A message from Professor Eric Neumayer, Vice-Chair of Appointments Committee, Chair of Research Staff Committee.
The embedding of the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers at the London School of Economics (LSE) has been an extension of existing research staff support provisions at the School. A Research Staff Working Group (RSWG) was initiated in 2007 to look at support provisions for research staff and to provide a forum for stakeholders to participate in consultations on how this work could be further developed.
In June 2010 the work of the RSWG was handed over to a Research Staff Committee (RSC) which now has formal oversight for this area.
The RSC membership is made up of various stakeholders from the School, including Research Staff, Principal Investigators, Vice-Chair of Appointments Committee (VCAC), Pro-Directors, Heads of Department, Research Centre Directors, Heads of Administrative Divisions (Teaching and Learning Centre, Research Division and the LSE Careers Service) and the University and College Union (UCU). For the full RSC membership see Research Staff Committee membership.
LSE Review of Support Provisions for Research Staff
The RSC is leading in conducting an analysis of LSE support provisions for research staff in the following phases:
Phase 1: Completion of HEI survey: Strategies for implementing the Concordat - COMPLETED April 2010
Phase 2: Identifying LSE progress in implementing the Concordat (Gap Analysis) - COMPLETED September 2010
Phase 3: LSE Action Plan to address areas emerging from the Concordat Gap Analysis COMPLETED 22 October 2010. See the plan here: LSE Concordat Action Plan 2010-2012.
Phase 4: Internal review by December 2012 to assess progress of actions – COMPLETED via RSC 31 October 2012. See LSE Concordat Action Plan Progress Report 2010-2012 .
Phase 5: Renewed set of actions (Section B - 2012-2014) – COMPLETED 12 December 2012. See the updated Action Plan LSE Concordat Action Plan 2012-2014.
Phase 6: 4 year review by Vitae/European Commission – COMPLETED 13 July 2015. See the updated Action Plan LSE Concordat Action Plan 2015-2017
The Action Plan is taken as the RSC's ongoing plan of work.
As part of the RSC's analysis of current support provisions for research staff, the Committee had undertaken a gap analysis (Phase 2 of the project) to determine how closely these provisions aligned with the Principles contained within the Concordat. The Concordat's seven Principles are:
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Recognition of the importance of recruiting, selecting and retaining researchers with the highest potential to achieve excellence in research.
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Researchers are recognised and valued by their employing organisation as an essential part of their organisation's human resources and a key component of their overall strategy to develop and deliver world-class research.
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Researchers are equipped and supported to be adaptable and flexible in an increasingly diverse, mobile, global research environment.
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The importance of researchers' personal and career development, and lifelong learning, is clearly recognised and promoted at all stages of their career.
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Individual researchers share the responsibility for and need to pro-actively engage in their own personal and career development, and lifelong learning.
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Diversity and equality must be promoted in all aspects of the recruitment and career management of researchers
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The sector and all stakeholders will undertake regular and collective review of their progress in strengthening the attractiveness and sustainability of research careers
in the UK.
Results of Gap Analysis
The Gap Analysis was Phase 2 in assessing the LSE's implementation of the Concordat, see Gap Analysis [PDF]. (Please note the Gap Analysis has restricted access). It identified that the support provisions provided across the School for research staff are closely aligned with the Concordat. However, there were some areas where improvements could be made.
Development of Actions to Address Gaps
The results of the Gap Analysis fed into Phase 3 of this project. A two-year Action Plan was developed from the Gap Analysis and identified key areas that required further action from the School in order to ensure that it is supporting research staff during their employment at the LSE. The Action Plan also incorporated themes that have been highlighted through the 2009 Careers in Research Online Survey (CROS) as well as the 2009 LSE Staff Survey.
The RSC has further developed the plan to reflect key achievements and the next steps. See the updated Action Plan LSE Concordat Action Plan 2015-2017.
Reviewing actions
In October 2012, the RSC led an internal two year self-assessment review of progress against the Concordat Action Plan. At its 31 October 2012 meeting, the Committee discussed and approved a revised Action Plan which included a progress monitor displaying developments against its previous actions. See the full report on progress between 2010-2012 Progress Report on Action Plan to address areas emerging from the Gap Analysis [PDF].
Between November 2014 and February 2015, the RSC undertook a four year self-assessment review of progress against the Concordat Action Plan. A progress report for the four year period, accompanied by a revised Concordat Action Plan for 2015-2017 was agreed by the Committee. Full documentation including supporting Annexes is available here:
Those responsible for leading on each area are asked to provide progress updates to the RSC on a regular basis.
I do hope that you will join me in ensuring that good practice is adopted across the School, in line with the Concordat's recommendations.
Professor Eric Neumayer (Vice-Chair of Appointments Committee, Chair of Research Staff Committee)
KEY DOCUMENTS: