Developing a positive research culture enabling researchers to flourish

1
00:00:05.425 –> 00:00:07.935
Thank you, um, so much, uh, Kerry

2
00:00:08.275 –> 00:00:10.535
and to, uh, the Prosper team.

3
00:00:10.635 –> 00:00:14.815
Um, it’s really, uh, lovely to be here today, um, on behalf

4
00:00:14.815 –> 00:00:16.335
of, uh, university.

5
00:00:16.515 –> 00:00:19.415
Um, we’ve been involved with, um, prosper

6
00:00:19.675 –> 00:00:21.735
for a long time now, and we’re delighted to have, uh,

7
00:00:22.175 –> 00:00:23.935
launched our first Prosper, uh, cohort.

8
00:00:24.675 –> 00:00:26.735
Uh, back, uh, back in October.

9
00:00:26.825 –> 00:00:30.615
We’ve got, uh, 20 early career, um, researchers, um, uh,

10
00:00:30.615 –> 00:00:32.215
undertaking the Prosper Cohort.

11
00:00:32.755 –> 00:00:34.775
Um, at Durham, actually, the Chad

12
00:00:34.875 –> 00:00:37.495
and my colleague who has been, is leading Prosper,

13
00:00:37.595 –> 00:00:39.215
and she’s been a phenomenal colleague, um,

14
00:00:39.385 –> 00:00:41.735
since joining Durham and leading, uh, prosper.

15
00:00:41.995 –> 00:00:45.095
Um, and has been a wonderful to be part of it, to see, um,

16
00:00:45.115 –> 00:00:47.015
how prosper, um, thrives.

17
00:00:47.195 –> 00:00:51.055
Um, the Prosper itself is part at Durham is part

18
00:00:51.055 –> 00:00:52.615
of our wider research culture

19
00:00:53.245 –> 00:00:55.335
ecosystem within the university.

20
00:00:55.395 –> 00:00:57.055
And so I, I suppose for myself

21
00:00:57.055 –> 00:00:59.135
that I’m slightly switching hats today.

22
00:00:59.405 –> 00:01:02.255
What I’m not talking particularly about our experience

23
00:01:02.295 –> 00:01:03.735
with Prosper, but, um,

24
00:01:04.235 –> 00:01:08.695
I’m gonna invite a bit more reflection about, um, how, um,

25
00:01:09.645 –> 00:01:12.255
ECRs are enabled within the broader research culture

26
00:01:12.365 –> 00:01:14.135
ecosystem, and also thinking about

27
00:01:14.135 –> 00:01:17.375
how we develop a positive research culture for, um,

28
00:01:17.375 –> 00:01:18.615
early career researchers

29
00:01:18.955 –> 00:01:22.415
and also institutions, um, more broadly.

30
00:01:22.795 –> 00:01:24.655
Um, so that’s what we’re gonna be doing today.

31
00:01:24.655 –> 00:01:26.975
There’s a little bit of interaction, um, today.

32
00:01:27.275 –> 00:01:30.135
Um, we have a mentee, I’m gonna have a mentee poll running,

33
00:01:30.395 –> 00:01:32.535
um, throughout the, the, the session.

34
00:01:32.565 –> 00:01:33.655
There’s, um, four

35
00:01:33.655 –> 00:01:36.775
or five slides, um, that require mentee, uh, responses.

36
00:01:36.775 –> 00:01:39.055
So I’ve posted the link, um, in the chat.

37
00:01:39.235 –> 00:01:40.855
Um, and there’ll also be a QR code

38
00:01:40.855 –> 00:01:43.095
and links, um, as we, um, go through.

39
00:01:43.115 –> 00:01:46.095
But that’s just to, um, prepare you for that.

40
00:01:46.475 –> 00:01:50.935
Um, I just thought it’d be useful really to give you, uh,

41
00:01:51.235 –> 00:01:53.175
uh, my journey into research culture

42
00:01:53.175 –> 00:01:55.495
because, um, research culture is quite a weird thing.

43
00:01:55.565 –> 00:01:57.135
It’s quite an unusual topic,

44
00:01:57.835 –> 00:01:59.775
and it encompasses a lot of things.

45
00:01:59.775 –> 00:02:01.455
We’ll get into definitions later.

46
00:02:01.555 –> 00:02:03.335
Um, but, uh, I think

47
00:02:03.335 –> 00:02:05.735
that when we’re talking about career paths for postdocs,

48
00:02:05.735 –> 00:02:07.095
it’s quite interesting to talk about, well,

49
00:02:07.095 –> 00:02:08.415
how do we end up in the careers ourselves?

50
00:02:08.875 –> 00:02:10.895
Uh, and so I, I, I,

51
00:02:10.895 –> 00:02:13.855
like many have quite an unusual career path into,

52
00:02:13.995 –> 00:02:15.295
um, research culture.

53
00:02:15.355 –> 00:02:17.815
Um, I definitely, when I left, uh, university from St.

54
00:02:17.815 –> 00:02:19.095
Andrews, didn’t think that I was going

55
00:02:19.095 –> 00:02:20.575
to be a research culture specialist.

56
00:02:20.875 –> 00:02:23.535
And indeed, at that point in time, um, it didn’t exist.

57
00:02:23.795 –> 00:02:26.495
Um, I’ve been involved in research environments, um,

58
00:02:26.555 –> 00:02:28.935
for quite a lot of my, um, career though.

59
00:02:29.075 –> 00:02:30.695
So, uh, both at Durham and at St.

60
00:02:30.695 –> 00:02:32.415
Andrews, I’ve been involved research

61
00:02:32.475 –> 00:02:35.295
and really interested around research administration

62
00:02:35.395 –> 00:02:36.455
and research professionals.

63
00:02:36.645 –> 00:02:39.815
I’ve run, I’ve run a number of, um, research centers.

64
00:02:39.885 –> 00:02:41.575
I’ve been administrative for a number

65
00:02:41.575 –> 00:02:43.575
of research centers within the university.

66
00:02:44.035 –> 00:02:46.895
Um, I also worked outside IT for a while, um, in the Church

67
00:02:46.895 –> 00:02:48.615
of England and seeing different cultures

68
00:02:48.615 –> 00:02:51.655
of large organizations and how that evolves as well.

69
00:02:52.035 –> 00:02:54.415
So again, I have slightly wonky career path.

70
00:02:54.525 –> 00:02:57.615
It’s certainly not just within academia, um, itself.

71
00:02:57.875 –> 00:03:01.045
And when I moved into my research culture role in,

72
00:03:01.045 –> 00:03:05.365
in Durham in two, 2002, um, we end up, um, kind of,

73
00:03:05.565 –> 00:03:07.645
I suppose one of the things that gave is the, um,

74
00:03:08.315 –> 00:03:09.525
emergence into kind

75
00:03:09.525 –> 00:03:12.645
of different national priorities as well.

76
00:03:12.745 –> 00:03:15.245
So one of the things that is an armor res, uh,

77
00:03:15.485 –> 00:03:18.725
research culture, uh, champion for, um, the research

78
00:03:18.725 –> 00:03:20.565
and innovation culture special interest group.

79
00:03:20.785 –> 00:03:22.525
And so if any of you’re members of Armor,

80
00:03:22.705 –> 00:03:24.445
that’s the association for research managers

81
00:03:24.445 –> 00:03:26.965
and administrators or your research professional are

82
00:03:26.965 –> 00:03:28.485
interested, then, uh, I’m one

83
00:03:28.485 –> 00:03:30.085
of the seed champions as well for that.

84
00:03:30.155 –> 00:03:32.645
Also across things like the NH group of universities

85
00:03:32.645 –> 00:03:35.125
as well, to developing research culture as well

86
00:03:35.125 –> 00:03:36.645
as other aspects within kind

87
00:03:36.645 –> 00:03:38.645
of the broader uk uh, he environment.

88
00:03:39.425 –> 00:03:43.025
Um, research culture at, at, at Durham sits under

89
00:03:43.025 –> 00:03:44.385
what we call Flourish at Durham,

90
00:03:44.645 –> 00:03:46.185
and this is our institutional, um,

91
00:03:46.465 –> 00:03:47.985
research culture action plan.

92
00:03:48.085 –> 00:03:49.505
Uh, this is led by myself

93
00:03:49.505 –> 00:03:51.385
and Jane McNaughton, who’s our associate provost,

94
00:03:51.385 –> 00:03:53.065
vice Chancellor for research culture.

95
00:03:53.805 –> 00:03:56.945
And under this we have, uh, a number of priorities as well.

96
00:03:57.325 –> 00:03:59.745
Um, one of these is particularly on early career researchers

97
00:03:59.745 –> 00:04:01.785
around their career development

98
00:04:01.885 –> 00:04:05.065
and around, particularly around a focus on precarity

99
00:04:05.205 –> 00:04:06.465
and how to enable that

100
00:04:06.465 –> 00:04:08.385
or how to create mechanisms to solve this.

101
00:04:08.685 –> 00:04:10.185
Uh, I’m also involved in a number

102
00:04:10.185 –> 00:04:12.385
of the early career researcher opportunities within the

103
00:04:12.385 –> 00:04:15.425
institutions, not only being a strategic lead for Prosper,

104
00:04:15.965 –> 00:04:17.265
but also part of, um,

105
00:04:17.365 –> 00:04:19.305
the British Academy early career researcher,

106
00:04:19.605 –> 00:04:20.785
uh, network as well.

107
00:04:21.125 –> 00:04:22.825
And also say that I’m involved in other

108
00:04:22.825 –> 00:04:24.265
initiatives across the university.

