individual college level each college has a Vice Dean for Research representing staff researchers on college executive meetings/postgraduate students are represented by Vice Deans for Graduate Studies and also have representation at all of the above listed committees.

The Research Committee, chaired by the Vice-President for Research is the main committee representing research at NUI Galway. Membership consists of the President, Registrar and Deputy President, Directors of institutes(5), Dean of Graduate Studies, Vice Deans for Research, representatives of Údarás na hOllscoile/or nominees, Director of Research, Associate Director of Innovation and elected representatives of the postgraduate research community. This committee reports through the Academic Council to the Governing Authority/Údarás na hOllscoile.

In addition to the above postgraduate researchers have representation on all of the above committees to include; 1 postgraduate representative on Údarás na hOllscoile, 1 postgraduate researcher on Academic Council, represented by Dean of Graduate Studies on University Management Team, in the main and 1 postgraduate researcher elected by fellow postgraduate researchers to the Research Committee. At individual college level postgraduate researchers are represented by Vice Deans for Graduate Studies.

New! It is expected with the merging of our College of Science and our College of Engineering and Informatics into one, College of Engineering and Science, that we will have opportunity to review college/school committees and their membership over the coming year.

University of Sanctuary

In September 2019 NUI Galway became a designated University of Sanctuary, a movement aimed at promoting the inclusion of International Protection Applicants, refugees and Irish Travellers within the community.

NUI Galway undertook a series of strategies to develop, nurture, and sustain a welcoming environment on campus, particularly for those in Direct Provision and members of the Traveller community. These strategies encompass an on-going institution-wide response to the unprecedented global refugee crisis and low levels of participation in higher education among the Traveller community, and to provide access to higher education opportunities at NUI Galway.

Summary

In reviewing previous action plans and looking at where we are at this stage of the renewal process it is amazing to realise how much we’ve grown and developed over the past seven years. There is so much happening here it’s really difficult to measure and include all of the activities for review by the panel of assessors. In our recent survey of researchers there was evidence of so many positive comments on the friendly, open, supportive and research expertise of

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staff that it’s reassuring to know that although we’re achieving successes in our research mission, in general we’ve not lost the ability to be welcoming to researchers new to Galway. We have identified actions for continual improvement and review in our action plan attached as Annex I and commit to including all researchers in those known and unforeseen developments as they arise.

NUI Galway is very proud to be part of the HRS4R process and we are committed in every way to improving our societal impact, not just on society in general, but also to our own research community. We are very grateful to all those researchers who choose our university to do their research here and work with us and look forward to supporting them and those who follow for another 175 years and beyond.  

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Annex I – Action plan timeline

Principle Action Responsible

Status 2015 2015 - 2019 Targets for 2019 - 2022 Target date for completion

1 NUIG will continue to actively contribute to the discussion on National Protocols and facilitate the implementation of the National Protocols for Research Integrity.

VP Research Office (VPR)

Completed: National Research Integrity Policy in place.National Integrity Policy

Research Integrity Officer Appointed.Integrity training provided via online training and dedicated workshops. Research integrity module developed for PhD, approved by Academic Council for (5 ects) credits as part of the structured PhD.

Review online option for Integrity training.

Review demand for integrity training workshops.

Review of all Research Office policies to ensure ongoing compliance with any new policies in this area.

Q4 2020 / VPR&RDC

Q3 2020 / VPR&RDC

Q2 2022 / ongoing VPR

2 Review/update Ethics policy.

VPR Ethics – All Ethics related policies reviewed and updated.Human Ethics Policy at approval stage – June 2016 completion.

Human Ethics Policy to be approved by Committee by mid-2016. Delayed to 2017 - under Research Ethics Committee Policy.

Research Ethics Committee Policy revised in 2017. This is the central University Ethics Committee, which examines applications for ethical approval from full-time staff members and research students (PhD and Masters by research) for research involving human participants and/or personal information.Identify training gaps and provide solution to

Ongoing/VPR

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provide ethics training. Q4 2020 /VPR & RDC

3 Update Research Code of Practice.

VPR Research Code of Practice reviewed and is up to date. - Completed

Continual assessment of this code is required.

Research Code of Practice replaced by Integrity Policy in the main and other new policies such as:Research Data Management Policy (Nov 2018)Intellectual Property Policy (Sept 2019)

Ongoing / VPR

4 Policy review – consider policy to include or reflect where applicant is a collaborator.

VPR Completed: with conditions.

This needs to be incorporated into competencies as part of RCS

See researcher handbook on www.nuigalway.ie/rdc

No action required.

5 Policy update – Code of practice (as in no. 3)

VPR Completed for this period

As in no. 3 No action required.

6 New policy – Data Retention policy & Lab notebook policy.

Single web repository for all policies.

VPR /Research Institutes

Quality office

In process: Lab Notebook policy – pending approval – April 2016Data Retention policy - Completed

Completed.

