Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers
What is it?
The Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers, commonly known as the Researcher Development Concordat, is an agreement between stakeholders to improve the employment and support for researchers and researcher careers in higher education in the UK.
The Concordat sets out three clear principles of environment and culture, employment, and professional and career development. The principles are underpinned by obligations for the four key stakeholder groups, funders, institutions, researchers and managers of researchers, to realise the aims of the Concordat.
What is the University of Portsmouth approach?
We have identified three priority areas to address 2023-2026 that are centred on ‘Research Staff and Research Culture’. Whilst the concordat has a specific target audience of staff typically on fixed term contracts solely focused on delivering research, our aims will support a broader group of staff. These three priorities flow into an action plan which provides a detailed schedule of activities designed to meet the objectives of the Concordat. These objectives also align with the European Commission HR Excellence in Research award which we have held for 10 years.
The group responsible for oversight and delivery of the action plan is the Researcher Development Group, which includes the convenors of the Research Staff Forum, Researchers Network (for early-mid career staff), Associate Professors Forum, and Professors Forum. Also included in this group are representatives from Research and Innovation Services, Human Resources, Graduate School and Careers and Employability.
Where can I find out more?
The University’s current action plan and reporting documentation covering the past 8-10 years is available on these pages. Every year we provide a report to our Governing Body on how we are progressing against the Concordat. Here is the report covering 2021/2022 academic year.
How can I get involved?
If you’d like to join one of our working groups or support the Concordat in any way please contact risdevelopment@port.ac.uk.