109
00:04:24.265 –> 00:04:25.865
So it’s not just early career researchers,

110
00:04:25.865 –> 00:04:28.225
but it’s across all staff within the university.

111
00:04:28.525 –> 00:04:29.945
So I’m one of the lead authors

112
00:04:29.945 –> 00:04:31.745
for the technician commitment action plan

113
00:04:31.745 –> 00:04:33.065
within the university.

114
00:04:33.245 –> 00:04:36.185
And I work across the northeast in the technician, uh,

115
00:04:36.185 –> 00:04:38.185
what’s called the UNI Technician, uh, network.

116
00:04:38.685 –> 00:04:42.265
And I’m also co on, uh, Durham’s welcome reimagining, uh,

117
00:04:42.265 –> 00:04:45.225
governance project, which is a welcome institutional funded

118
00:04:45.245 –> 00:04:49.025
for research culture, um, for, so that’s a little bit

119
00:04:49.285 –> 00:04:51.705
of introduction about me, um,

120
00:04:51.885 –> 00:04:54.105
and about the broader ecosystem that we have.

121
00:04:54.185 –> 00:04:55.585
A, a Durham, um,

122
00:04:55.885 –> 00:04:58.265
and research culture within Durham is very complex.

123
00:04:58.485 –> 00:05:00.945
Um, it involves a huge number of people,

124
00:05:01.165 –> 00:05:02.625
and one of the things that we want

125
00:05:02.625 –> 00:05:04.105
to do is enable colleagues to thrive

126
00:05:04.165 –> 00:05:07.785
and to flourish, hence why, uh, uh, we talk about, um,

127
00:05:07.785 –> 00:05:09.105
project Durham and all of that.

128
00:05:10.845 –> 00:05:14.465
So just a bit of background of what I hope for everyone here

129
00:05:14.465 –> 00:05:16.905
to get out of, um, this session in particular.

130
00:05:17.565 –> 00:05:20.065
Um, I hope you’re able to reflect on, um,

131
00:05:20.335 –> 00:05:22.985
your own research culture practices, norms, and values.

132
00:05:23.645 –> 00:05:25.985
Uh, I hope that you’re able to explore, um,

133
00:05:26.285 –> 00:05:29.185
how your organizational culture tore relates

134
00:05:29.185 –> 00:05:31.825
to research culture developments in local units,

135
00:05:31.905 –> 00:05:35.145
particularly for ECRs as well, for those of you

136
00:05:35.145 –> 00:05:37.225
that work alongside early career researchers.

137
00:05:37.685 –> 00:05:40.145
And I also want us to reflect a little bit on about

138
00:05:40.145 –> 00:05:42.065
how we take a positive step to enable

139
00:05:42.165 –> 00:05:44.545
and develop any better, um, positive culture.

140
00:05:45.485 –> 00:05:47.665
Um, this is quite introductory next today.

141
00:05:47.665 –> 00:05:49.465
It’s also quite, uh, reflective

142
00:05:49.585 –> 00:05:52.985
’cause I’m also quite interested about, um, how other, uh,

143
00:05:52.985 –> 00:05:54.585
colleagues think about research culture

144
00:05:55.005 –> 00:05:56.185
and perceive it as well.

145
00:05:57.905 –> 00:06:02.715
So when we talk about, um, research culture broadly, uh,

146
00:06:02.735 –> 00:06:05.315
we generally take, um, uh, the definition

147
00:06:05.315 –> 00:06:07.755
that the rural society, um, created.

148
00:06:08.095 –> 00:06:11.075
And that is the, um, research culture encompasses the

149
00:06:11.235 –> 00:06:13.275
behaviors, values, expectations, attitudes

150
00:06:13.275 –> 00:06:15.715
and norms of their research communities.

151
00:06:16.135 –> 00:06:18.275
It influences researchers career paths

152
00:06:18.495 –> 00:06:21.355
and determines the way that research is conducted

153
00:06:21.575 –> 00:06:22.835
and communicated.

154
00:06:23.735 –> 00:06:25.555
One of the interesting things with the research culture is

155
00:06:25.555 –> 00:06:28.195
that we have quite a clear definition of what we mean

156
00:06:28.195 –> 00:06:30.595
by this, but because we’ve got a quite a clear definition,

157
00:06:30.595 –> 00:06:31.995
what you’ll see is that within the definit

158
00:06:32.685 –> 00:06:35.075
definition itself, it’s quite vague

159
00:06:35.575 –> 00:06:37.995
and it covers absolutely everything within our

160
00:06:38.195 –> 00:06:39.475
research ecosystem.

161
00:06:39.935 –> 00:06:43.515
And therefore, one of the challenges that, um, uh,

162
00:06:43.635 –> 00:06:44.715
I think institutions have

163
00:06:44.715 –> 00:06:47.595
and indeed beyond that is actually how do we take actions

164
00:06:47.595 –> 00:06:51.555
that enable change within our research environments?

165
00:06:51.935 –> 00:06:55.035
And how do we know if we’ve made, uh, any difference?

166
00:06:55.455 –> 00:06:58.395
Um, there’s a particular reflection at the moment on the,

167
00:06:58.615 –> 00:07:01.275
on evaluation of research culture priorities.

168
00:07:01.475 –> 00:07:03.515
I think one of the challenges that we come up against is

169
00:07:03.515 –> 00:07:05.715
that colleagues talk to us a lot about, well,

170
00:07:05.775 –> 00:07:07.595
how do we measure whether we’ve made progress?

171
00:07:07.665 –> 00:07:09.955
Perhaps we’ve not really thinking about what progress

172
00:07:09.955 –> 00:07:11.835
or what interventions they want to make,

173
00:07:12.495 –> 00:07:13.835
um, in the first place.

174
00:07:14.535 –> 00:07:17.235
So again, I think this, a lot of this is about

175
00:07:17.495 –> 00:07:19.755
how we reflect on what we want our research culture be,

176
00:07:19.815 –> 00:07:22.075
and also where it’s driven from and by.

177
00:07:22.095 –> 00:07:23.315
And so hopefully that’s what,

178
00:07:23.735 –> 00:07:24.915
um, will come out a little bit.

179
00:07:24.975 –> 00:07:28.985
Um, today, why does research

180
00:07:29.335 –> 00:07:30.825
culture matter?

181
00:07:31.855 –> 00:07:35.555
Um, research culture is a relatively new term within the

182
00:07:35.555 –> 00:07:36.755
higher education environment.

183
00:07:37.055 –> 00:07:40.635
Um, it’s probably as kind of, um, has come to the fore,

184
00:07:40.635 –> 00:07:42.955
particularly within the last five to six years.

185
00:07:43.415 –> 00:07:45.435
But it’s by no means been, um, something

186
00:07:45.435 –> 00:07:47.955
that we haven’t focused on for a long period of time.

187
00:07:48.655 –> 00:07:51.475
But there are multiple different reasons about why research

188
00:07:51.475 –> 00:07:53.475
culture, uh, matters.

189
00:07:54.575 –> 00:07:57.075
And it matters to us both as individuals,

190
00:07:57.075 –> 00:07:59.275
but also as, um, institutions.

191
00:07:59.735 –> 00:08:02.955
So what we hope is that with a healthy research culture

192
00:08:03.935 –> 00:08:07.395
and attentiveness that enables a research ecosystem

193
00:08:07.395 –> 00:08:11.195
where people can thrive and undertake their best work.

194
00:08:11.895 –> 00:08:15.035
We hope that an enabling culture supports the creation

195
00:08:15.035 –> 00:08:18.315
of research outputs through the improvement of systems

196
00:08:18.375 –> 00:08:20.795
and processes that support research.

197
00:08:21.535 –> 00:08:24.115
We are very outputs and outcomes focused as a sector.

198
00:08:24.455 –> 00:08:26.195
And one of the challenges there is that our systems

199
00:08:26.255 –> 00:08:28.475
and processes are usually playing catch up

200
00:08:28.735 –> 00:08:30.435
to the outputs themselves.

201
00:08:31.505 –> 00:08:34.835
Attentiveness to research culture cultivates an environment

202
00:08:34.835 –> 00:08:37.395
of respect and care in our research communities

203
00:08:37.425 –> 00:08:40.515
with opportunities to develop fruitful careers.

204
00:08:41.045 –> 00:08:42.955
Colleagues within our research culture,

205
00:08:43.495 –> 00:08:45.875
within our research e ecosystem really care

206
00:08:45.875 –> 00:08:48.585
and value about the work that they do.

207
00:08:48.925 –> 00:08:51.545
And there it’s complex about how people interact

208
00:08:51.895 –> 00:08:54.865
with each other and also within the pressurized environment

209
00:08:54.925 –> 00:08:58.805
with, with which, um, he and beyond, uh, has.

210
00:08:59.065 –> 00:09:01.325
And so one of the things that we aim to do is create,

211
00:09:01.495 –> 00:09:03.045
we’ll just think about what does respect

212
00:09:03.045 –> 00:09:04.205
and care looks like?

213
00:09:04.425 –> 00:09:08.005
Do our policies enable the practices that we, uh, live out

214
00:09:09.365 –> 00:09:12.485
research culture actions, if you have plans for them, seeks

215
00:09:12.485 –> 00:09:14.645
to identify problems and challenges in our research

216
00:09:14.645 –> 00:09:16.485
environment and create mechanisms

217
00:09:16.485 –> 00:09:19.125
and solutions, um, to solve them.