Following approval of policy this policy will need to be communicated to all staff and explained at new hire stage.

Currently 822 policies and procedure on P&P repository. Quality office ensures updates are managed/tracked. All policies and procedures are approved by university committees.

Now under Research Data Management Policy as in no.3.

Ensure the practice of data management including Lab Notebooks is incorporated into all unit A-Z guides.

Policy and Procedures ongoing improvements.

Completed.

Commence Q2 2020 /VPR & RDC &Research Units

Ongoing / Quality office

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7 Include training on Good Practice in Research during induction.

Train all supervisors in induction.

HR/VPR

HR

Completed

On-going

Review of PI /Supervisor individual induction Jan – Mar 2017

Completed. Streamline induction guidelines across HR / PI / Research Units.

Data Management and GDPR training.

Completed with ongoing reviews.

Ongoing / RDC

8 No action required No action required No action required

9 No action required No action required No action required

10 No action required No action required No action required

11 Research Career Strategy (RCS). Incorporate performance management into RCS.

HR/VPR Pending approval of RCS. Phased implementation. Phase 2 – Mar. 2016

Sept 2016 – RCS should be incorporated for all new hires. RCS – completed as RDC in place June 2018.

Researcher Development Centre hosts monthly induction sessions to introduce researchers to Personal Development Planning.

Review of Researcher life cycle completed.Probation policy under review.

OngoingVPR/RDCRDC

Q3 2020 / HR

12 No action required - 2015

OTM-R introduced. Existing recruitment policy reviewed against new OTM-R to ensure compliance.

Consider introduction of e-recruit tool – under review (system – candidate accessibility)

Completed

Q3 2020 / HR / VPR

13 No action required No action required No action required

14 Increase training for HR On-going Included in annual Unconscious Bias Ongoing /

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selection committees.Policy and training required for use of audio-visual tools used for interview purposes.

HRPending approval of new recruitment Policy – April 2016

induction.Planned bi-monthly workshops to ensure engagement by researchers

training mandatory for all interview panel members.

Included in Recruitment & Selection

Provide interview training for selection committees.

Equality & HR

Completed

Ongoing / HR & RDC

15 No action required No action required No action required

16 Research career strategy. Define job descriptions and competencies for varying levels of researchers.Strengthen practice of promotion/progression.

HR/VPR

HR/VPR

Pending approval of RCS. Phase 2 – Mar. 2016

Phase 3 Sept – Dec 2016.

New IT system identified and hopefully available by end 2016. (delayed to Q3 2019)

Phase 4. Jan-Jun 2017 for training of PI/supervisors

Researcher Competencies for R1-R4 staff researchers approved by Research Committee June 2018 and now incorporated into all interview documentation. See researcher handbook on www.nuigalway.ie/rdc

Protocol for progression between levels 1-4 drafted for approval by Research Committee.

Completed Review again in Q3 2022 / RDC/VPR

Q2 2020 / VPR

17 No action required No action required No action required

18 Research career strategy. Improve links and access for industrial and research placements for researchers.

HR/VPR Students (R1) – completed.Research employees some achieved. Ongoing activity.

Mobility experience currently underway with both industry placements and other category placements. From 2017 this option will be included in RCS

Mobility experience incorporated into many funding agency awards and practice established.

Review of protocol for researchers to work

Ongoing / VPR

Q4 2020 / VPR&HR

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outside the university (included in researcher handbook).

19 No action required No action required No action required

20 No action required No action required No action required

21 Research career strategy. Enhanced professional development opportunities.

HR/VPR RCS – Phase 1 and 2. Phase 1 – training-completed and in place. Phase 2 Mar 2016.

Phase 3 Sept – Dec 2016Phase 4 Jan – Jun 2017 (delayed to Jun 2018)

Strategy completed when Researcher Development Centre created in June 2018.

Continuing Professional Development provided by RDC and relevant units.

Completed

Ongoing / RDC / Units

22 Strengthen reference to researchers in University Strategic Plan and other publications as required.

Press Office/Presidents office

Completed – new strategic plan

Strategic plan 2015 – 2020.

NUI Galway committed to retaining the HRS4R award and promoting / complying with the principles of the Charter and Code.

Researchers are represented on all university committees; Údarás na hOllscoile (Governing Authority), Academic Council, Research Committee, Graduate Studies Board. Some schools and institutes have research committees and have researcher members.

Ensure researchers are informed of and aware

Ongoing / VPR

Ongoing

Q1 2020 / RDC

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of opportunities to contribute to committees and networks. See researcher handbook.

23 No action required No action required No action required

24 No action required No action required No action required

25 No action required No action required No action required

26 No action required No action required No action required

27 Agree targets to achieve meaningful gender balance on assessment and selection panels and also key committees.

Targets proposed by Task force on Equality. Currently being phased in. Apr 2016

Implementation of OTM-R by Mar 2017.