218
00:09:19.445 –> 00:09:22.405
A lot of the time that we spend a lot of, a lot of our, um,

219
00:09:22.505 –> 00:09:24.485
energy talking about challenges in such culture,

220
00:09:24.525 –> 00:09:28.815
particularly when we get to these unsolved problems,

221
00:09:28.815 –> 00:09:31.125
if you like, with, uh, ecosystems.

222
00:09:31.185 –> 00:09:32.645
And a lot of the time, um,

223
00:09:32.825 –> 00:09:36.965
the challenges within research culture are placed upon, uh,

224
00:09:37.025 –> 00:09:40.725
the actions of the very people that, um,

225
00:09:40.785 –> 00:09:41.805
the culture affects.

226
00:09:42.425 –> 00:09:45.565
So if we talk about early career researchers, one

227
00:09:45.565 –> 00:09:46.845
of the things that happens is generally

228
00:09:46.845 –> 00:09:50.245
that we set up early career networks, in which point,

229
00:09:50.425 –> 00:09:53.165
the early career researchers are then responsible for the,

230
00:09:53.305 –> 00:09:56.005
for the environment by which that they are forced into.

231
00:09:56.265 –> 00:09:58.525
And that’s a real challenge within our complex, uh,

232
00:09:58.525 –> 00:09:59.765
university systems

233
00:09:59.865 –> 00:10:03.405
and processes about what agency, uh, do they have.

234
00:10:03.585 –> 00:10:05.325
And I’ll come back to that a little bit later on.

235
00:10:06.565 –> 00:10:09.285
A positive culture reduces silos across the organizations.

236
00:10:09.665 –> 00:10:13.135
So there’s a more joined approach to researcher support,

237
00:10:13.135 –> 00:10:14.255
development, and engagement.

238
00:10:14.555 –> 00:10:17.655
So what we want to do here is reduces cross institutions.

239
00:10:18.735 –> 00:10:20.535
Probably a number of us on the call here, work

240
00:10:20.555 –> 00:10:23.175
for large institutions, which are very,

241
00:10:23.175 –> 00:10:24.735
very complex entities.

242
00:10:25.355 –> 00:10:27.895
And one of the challenges there is that we’re very siloed.

243
00:10:28.155 –> 00:10:29.815
And what might seem a novel system

244
00:10:29.835 –> 00:10:32.175
or process within the particular domain

245
00:10:32.175 –> 00:10:36.055
that we work in is quite, is, uh, is business as usual

246
00:10:36.195 –> 00:10:37.695
for another directorate, for example.

247
00:10:38.115 –> 00:10:41.015
And so a good culture strategy joins up these different

248
00:10:41.015 –> 00:10:42.775
projects, make sure people are informed

249
00:10:42.775 –> 00:10:45.935
and understand it’s very relational at points as well.

250
00:10:47.195 –> 00:10:50.375
And beyond this is that the UK is home to, um,

251
00:10:50.615 –> 00:10:51.855
a diverse research community

252
00:10:52.115 –> 00:10:54.575
and enabling structures will build communities so

253
00:10:54.575 –> 00:10:58.015
that researchers could flourish and realize their potential.

254
00:10:58.475 –> 00:11:01.055
So hopefully that some of the dynamics that will resonate

255
00:11:01.055 –> 00:11:04.975
that way, research culture, um, matters to us.

256
00:11:05.995 –> 00:11:07.295
But whilst it’s all,

257
00:11:07.315 –> 00:11:11.095
and just to say that there’s also with this is the emergence

258
00:11:11.095 –> 00:11:13.935
of research, research culture as well.

259
00:11:14.235 –> 00:11:16.855
And what I’ve tried to also illustrate here is some

260
00:11:16.855 –> 00:11:19.375
of the kind of key drivers and enablers to this.

261
00:11:19.395 –> 00:11:20.615
And they’re quite wide ranging,

262
00:11:20.715 –> 00:11:23.135
but mainly they stem from major reports

263
00:11:23.135 –> 00:11:26.575
that have been done in the sector, particularly around 2020.

264
00:11:26.955 –> 00:11:29.295
But also, um, beyond that as, as well.

265
00:11:29.635 –> 00:11:30.935
Um, the real driver of this,

266
00:11:31.015 –> 00:11:32.895
I think particularly in England, has been, uh,

267
00:11:33.095 –> 00:11:35.655
research England’s enhancing research culture funding,

268
00:11:35.915 –> 00:11:37.695
but that was led from the, what’s called the r

269
00:11:37.695 –> 00:11:39.055
and d people and culture strategy.

270
00:11:39.465 –> 00:11:41.375
There are multiplicity of different things

271
00:11:41.375 –> 00:11:42.735
that drive research culture,

272
00:11:42.955 –> 00:11:46.215
but it is, um, also government that really drives, um,

273
00:11:46.405 –> 00:11:49.215
this in terms of support for funding mechanisms as well.

274
00:11:49.475 –> 00:11:52.695
And also, um, awareness as well from major reports

275
00:11:52.695 –> 00:11:54.365
that we’ve had, particularly from Welcome

276
00:11:54.385 –> 00:11:57.685
and The Rural Society about, um, some of the conditions

277
00:11:57.745 –> 00:12:00.365
by which researchers and research professionals work

278
00:12:00.365 –> 00:12:01.605
in as well.

279
00:12:03.515 –> 00:12:06.215
So, um, I’ve obviously kind

280
00:12:06.215 –> 00:12:09.295
of outlined there a little bit about, um, research culture

281
00:12:09.675 –> 00:12:12.615
and about what I think makes a healthy research culture,

282
00:12:13.355 –> 00:12:16.105
but I’d also like to hear from you.

283
00:12:16.565 –> 00:12:18.945
And so, um, as you’ll see on the poll that, uh,

284
00:12:19.135 –> 00:12:21.185
I’ve put a menti poll, uh, on the screen.

285
00:12:21.685 –> 00:12:24.745
And in a couple of words, I’d like you to describe

286
00:12:25.055 –> 00:12:28.865
what you think your current, um, research culture is, uh,

287
00:12:28.865 –> 00:12:32.185
your organization, uh, that you work at.

288
00:12:32.525 –> 00:12:34.985
Uh, try and use a single word or or phrase,

289
00:12:35.045 –> 00:12:37.825
and hopefully that should, um, build up,

290
00:12:37.825 –> 00:12:39.065
uh, on the screen as well.

291
00:13:42.145 –> 00:13:44.535
Great. Thanks everyone for contributing.

292
00:13:44.535 –> 00:13:46.015
I’ll give you a couple more seconds

293
00:13:46.115 –> 00:13:48.215
to just add anything if you want to add multiple responses

294
00:13:48.215 –> 00:13:49.375
as well, that’s fine.

295
00:13:50.115 –> 00:13:52.305
Um, um,

296
00:13:55.035 –> 00:13:59.695
the descriptions of culture, um, is interesting

297
00:13:59.695 –> 00:14:03.255
because we do, um, different, uh, a number of, uh,

298
00:14:03.325 –> 00:14:05.695
different work crowds have been produced around

299
00:14:06.125 –> 00:14:07.735
what colleagues think about the current

300
00:14:07.735 –> 00:14:08.935
culture and what exists.

301
00:14:09.555 –> 00:14:14.095
And, um, uh, we’ve had some particularly large, uh,

302
00:14:14.615 –> 00:14:16.855
responses done in some of, uh, the surveys.

303
00:14:16.995 –> 00:14:20.015
Um, it’s interesting that all of them produce, um, quite,

304
00:14:20.235 –> 00:14:22.295
um, different responses as well.

305
00:14:22.795 –> 00:14:26.575
So in this one, um, we seem to have, um, a variety

306
00:14:26.575 –> 00:14:29.495
of different responses coming out of the group here, one

307
00:14:29.495 –> 00:14:32.455
of which is, um, collaborative, uh, complex

308
00:14:32.595 –> 00:14:35.575
and mixed seem to be the, the, the emerging,

309
00:14:36.235 –> 00:14:37.775
um, ones as well.

310
00:14:38.235 –> 00:14:42.495
And, um, it’s interesting about around the, the edges

311
00:14:42.495 –> 00:14:44.535
that are the, the ones around the edges are normally

312
00:14:44.535 –> 00:14:45.775
what I find very interesting in terms of

313
00:14:45.775 –> 00:14:48.775
how people articulate what their research culture is, um,

314
00:14:48.885 –> 00:14:52.725
potentially positive is a, a interesting one about how

315
00:14:52.825 –> 00:14:56.605
how we might frame that fragile, I think is, is also really,

316
00:14:56.605 –> 00:14:59.605
really, um, really interesting about

317
00:14:59.605 –> 00:15:00.965
how someone we frame that.

318
00:15:01.505 –> 00:15:05.485
Um, I think one of the interesting things is that a lot

319
00:15:05.485 –> 00:15:06.965
of the time with, particularly now

320
00:15:06.965 –> 00:15:10.125
with countries within the HE sector that

321
00:15:10.825 –> 00:15:12.045
we might think in the last year

322
00:15:12.045 –> 00:15:14.945
or so, that our research culture’s become much more fragile

323
00:15:15.245 –> 00:15:17.665
in how, um, how it enables things to happen,

324
00:15:17.925 –> 00:15:20.785
but also that it’s interacting with that quite com uh,

325
00:15:20.895 –> 00:15:24.225
complex, um, landscape, um, as well.

326
00:15:25.095 –> 00:15:27.225
It’s good to see though that again, amongst kind of some

327
00:15:27.225 –> 00:15:30.105
of the, um, some of the challenging ones.

328
00:15:30.105 –> 00:15:33.105
We also have pockets of good, um, practice as well.

329
00:15:33.485 –> 00:15:35.265
And that there, there might be,

330
00:15:35.265 –> 00:15:38.465
and the, um, points it might be supportive as well.

331
00:15:38.685 –> 00:15:40.905
So even within, um, the here that we can see

332
00:15:40.905 –> 00:15:42.705
that we’ve got different understanding of

333
00:15:42.705 –> 00:15:46.815
what our research culture, um, might be.

334
00:15:47.685 –> 00:15:50.615
Okay, well that was a bit of a temperature take about

335
00:15:51.075 –> 00:15:53.575
how we think our current research culture might be.

336
00:15:54.155 –> 00:15:56.935
One of the things is that, um, within the universities

337
00:15:56.935 –> 00:15:59.495
that you work in, maybe think about, um, what

338
00:15:59.495 –> 00:16:02.535
that looks like in practice at your institution, if you work

339
00:16:02.535 –> 00:16:03.575
with teams

340
00:16:03.675 –> 00:16:06.455
or with colleagues that work in the research environment.

341
00:16:06.765 –> 00:16:10.695
What does research culture look like at your, um, your, uh,

342
00:16:10.695 –> 00:16:12.255
institutional unit that you work in?

343
00:16:14.825 –> 00:16:19.765
Great, right. I’m gonna move on to the next slide.

344
00:16:20.745 –> 00:16:25.105
So we’ve seen about how we’ve, we’ve described, um,

345
00:16:25.105 –> 00:16:28.625
the current culture and of course one of the responses

346
00:16:28.625 –> 00:16:31.905
of course when we have, um, uh, something

347
00:16:31.905 –> 00:16:33.785
with such a clear definition of culture

348
00:16:34.325 –> 00:16:36.945
and a broad understanding of it is

349
00:16:36.945 –> 00:16:39.425
that institutions generally run straight

350
00:16:39.565 –> 00:16:43.465
for developing action plans around, um, research culture,

351
00:16:43.885 –> 00:16:44.985
um, developments.

352
00:16:45.165 –> 00:16:47.985
And within the research culture landscape as well,

353
00:16:47.985 –> 00:16:50.065
this is also something that’s happened.

354
00:16:50.405 –> 00:16:52.025
So, uh, the vast majority

355
00:16:52.045 –> 00:16:55.705
of universities now have a research culture action plan

356
00:16:55.735 –> 00:16:58.105
with various, various metrics, measures,

357
00:16:58.105 –> 00:17:02.305
and evaluations, um, linked to this, um, I’m not gonna go

358
00:17:02.305 –> 00:17:05.025
through the various, um, action plans that are listed here,

359
00:17:05.405 –> 00:17:09.745
but if you are on a, on a journey kind of,

360
00:17:09.745 –> 00:17:11.105
and you’re new to research culture

361
00:17:11.285 –> 00:17:14.145
or your institution doesn’t have a research culture, um,

362
00:17:14.655 –> 00:17:17.585
plan, there’s also now a really big wealth

363
00:17:17.645 –> 00:17:19.265
of information out there

364
00:17:19.365 –> 00:17:24.265
and available to us in what might, in where, where to head,

365
00:17:24.335 –> 00:17:28.265
what direction to set and how to, um, and where to go.

366
00:17:28.565 –> 00:17:30.985
And what’s interesting is that a lot

367
00:17:30.985 –> 00:17:33.225
of these action plans are very similar in some

368
00:17:33.225 –> 00:17:34.865
of their outlooks, but a lot

369
00:17:34.865 –> 00:17:36.465
of them have a very different shape

370
00:17:36.465 –> 00:17:39.865
or structure to how their research culture is structured,

371
00:17:39.885 –> 00:17:43.945
and particularly who enables, um, research culture, um,

372
00:17:43.945 –> 00:17:45.505
developments to happen.

373
00:17:45.885 –> 00:17:47.585
So I would encourage you also to go

374
00:17:47.585 –> 00:17:50.725
and reflect on some of these, um, different initiatives,

375
00:17:50.755 –> 00:17:52.045
actions out there.

376
00:17:52.305 –> 00:17:55.485
Um, I’ve put institutional ones, uh, examples here,

377
00:17:55.485 –> 00:17:58.965
but of course it does go beyond, um, institutions as well.

378
00:18:00.945 –> 00:18:02.245
One of the things that I’d like

379
00:18:02.345 –> 00:18:06.325
to do also in our research development is ask about your

380
00:18:07.275 –> 00:18:11.645
awareness of research culture, um, development as well

381
00:18:12.545 –> 00:18:15.045
to see, um, what awareness we have out there

382
00:18:15.045 –> 00:18:17.285
of the research culture landscape, um,

383
00:18:17.285 –> 00:18:20.445
particularly within the organization, uh, that you work in.

384
00:18:20.985 –> 00:18:24.245
So the, um, the next question that I’m gonna, um,

385
00:18:24.705 –> 00:18:28.565
ask everyone here is, um, about research culture

386
00:18:29.185 –> 00:18:31.045
in your organization.

387
00:18:31.785 –> 00:18:33.525
Uh, this is sometimes what myself

388
00:18:33.525 –> 00:18:35.925
and one of my colleagues calls are research culture bingo.

389
00:18:36.505 –> 00:18:39.285
Um, and, uh, there are four po points

390
00:18:39.305 –> 00:18:40.605
to this that I’d like you to ask.

391
00:18:40.665 –> 00:18:42.525
Uh, one is, uh, I know

392
00:18:42.585 –> 00:18:45.005
how my institution defines research culture.

393
00:18:45.505 –> 00:18:47.885
Um, I have read my institution’s research culture,

394
00:18:47.945 –> 00:18:49.925
action strategy or action plan.

395
00:18:50.185 –> 00:18:52.645
Uh, I can name a research culture related policy initiative

396
00:18:52.645 –> 00:18:55.645
of my institution on, I have suggested improvements

397
00:18:55.705 –> 00:18:58.125
to research culture at my institution.

398
00:18:58.865 –> 00:19:03.685
So if you could, um, uh, tick which ones apply, um,

399
00:19:04.145 –> 00:19:06.485
to you and submit that,

400
00:19:06.785 –> 00:19:11.135
and we’ll interesting out of the group here, um, about how

401
00:19:11.135 –> 00:19:12.895
that, um, turns out.

402
00:19:52.485 –> 00:19:56.985
Give everyone another couple of minutes to, um, to respond

403
00:19:56.985 –> 00:19:58.625
to this, and then we’ll see, uh, see

404
00:19:58.625 –> 00:19:59.905
what we have as the result.

405
00:20:28.825 –> 00:20:33.555
Okay? So we have, uh, some that say that, um, that they know

406
00:20:33.615 –> 00:20:35.715
how to have institution defined research culture.

407
00:20:36.175 –> 00:20:39.755
Um, if, uh, one more of you says that, um, you know, that,

408
00:20:39.935 –> 00:20:42.715
um, you’ve read your institutions research culture strategy

409
00:20:42.735 –> 00:20:44.635
or action plan, uh, more of you think

410
00:20:44.635 –> 00:20:47.765
that you have a research culture related policy, uh,

411
00:20:47.865 –> 00:20:51.325
or initiative, uh, at your, um, institution.

412
00:20:52.185 –> 00:20:55.045
And, uh, let’s say you say that you’ve suggested improvement

413
00:20:55.045 –> 00:20:57.485
to research culture, um, at the institution.

414
00:20:58.855 –> 00:21:03.635
One of the reasons that I asked this question is around

415
00:21:05.215 –> 00:21:06.835
how and whether, um,

416
00:21:07.895 –> 00:21:10.995
you have your institution has a strategic priority in

417
00:21:11.515 –> 00:21:13.755
research culture, um, when

418
00:21:14.015 –> 00:21:16.235
and what that actually, um, looks like.

419
00:21:16.465 –> 00:21:19.955
Because a number of the times, what we hope is that, um,

420
00:21:20.185 –> 00:21:23.915
institutional strategy of research culture then means

421
00:21:23.995 –> 00:21:27.515
that someone, uh, reads the particular plan that’s there.

422
00:21:27.895 –> 00:21:30.715
And because of that, that leads from different initiatives

423
00:21:30.815 –> 00:21:32.275
and actions that are undertaken.

424
00:21:32.575 –> 00:21:36.835
And what that also leads to is that people are enabled to,

425
00:21:37.015 –> 00:21:39.235
um, uh, have agency in order

426
00:21:39.235 –> 00:21:42.995
to improve research culture within their institution.

427
00:21:43.495 –> 00:21:46.235
And a lot of the time, however, what we know is that, um,

428
00:21:47.395 –> 00:21:49.265
these research culture related policies

429
00:21:49.525 –> 00:21:50.825
and activities are there

430
00:21:51.045 –> 00:21:54.425
and there is a flurry act of activity within the,

431
00:21:54.525 –> 00:21:57.665
within the broad research culture space.

432
00:21:58.285 –> 00:22:01.185
And a lot of the time what we find is it’s quite undirected

433
00:22:01.765 –> 00:22:03.585
in terms of, um,

434
00:22:04.045 –> 00:22:07.185
of institutional strategy more broadly as well.

435
00:22:07.965 –> 00:22:10.025
And this is where we go back to the idea of whether

436
00:22:10.585 –> 00:22:12.425
research culture has a joined up approach,

437
00:22:12.895 –> 00:22:16.105
because we might have, um, research culture policies

438
00:22:16.105 –> 00:22:19.425
or activities or initiatives underway within an institution,

439
00:22:20.405 –> 00:22:23.065
but if they’re not joined up to action plans

440
00:22:23.085 –> 00:22:26.905
or indeed to, uh, a broader, uh, oversight, if you like,

441
00:22:26.905 –> 00:22:28.665
of research culture, uh, developments,

442
00:22:29.095 –> 00:22:33.105
then the challenge there is around long-term impacts of how,

443
00:22:33.485 –> 00:22:35.105
how these programs, how these initiatives,

444
00:22:35.105 –> 00:22:38.705
how these policies are then enabled are in practice.