Completed.

The Office of the Vice President for Equality and Diversity was established in 2016 and is responsible for leading and promoting all aspects of equality and diversity throughout the University.All reports and committed actions are listed Equality & DiversityNUI Galway achieved the Athena Swan Bronze Award in April 2018.

The office of the Vice-President for Equality and Diversity are committed to helping all Schools in STEM areas

No action required.

Q4 2020 / VPED and all university units.

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apply for Bronze status department awards and to renewing the University Bronze Status in 2020.

Our aspiration is to achieve Silver status.

Q4 2025 / VPED and all university units.

28 Research career strategy

HR/VPR RCS – Phase 2 Mar. 2016

Completed RDC established.

Gather ‘career stories’ from ex NUI Galway researchers.

Launch Researcher Handbook

Review training needs of researchers

Completed

Q1 2020 – ongoing / RDC

Q1 2020 / RDC

Q3 2021 – ongoing / RDC

29 Mobility experience to be factored into research career strategy.

HR/VPR RCS – OTM-R Phase 2 Mar. 2016

Phase 3 Sept – Dec 2016Phase 4 Jan – Jun 2017(Delayed Jun 2018)

Included in Researcher Handbook.

Review Protocol re work outside the university.

Review employment contracts to exclude barrier to consultancy (conditional on IP and other factors)

Completed

Q1 2021 / VPR/HR

Q3 2020 / HR/VPR

30 Access to career advice to be formally incorporated into the

HR/VPR RCS – Phase 2 Mar. 2016

Phase 3 Sept – Dec 2016Phase 4 Jan – Jun

Completed.

RDC provides induction Ongoing – 18

research career strategy.

2017 (delayed Jun 2018)

training, workshops on Personal Development Planning and career skills training.

Interview preparation – upon request. Consider protocol to ensure timely management / notice.

RDC

Q3 2020 / RDC and CDC

31 Review lab note book policy.

VPR As no 6 As no 6 As no 6(updated) No action required.

32 Consider appointment of a research ombudsman.Update and revise the research Code of Practice.

VPRVPR

Completed.Role replaced with Research Integrity staff member.As in no. 3

As no 3 As no 6 (updated) No action required.

33 Agree an acceptable number of teaching hours for researchers. Should be incorporated into the research career strategy.

VPR/HR/Registrar/College Deans/researchers

Completed Constant review to ensure best practice in place for both researchers and students.

50 hours teaching per annum included in Researcher Competencies.

See Researcher Handbook.

Ensure all schools are aware of teaching limits and to adhere to school teaching policies. Review need for researcher access to formal teaching qualifications by our Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching.

Completed

Q1 2020 / RDC

Q2 2020 / VPR/RDC/ CELT

34 Increase Mediation training. Consider appointment of

HR

VPR

Completed Completed. No further action as HR as contracted mediation services and

Completed

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research ombudsman. the Employee Assistance Programme is accessible to all staff and their families.

Research Integrity officer appointed.

Aspire to achieve the employer KeepWell Mark

Completed

Q4 2022 / HR & University units.

35 No action required No action required No action required.

36 Research career strategy. Clarify roles and responsibilities of supervisors/PIs.

HR/VPR RCS – Mar. 2016 Phase 3 Sept – Dec 2016Phase 4 Jan – Jun 2017(delayed Jun 2018)

Included in Researcher Handbook.

Commence training for PI/Supervisors in supporting PDP of researchers

Q1 2020/RDC

Q4 2019 – ongoing / RDC

37 Research career strategy. Develop competency based job descriptions.

HR/VPR RCS – Mar 2016 Phase 3 Sept – Dec 2016Phase 4 Jan – Jun 2017(delayed Jun 2018)

Competencies approved. Template job descriptions in use.

Review job descriptions

Completed

Q1 2021 / HR&VPR

38 Research career strategy. Incorporate training using a variety of methods including online into RCS.

HR/VPR RCS – Completed Need IT system to track individual progress – Phase 4 Jan – Jun 2017(delayed Jun 2018)

IT tracking system achieved in 2019.

Review of tracking system subject in some cases (R1) to introduction of new student record system.

Completed / ongoing improvement / RDC.

Q4 2024 / ISS & VPR

39 Research career HR/VPR RCS – Completed Completed phase See Researcher Q1 2020 / 20

strategy. Due to varying contract durations it is necessary to tailor the career development plans on an individual case by case basis. Staff will not be prevented from and will be encouraged to participate in training as part of their personal development.

Handbook.Increase engagement by researchers using centre by 200 per annum.

RDCOngoing / RDC

40 No action required. No action required No action required.

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Annex II

Brief synopsis of survey of staff researcher (Jul – Sept 2019)

CASSCS = College of Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic Studies, CBPPL = College of Business, Public Policy and Law, COEI = College of Engineering and Informatics

CMNHS = College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, COS = College of Science.

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