445
00:22:39.045 –> 00:22:41.785
And even in this kind of little snap snapshot here,

446
00:22:42.405 –> 00:22:44.385
one would hope, I think if you’re an institutional leader

447
00:22:44.415 –> 00:22:48.495
that, um, on the left you had, um, a good understanding

448
00:22:48.515 –> 00:22:50.215
for your staff for defining research culture

449
00:22:50.215 –> 00:22:52.895
and that kind of, and that influence everything across,

450
00:22:53.035 –> 00:22:54.335
um, the board.

451
00:22:54.915 –> 00:22:57.095
And this is why research culture is quite a complex

452
00:22:57.095 –> 00:23:01.295
landscape because there’s a lot of activity going on, uh,

453
00:23:01.315 –> 00:23:03.815
and a lot of it good as well towards different,

454
00:23:04.115 –> 00:23:05.535
um, communities.

455
00:23:05.995 –> 00:23:08.735
Um, the challenges is around what is the strategy

456
00:23:08.795 –> 00:23:09.975
and impetus behind it,

457
00:23:10.155 –> 00:23:13.655
and why do we do, um, these different aspects?

458
00:23:14.425 –> 00:23:16.575
We’ll come onto this, um, a little bit further.

459
00:23:19.485 –> 00:23:23.525
I wanna focus a little bit now on, um, research culture

460
00:23:23.905 –> 00:23:27.005
and early career, um, researchers,

461
00:23:27.505 –> 00:23:29.005
um, for this bit.

462
00:23:29.185 –> 00:23:31.845
Um, I want very much to concentrate, uh,

463
00:23:32.145 –> 00:23:35.765
on early career researchers, kind of broadly defined as the,

464
00:23:36.145 –> 00:23:38.685
the, the cu the kind of the group of researchers

465
00:23:38.685 –> 00:23:39.925
that is post PhD.

466
00:23:40.905 –> 00:23:43.845
Um, the, the reason, the reason why is

467
00:23:43.845 –> 00:23:47.165
because, um, there are definite research culture

468
00:23:47.225 –> 00:23:51.165
and community challenges for PhD researchers,

469
00:23:51.705 –> 00:23:56.605
but they are, they are subtly different to the ones, uh,

470
00:23:56.785 –> 00:23:58.845
for, um, postdoctoral researchers

471
00:23:59.025 –> 00:24:03.125
or colleagues within, um, that the early career, um, stage

472
00:24:03.125 –> 00:24:05.645
of their research journey, um, post PhD,

473
00:24:05.645 –> 00:24:07.845
particularly when they’re on kind of the first

474
00:24:07.905 –> 00:24:10.205
or second job, um, post PhD.

475
00:24:11.305 –> 00:24:16.025
And so, um, I want to focus a little bit now on, uh, the,

476
00:24:16.025 –> 00:24:18.625
some of the challenges and issues that, um, affects them.

477
00:24:18.675 –> 00:24:20.465
These may resonate as well with,

478
00:24:20.495 –> 00:24:22.665
with aspects within your own institution,

479
00:24:22.845 –> 00:24:26.785
but, um, these are more broadly about, um, sectoral, um,

480
00:24:26.885 –> 00:24:28.665
little, um, aspects.

481
00:24:29.165 –> 00:24:32.945
Um, I’m gonna again ask you this time ro to start though

482
00:24:33.165 –> 00:24:35.825
and ask you about a reflection about, um,

483
00:24:36.245 –> 00:24:40.105
I’m gonna ask you about what you think, um, are the biggest

484
00:24:40.625 –> 00:24:43.225
challenges facing early career researchers.

485
00:24:43.225 –> 00:24:45.345
And I’m particularly interested getting in that post-op,

486
00:24:45.415 –> 00:24:47.625
post PhD well, so particularly the community

487
00:24:47.625 –> 00:24:50.545
that prosper is, um, aim aimed at as well.

488
00:24:50.545 –> 00:24:52.985
But again, if you have career development fellows

489
00:24:53.085 –> 00:24:55.945
or, um, early career researchers beyond, um, post-doc

490
00:24:55.945 –> 00:24:59.245
as well, uh, I’m interested in that.

491
00:24:59.585 –> 00:25:02.245
So yeah, if you could write, um, a statement about

492
00:25:02.435 –> 00:25:05.245
what you think of are the main changes facing early career,

493
00:25:05.625 –> 00:25:08.445
um, researchers, um, that would be really useful,

494
00:25:36.665 –> 00:25:37.015
right?

495
00:26:02.115 –> 00:26:04.255
So we have some very similar themes, um,

496
00:26:04.695 –> 00:26:07.495
emerging all within, uh, even within, uh,

497
00:26:07.635 –> 00:26:08.935
the group that we have here today.

498
00:26:09.275 –> 00:26:11.615
Um, the first five responses, um,

499
00:26:12.115 –> 00:26:15.135
are all on a very similar first six responses actually are

500
00:26:15.135 –> 00:26:17.255
all on a very similar thing around, um,

501
00:26:17.725 –> 00:26:22.455
precarity job insecurity, um, securing, um, a permanent, uh,

502
00:26:22.895 –> 00:26:25.095
contract and indeed around the precarity.

503
00:26:25.555 –> 00:26:29.295
Uh, and yes, the challenging finding a lot long-term, um,

504
00:26:29.665 –> 00:26:34.095
roles and their unclear career, uh, paths as well.

505
00:26:34.235 –> 00:26:38.695
Um, uh, again, uh, I think one of the reasons that at Durham

506
00:26:39.275 –> 00:26:43.525
we, um, we really like the prosper model is

507
00:26:43.525 –> 00:26:47.695
that we think about how, um, we want

508
00:26:47.695 –> 00:26:49.815
to encourage our postdocs to think about how they consider,

509
00:26:50.435 –> 00:26:53.135
um, their career path and journey.

510
00:26:53.595 –> 00:26:56.375
But this is also based in a, a broader structural, um,

511
00:26:56.895 –> 00:27:00.935
strategy within the university about thinking about what,

512
00:27:01.045 –> 00:27:04.055
what is our offer to our early career researchers

513
00:27:04.435 –> 00:27:08.015
and about how do we plan them for having a,

514
00:27:08.235 –> 00:27:09.495
um, career path as well.

515
00:27:10.645 –> 00:27:14.795
Um, and so some of the challenges that people have put here

516
00:27:14.795 –> 00:27:19.595
around the, um, unclear, um, career path around, um,

517
00:27:21.115 –> 00:27:23.735
um, around, uh, the lack

518
00:27:23.735 –> 00:27:26.295
of information about career pathways beyond academia

519
00:27:26.395 –> 00:27:29.375
as well, the precarious job market, all of these kind

520
00:27:29.375 –> 00:27:32.515
of feature heavily in, um, in,

521
00:27:32.575 –> 00:27:34.035
in the early career researcher stage,

522
00:27:34.035 –> 00:27:36.955
but also, uh, for universities.

523
00:27:36.955 –> 00:27:38.115
This is also really useful

524
00:27:38.115 –> 00:27:42.025
because we are also the agents for change, if you like,

525
00:27:42.025 –> 00:27:45.905
about, about how we action some of these challenges as well.

526
00:27:45.925 –> 00:27:46.985
And then about whose roles

527
00:27:47.045 –> 00:27:50.585
and responsibilities can actually impact these aspects.

528
00:27:51.125 –> 00:27:53.425
So you’ve highlighted the group here has highlighted really

529
00:27:53.425 –> 00:27:55.705
well a number of the main challenges.

530
00:27:56.565 –> 00:27:58.665
Um, and, um,

531
00:27:59.455 –> 00:28:01.745
hopefully this is gonna draw out some of your reflections.

532
00:28:01.845 –> 00:28:03.745
Um, one of the challenges that we find is

533
00:28:03.745 –> 00:28:06.945
that there’s an assumed linear career path from PhD

534
00:28:07.205 –> 00:28:09.505
to postdoc to, um, professor.

535
00:28:10.085 –> 00:28:12.425
And some of the solutions that proposed

536
00:28:12.425 –> 00:28:13.785
to this are quite interesting.

537
00:28:13.785 –> 00:28:17.545
So one of the things about considering of, um, uh, a career,

538
00:28:17.945 –> 00:28:21.105
a career path within academia is that we need to mentor, um,

539
00:28:21.455 –> 00:28:24.225
more early a career researchers that somehow, um,

540
00:28:24.325 –> 00:28:26.225
enable their career path to be, uh,

541
00:28:26.295 –> 00:28:28.905
more sustainable apart from generally the colleagues

542
00:28:28.905 –> 00:28:30.985
that are mentoring them are also in

543
00:28:30.985 –> 00:28:32.025
the academic career path.

544
00:28:32.765 –> 00:28:34.745
And because of the way the academic job market has worked

545
00:28:34.745 –> 00:28:37.745
over the last 30 years, they’re also then part

546
00:28:37.745 –> 00:28:39.545
of the assumed linear career pathway.

547
00:28:40.165 –> 00:28:42.385
And so because of that, what we have is

548
00:28:42.385 –> 00:28:45.385
that we have good mentoring and well-meaning mentoring,

549
00:28:45.605 –> 00:28:47.305
but actually a confirmation

550
00:28:47.325 –> 00:28:49.305
of an assumed linear career path,

551
00:28:49.305 –> 00:28:51.945
whereas the sector is more challenging, uh, now,

552
00:28:52.045 –> 00:28:54.225
and the jobs that were there are no longer.

553
00:28:54.685 –> 00:28:56.545
And so one of the things that we try

554
00:28:56.545 –> 00:28:59.145
and do is challenge that assumed linear career path

555
00:28:59.565 –> 00:29:02.105
and think about what it actually means to have, um,

556
00:29:02.225 –> 00:29:03.505
a flexible career path.

557
00:29:04.545 –> 00:29:07.225
I think Oline laser called it wonky career paths as well.

558
00:29:07.285 –> 00:29:09.785
Um, as well, he’s the former chair of UKRA, um,

559
00:29:10.475 –> 00:29:15.425
often employed on time limited, um, projects, um,

560
00:29:16.345 –> 00:29:18.265
externally funded, uh, usually

561
00:29:18.725 –> 00:29:21.305
and one of the challenges around, um, continuity

562
00:29:21.305 –> 00:29:24.865
of employment, it’s not just career precarity as such,

563
00:29:24.925 –> 00:29:27.345
but around career, uh, employment continuity

564
00:29:27.645 –> 00:29:30.025
and around when employment rights come in.

565
00:29:30.245 –> 00:29:33.265
But also if you wanna get, um, a mortgage

566
00:29:33.285 –> 00:29:35.185
or you want to get a loan or,

567
00:29:35.325 –> 00:29:38.985
or you want some security in life because of that.

568
00:29:39.205 –> 00:29:41.360
One challenge is, is that if you fixed term to fix

569
00:29:42.205 –> 00:29:45.365
contracts, that’s a real, um, challenge as well in the kind

570
00:29:45.365 –> 00:29:47.645
of in the market beyond higher education.

571
00:29:49.495 –> 00:29:50.695
A few more specific things.

572
00:29:51.195 –> 00:29:52.975
One of the aspects that we are finding

573
00:29:52.975 –> 00:29:56.175
with early career researchers is a number of, um, uh,

574
00:29:56.275 –> 00:29:58.895
career stuff when they can’t get research contract aren’t

575
00:29:58.975 –> 00:30:02.215
involved on, um, on, um, a research project.

576
00:30:02.555 –> 00:30:06.695
Um, go for it. An education role, education only role, um,

577
00:30:06.715 –> 00:30:07.775
at other institutions might

578
00:30:07.775 –> 00:30:08.855
be called teaching projects as well.

579
00:30:09.315 –> 00:30:11.575
And one of the challenges there is within promotion

580
00:30:11.575 –> 00:30:13.735
and progression structures, there’s a perceived lack

581
00:30:13.735 –> 00:30:16.415
of equity between education and research.

582
00:30:16.755 –> 00:30:18.935
And that if you are on a research track, for example,

583
00:30:19.235 –> 00:30:21.415
you are prioritized for promotion over someone on

584
00:30:21.415 –> 00:30:22.455
education track.

585
00:30:22.685 –> 00:30:26.175
There’s also aspects around the value of, um,

586
00:30:26.565 –> 00:30:28.855
education focused staff within institutions.

587
00:30:29.275 –> 00:30:31.135
Um, uh, as well,

588
00:30:32.185 –> 00:30:34.395
there’s also a change accessing researcher

589
00:30:34.555 –> 00:30:35.995
training and development.

590
00:30:36.175 –> 00:30:39.155
Whilst most institutions offer a lot of researcher training

591
00:30:39.155 –> 00:30:41.515
and development, the short term nature of contracts

592
00:30:41.515 –> 00:30:43.835
and the expectations is also quite limiting.

593
00:30:44.615 –> 00:30:46.675
Um, particularly ’cause they might be able

594
00:30:46.675 –> 00:30:48.835
to not access them because they haven’t got a contract,

595
00:30:48.835 –> 00:30:50.115
which means that they can access.

596
00:30:50.415 –> 00:30:53.515
Um, sometimes it’s also a lack of recognition

597
00:30:53.855 –> 00:30:56.275
and fair contribution, uh, fair attribution for

598
00:30:56.835 –> 00:30:58.715
contributions as well, particularly a,

599
00:30:58.875 –> 00:31:01.315
a research specific kind of element of this.

600
00:31:01.415 –> 00:31:03.235
But the recognition is in within the broad

601
00:31:03.625 –> 00:31:05.355
ecosystem as well.

602
00:31:05.895 –> 00:31:07.355
And one of the changes also then is

603
00:31:07.355 –> 00:31:09.115
around PIs not given training

604
00:31:09.115 –> 00:31:12.155
or mentoring to manage, um, is it’s kind

605
00:31:12.155 –> 00:31:16.555
of almost assumed within some of our ecosystems that, um,

606
00:31:16.855 –> 00:31:20.155
uh, uh, someone that is good at research then manage a group

607
00:31:20.335 –> 00:31:21.475
of postdocs

608
00:31:21.495 –> 00:31:24.555
or researchers without actually giving them time

609
00:31:24.555 –> 00:31:26.475
to manage them or training to manage them.

610
00:31:26.765 –> 00:31:29.035
There are also barriers faced by racially, minorities,

611
00:31:29.035 –> 00:31:30.115
early career researchers.

612
00:31:30.115 –> 00:31:31.995
This comes particularly out of the welcome trust

613
00:31:32.455 –> 00:31:33.835
and report from 2020.

614
00:31:34.095 –> 00:31:35.195
The barriers are still there.

615
00:31:35.195 –> 00:31:37.795
Now, they’re particularly also around international,

616
00:31:37.815 –> 00:31:39.355
um, ECRs coming in as well.

617
00:31:39.575 –> 00:31:42.755
For those, um, that have to get, um, visas

618
00:31:42.755 –> 00:31:46.035
or to have to, um, move to, to the uk,

619
00:31:46.045 –> 00:31:47.835
there are major barriers as well.

620
00:31:47.835 –> 00:31:50.555
Um, external pressures to the universities as well.

621
00:31:51.215 –> 00:31:53.195
And there’s also the, whilst a lot

622
00:31:53.195 –> 00:31:56.115
of universities offer wellbeing support, the challenges is

623
00:31:56.115 –> 00:31:57.595
around accessibility and structures

624
00:31:57.815 –> 00:32:00.795
to access this within the time scope of kind

625
00:32:00.795 –> 00:32:03.475
of defined product, uh, limits as well.

626
00:32:04.915 –> 00:32:06.495
But it’s not one of the other things here.

627
00:32:06.495 –> 00:32:07.815
It’s not all bad news.

628
00:32:07.955 –> 00:32:09.615
We do spend a huge amount of time

629
00:32:10.975 –> 00:32:12.495
focusing on the challenges,

630
00:32:12.715 –> 00:32:14.415
but I say also there, there is a lot

631
00:32:14.415 –> 00:32:15.895
of good things being done

632
00:32:16.235 –> 00:32:18.575
for our early career researchers in research

633
00:32:18.575 –> 00:32:19.895
culture developments.

634
00:32:20.155 –> 00:32:23.535
Um, we the called act to support the career development, um,

635
00:32:23.755 –> 00:32:25.935
of researchers, which checks out expectations

636
00:32:25.935 –> 00:32:28.215
for institutions and researchers themselves

637
00:32:28.315 –> 00:32:31.855
and managers, the researchers to develop, um, careers

638
00:32:31.855 –> 00:32:33.615
and other opportunities for them.

639
00:32:34.315 –> 00:32:37.735
Um, there’s also the, the growth in ringfence funding

640
00:32:37.795 –> 00:32:41.125
to support early career researcher development from a number

641
00:32:41.125 –> 00:32:44.005
of institutions are looking at bridging funding in,

642
00:32:44.005 –> 00:32:46.885
for example, QR funding for early career researchers.

643
00:32:47.095 –> 00:32:49.805
There are new networks emerging as well.

644
00:32:49.805 –> 00:32:52.005
So the bridge, the Academy, early Career Researcher network

645
00:32:52.185 –> 00:32:54.125
is one of these kind of networks that’s emerging.

646
00:32:54.465 –> 00:32:56.885
And they’re also major projects

647
00:32:56.885 –> 00:32:59.405
and programs to support ECR, um, development

648
00:32:59.505 –> 00:33:03.485
of which prosper is one amongst a number of others as well.

649
00:33:04.385 –> 00:33:06.245
And there is a greater awareness of the need

650
00:33:06.245 –> 00:33:08.125
for skills development, both research skills

651
00:33:08.145 –> 00:33:09.805
and broader skills within the early career

652
00:33:10.685 –> 00:33:11.885
researcher community itself.

653
00:33:12.065 –> 00:33:14.405
But this also goes beyond the early career researcher

654
00:33:14.465 –> 00:33:18.245
who into the conditions for lifelong learning as well,

655
00:33:18.595 –> 00:33:21.085
that we focus a lot on skills development

656
00:33:21.085 –> 00:33:23.045
for both PhD students and early career researchers.

657
00:33:23.425 –> 00:33:24.685
But skills development should

658
00:33:24.685 –> 00:33:25.765
be something for everyone as well.

659
00:33:25.945 –> 00:33:28.725
So if you are a professor, then it’s also something

660
00:33:28.725 –> 00:33:30.005
for you about skills development

661
00:33:30.005 –> 00:33:31.365
because the research skills that you had

662
00:33:31.545 –> 00:33:35.245
as a PhD student are probably not the same that you have now

663
00:33:35.785 –> 00:33:37.565
in a different world as well.

664
00:33:39.685 –> 00:33:41.185
So they’re kind of some of the aspects

665
00:33:41.815 –> 00:33:45.025
that I think we can focus on in the positive ways to, um,

666
00:33:45.415 –> 00:33:46.785
develop research culture.

667
00:33:47.565 –> 00:33:51.545
But I want to enable us to consider for, um,

668
00:33:51.965 –> 00:33:53.345
the last bit of this session.

669
00:33:54.025 –> 00:33:56.065
I really want to think around responsibility

670
00:33:56.685 –> 00:33:59.985
for research culture because whilst we can talk about all

671
00:33:59.985 –> 00:34:02.905
of the challenges that are there within the research culture

672
00:34:02.905 –> 00:34:05.985
landscape and some of the positive elements, a lot

673
00:34:05.985 –> 00:34:08.145
of this comes down to the responsibility

674
00:34:08.525 –> 00:34:09.905
for research culture.

675
00:34:10.565 –> 00:34:13.265
Uh, I’m not gonna ask the common question that we have,

676
00:34:13.265 –> 00:34:16.145
which is who’s responsible for research culture,

677
00:34:16.365 –> 00:34:21.225
but I want to frame it slightly around the, sorry,

678
00:34:21.755 –> 00:34:25.465
frame it thematically about what does responsibility

679
00:34:25.485 –> 00:34:27.625
for research culture, uh, look like

680
00:34:27.965 –> 00:34:30.545
and how do we know if we’re making research culture

681
00:34:31.145 –> 00:34:34.025
progress within our institutions or organizations?

682
00:34:35.735 –> 00:34:39.055
I wanna frame this around four different, um, themes.

683
00:34:39.845 –> 00:34:43.215
Some of this learning is taken from our, um,

684
00:34:43.215 –> 00:34:46.175
welcome reimagining governance project that we

685
00:34:47.725 –> 00:34:50.665
at Durham, but I think it applies more broadly to, um,

686
00:34:51.145 –> 00:34:53.185
research the research culture landscape.

687
00:34:53.365 –> 00:34:56.625
Um, and these are around research leadership

688
00:34:56.625 –> 00:34:59.425
or the leads of our institutions agency autonomy

689
00:34:59.525 –> 00:35:03.745
and relatedness for our early career, um, researchers and,

690
00:35:04.085 –> 00:35:06.985
and I think this is hopefully a, a tool for everyone here

691
00:35:06.985 –> 00:35:11.065
to reflect on, um, what does research culture mean to them

692
00:35:11.565 –> 00:35:14.065
and how do we enable research culture and institution.

693
00:35:14.125 –> 00:35:16.225
So a number of this is posed as a, a number

694
00:35:16.245 –> 00:35:18.305
of questions rather than me trying to tell you

695
00:35:18.495 –> 00:35:21.385
what you should do to create a positive research culture.

696
00:35:21.685 –> 00:35:24.585
Uh, institutions is more, um, asking you the questions

697
00:35:24.585 –> 00:35:28.105
that hopefully enable, uh, questions to develop for you.

698
00:35:29.945 –> 00:35:33.765
So, um, your research leaders

699
00:35:34.185 –> 00:35:36.645
or the leaders of, um, uh,

700
00:35:37.465 –> 00:35:40.645
the research environments within your institutions,

701
00:35:41.435 –> 00:35:43.285
when we think about our research culture

702
00:35:44.545 –> 00:35:47.045
and towards our ECRs well, what models

703
00:35:47.145 –> 00:35:51.325
of behavior do you see in your organizations, um,

704
00:35:51.325 –> 00:35:52.685
towards ecr?

705
00:35:53.435 –> 00:35:55.245
Does it happen in a vacuum

706
00:35:55.385 –> 00:35:58.205
or if we go back to some of the responses earlier,

707
00:35:58.665 –> 00:36:00.285
do you have lots of priorities

708
00:36:00.505 –> 00:36:03.925
and initiatives for your ECR community,

709
00:36:04.345 –> 00:36:05.565
but it’s not joined up?

710
00:36:05.585 –> 00:36:08.405
And actually when we get to senior colleagues within our

711
00:36:08.475 –> 00:36:11.605
institution, is there rhetoric there that suggests

712
00:36:11.605 –> 00:36:15.205
that early career researchers are prioritized, um,

713
00:36:15.705 –> 00:36:18.135
or advocated for, um,

714
00:36:18.915 –> 00:36:22.375
do institutional leaders advocate for the career development

715
00:36:22.475 –> 00:36:24.015
of researchers?

716
00:36:24.315 –> 00:36:29.175
Um, a Durham, I’m hugely fortunate to work with, uh, Jane,

717
00:36:29.385 –> 00:36:32.655
who’s SAC provost Chancellor Jane is a huge advocate

718
00:36:32.675 –> 00:36:35.335
for early career researchers, and

719
00:36:35.335 –> 00:36:38.055
because of that we also have other advocates across the

720
00:36:38.135 –> 00:36:39.815
institutions that realize some

721
00:36:39.815 –> 00:36:41.415
of these quite complex challenges

722
00:36:41.565 –> 00:36:43.975
that we have in the ecosystem.

723
00:36:44.595 –> 00:36:47.815
And so does that exist within your institu, are the people

724
00:36:47.815 –> 00:36:50.135
that are advocating for the career development

725
00:36:50.135 –> 00:36:54.215
of researchers and also holding others to account as well?

726
00:36:55.475 –> 00:36:57.455
Do you, your PIs your team

727
00:36:58.085 –> 00:37:00.895
support early career researchers?

728
00:37:01.615 –> 00:37:04.345
Individuals have more agency than they think within

729
00:37:04.615 –> 00:37:06.185
complex organizations.

730
00:37:07.405 –> 00:37:10.385
We can probably also take the initiative more in

731
00:37:10.385 –> 00:37:11.465
terms of support.

732
00:37:12.805 –> 00:37:15.065
And does the mission of your pur purpose

733
00:37:15.085 –> 00:37:18.345
of your organization support research culture, um,

734
00:37:18.695 –> 00:37:21.705
development, does it make any commitment to a career

735
00:37:22.345 –> 00:37:23.505
researchers as well?

736
00:37:24.165 –> 00:37:25.345
And from that,

737
00:37:25.485 –> 00:37:27.705
is your research culture a strategic priority?

738
00:37:28.285 –> 00:37:31.865
And are ECRs involved in the determination

739
00:37:31.965 –> 00:37:34.985
of the strategic priorities of your research culture?

740
00:37:35.705 –> 00:37:37.825
A lot of the time I think with early career researchers,

741
00:37:38.505 –> 00:37:41.225
a lot of time they’re done too, not done with.

742
00:37:42.045 –> 00:37:44.505
And so do we consult with them? Do we work with them?

743
00:37:44.925 –> 00:37:48.585
But do we, are ECRs prioritized in, for example,

744
00:37:48.885 –> 00:37:50.985
the research strategy of your institution

745
00:37:51.285 –> 00:37:54.625
or do you know that your institution might even even has a

746
00:37:54.745 –> 00:37:56.905
research strategy, for example?

747
00:37:57.525 –> 00:37:59.185
And who’s then involved

748
00:37:59.445 –> 00:38:02.305
and what access do they have in order to be involved?

749
00:38:02.365 –> 00:38:05.385
Do you try and make sure that everyone, um,

750
00:38:05.805 –> 00:38:09.585
is included within that, um, within the system processes,

751
00:38:14.225 –> 00:38:16.235
move on to agency as well.

752
00:38:17.335 –> 00:38:20.995
Do ECRs have a voice in decision making?

753
00:38:21.735 –> 00:38:23.715
And this goes back to the point I made earlier slightly,

754
00:38:24.085 –> 00:38:25.995
about whether eec, when,

755
00:38:26.225 –> 00:38:28.315
when we’re thinking about the career development

756
00:38:28.315 –> 00:38:30.315
of researchers, whether it be PhD students

757
00:38:30.335 –> 00:38:32.115
or early career researchers,

758
00:38:32.135 –> 00:38:34.595
or other staff groups as well, a lot

759
00:38:34.595 –> 00:38:36.545
of the time the culture change that needs

760
00:38:36.545 –> 00:38:39.865
to happen is put into the, into the corner

761
00:38:39.965 –> 00:38:44.105
of the staff group where, um, the poor culture is happening

762
00:38:44.645 –> 00:38:47.185
to, um, we can see it, for example, with also like

763
00:38:47.705 –> 00:38:51.145
SWAN plans is a key example within a lot of institutions.

764
00:38:51.145 –> 00:38:52.905
This is led, this is, uh, presented

765
00:38:52.905 –> 00:38:56.225
to the female lead within a department or a DI directorate.

766
00:38:56.485 –> 00:38:59.185
And it’s a, it’s a really inconvenient truth that again,

767
00:38:59.185 –> 00:39:01.305
that we don’t have the structures around some

768
00:39:01.305 –> 00:39:04.665
of these challenges to enable voices in decision making.

769
00:39:05.085 –> 00:39:06.905
So what voices your ECRs have

770
00:39:07.405 –> 00:39:10.065
and do ECRs understand the governance policies

771
00:39:10.065 –> 00:39:14.025
and processes of your organization that might enable some

772
00:39:14.025 –> 00:39:15.425
of the developments to happen.

773
00:39:16.065 –> 00:39:17.945
Universities are very complex places

774
00:39:18.125 –> 00:39:19.585
and if you work in an independent research

775
00:39:19.585 –> 00:39:21.345
organization, they are as well.

776
00:39:21.605 –> 00:39:24.785
And when you’re new to an organization in your induction,

777
00:39:24.785 –> 00:39:26.705
does anyone talk to you about governance or policies

778
00:39:26.805 –> 00:39:28.545
or where to find anything

779
00:39:28.645 –> 00:39:30.145
or do they just say,

780
00:39:30.245 –> 00:39:32.065
here’s your research project, get on with it.

781
00:39:32.925 –> 00:39:34.185
Um, are there networks

782
00:39:34.185 –> 00:39:36.385
or designated contacts to support ECRs

783
00:39:36.645 –> 00:39:38.025
to develop their careers?

784
00:39:38.965 –> 00:39:41.305
Is is, is the mentor just a research mentor

785
00:39:41.325 –> 00:39:44.105
to develop the research portfolio or profile,

786
00:39:44.285 –> 00:39:47.625
or is there colleagues that can enable the development

787
00:39:47.625 –> 00:39:48.785
of their careers?

788
00:39:49.325 –> 00:39:51.545
One of the really good things that we’ve done

789
00:39:51.575 –> 00:39:55.905
with Prosper at Durham is that, um, all of our, all all

790
00:39:55.905 –> 00:39:59.025
of the 22 researchers that are on our cohort get, um,

791
00:39:59.745 –> 00:40:00.745
a Prosper coach

792
00:40:01.685 –> 00:40:04.465
and the coach that they have comes from our

793
00:40:04.465 –> 00:40:05.665
professional services teams.

794
00:40:06.285 –> 00:40:08.865
Um, and so what they have there

795
00:40:08.865 –> 00:40:11.345
through their coaching is a relational element

796
00:40:11.375 –> 00:40:14.585
with someone within our professional services directorates,

797
00:40:14.585 –> 00:40:15.865
either within another department

798
00:40:15.865 –> 00:40:17.225
or within one of the central services.

799
00:40:17.645 –> 00:40:19.305
And what that also enables them is

800
00:40:19.305 –> 00:40:21.305
to have conversations about the different elements

801
00:40:21.305 –> 00:40:22.825
of the university life as well as that

802
00:40:23.385 –> 00:40:25.105
coaching element within Prosper.

803
00:40:25.365 –> 00:40:27.505
And that’s also, I think enables some of the networks

804
00:40:27.505 –> 00:40:30.505
to development and who supports

805
00:40:30.505 –> 00:40:34.865
and advocates for early career, um, researchers

806
00:40:35.405 –> 00:40:36.905
and who are the champions, if you like,

807
00:40:36.925 –> 00:40:39.665
for the career development of researchers.

808
00:40:39.845 –> 00:40:43.065
Um, this can’t fall on single individuals

809
00:40:43.405 –> 00:40:45.825
and yes, individuals can have profound change within

810
00:40:45.825 –> 00:40:48.585
organizations, but it’s far easier if you’ve got a critical

811
00:40:48.585 –> 00:40:52.845
mass of people autonomy.

812
00:40:52.915 –> 00:40:56.085
This is back to early career researchers themselves.

813
00:40:56.625 –> 00:40:59.245
Um, what opportunities are offered to early career

814
00:40:59.885 –> 00:41:03.365
researchers to take control of their career development?

815
00:41:03.865 –> 00:41:05.045
How are they informed?

816
00:41:05.145 –> 00:41:07.325
How do they know what communications there?

817
00:41:08.305 –> 00:41:12.045
Um, do the structures in your organization enable the career

818
00:41:12.315 –> 00:41:14.405
development, um, of researchers?

819
00:41:15.185 –> 00:41:17.445
Are they even aware of the, uh, of example,

820
00:41:17.505 –> 00:41:20.085
the researcher development, uh, Concord, that one

821
00:41:20.085 –> 00:41:22.685
of the challenges that we have, uh, at Durham is that yes,

822
00:41:22.965 –> 00:41:26.045
we are signed up for the current quarter, the awareness

823
00:41:26.665 –> 00:41:28.365
is quite low as well.

824
00:41:29.065 –> 00:41:30.725
And because of that, we think

825
00:41:30.725 –> 00:41:32.965
that ECS had quite a challenges accessing career

826
00:41:33.005 –> 00:41:36.365
development, even though they have 10 days of CPDD time,

827
00:41:36.675 –> 00:41:38.645
there’s also then around the accountability

828
00:41:39.465 –> 00:41:42.445
of whether they use their 10 day CPD time as well.

829
00:41:43.545 –> 00:41:45.765
And if they even have CPD time allocated,

830
00:41:46.195 –> 00:41:48.125
have they got funding, for example, to support

831
00:41:48.125 –> 00:41:50.805
that career development, um, as well,

832
00:41:51.275 –> 00:41:53.925
because one of the challenges we have, particularly those

833
00:41:53.925 –> 00:41:58.085
that are funded by, um, research fund funding is that, um,

834
00:41:58.105 –> 00:42:01.405
whilst might be offered by an institution, one

835
00:42:01.405 –> 00:42:04.405
of the issues is is that, um, there is no funding then

836
00:42:04.625 –> 00:42:07.285
to support that career development moving forward.

837
00:42:07.985 –> 00:42:10.735
And the last one is

838
00:42:11.855 –> 00:42:13.095
a sense of relatedness.

839
00:42:13.745 –> 00:42:17.255
Where do ECRs have a sense of belonging at your

840
00:42:18.005 –> 00:42:19.335
inst at your organization?

841
00:42:19.555 –> 00:42:21.455
Do they know what it feels like to be part

842
00:42:21.455 –> 00:42:23.895
of the organization that you work for?

843
00:42:24.045 –> 00:42:26.175
Just particularly if you’re a permanent member of sore,

844
00:42:26.175 –> 00:42:29.895
been at your institution, uh, a long time, think about

845
00:42:29.895 –> 00:42:32.535
what it means to be part of that organization

846
00:42:33.155 –> 00:42:36.015
and how, if you were new to it, what someone might sense

847
00:42:36.015 –> 00:42:38.335
or feel or understand with coming into it.

848
00:42:39.045 –> 00:42:43.975
What does their induction process look like and what, um,

849
00:42:43.995 –> 00:42:45.655
and who do they get to know?

850
00:42:45.655 –> 00:42:47.295
Who do they meet? Um,

851
00:42:47.755 –> 00:42:50.495
and are there meaning meaningful mechanism

852
00:42:50.595 –> 00:42:53.495
to support an active ECR community?

853
00:42:54.155 –> 00:42:56.335
One of the challenges that we have in the ECR space

854
00:42:56.505 –> 00:42:59.015
particular is that if we put ECRs in charge

855
00:42:59.015 –> 00:43:00.775
of staff networks, for example,

856
00:43:00.775 –> 00:43:03.255
because they’re generally here on short-term contracts,

857
00:43:03.325 –> 00:43:05.055
what happens is that at the end of

858
00:43:05.055 –> 00:43:06.455
that short-term contract, they leave.

859
00:43:07.075 –> 00:43:09.935
And that also means that support for a network, um,

860
00:43:10.115 –> 00:43:13.255
is removed as well or isn’t transferred over,

861
00:43:13.635 –> 00:43:16.135
and there’s no consistency about the support.

862
00:43:16.395 –> 00:43:17.935
So think about the mechanisms

863
00:43:17.935 –> 00:43:19.575
and structures that are also there.

864
00:43:20.775 –> 00:43:23.425
And again, going back to our ECRC,

865
00:43:23.425 –> 00:43:26.425
involving solving challenges in the ECR space

866
00:43:27.245 –> 00:43:30.465
or is it, again, this goes back to the idea of being, uh,

867
00:43:30.815 –> 00:43:32.985
done to or done with.

868
00:43:34.965 –> 00:43:37.025
So I hope what I’ve done there is given some pointers

869
00:43:37.025 –> 00:43:40.905
and some key, um, questions for everyone to take away

870
00:43:41.135 –> 00:43:45.385
with them about what, um, about, um,

871
00:43:46.325 –> 00:43:48.945
how this relates to your organization that, uh,

872
00:43:48.965 –> 00:43:52.385
you work in about, um, some of the mechanisms support,

873
00:43:52.605 –> 00:43:56.865
but effectively it’s around agency autonomy and relatedness

874
00:43:57.485 –> 00:44:01.105
and about how we enable positive research culture change,

875
00:44:01.165 –> 00:44:02.665
not just through actions, activities,

876
00:44:02.665 –> 00:44:06.625
but also through the change in mindset as well.

877
00:44:07.565 –> 00:44:10.625
Um, I’ve got one last, um, mentee for everyone,

878
00:44:10.645 –> 00:44:12.905
and then hopefully at the end we have 10 minutes

879
00:44:13.005 –> 00:44:14.865
of q and a as well.

880
00:44:14.885 –> 00:44:17.185
We, we can open up to some of the points that,

881
00:44:17.405 –> 00:44:18.865
um, I’ve touched upon here.

882
00:44:19.045 –> 00:44:22.505
Um, I wanted to ask you some of these questions around, um,

883
00:44:23.775 –> 00:44:26.545
ACRs in your organization about your perceptions

884
00:44:27.205 –> 00:44:30.345
as well about the responsibility for research culture

885
00:44:30.645 –> 00:44:31.845
and who’s involved.

886
00:44:31.905 –> 00:44:34.925
So, uh, the first, uh, one is around that research leaders

887
00:44:35.065 –> 00:44:37.725
or PIs in my organization have a good understanding

888
00:44:37.745 –> 00:44:39.605
of research culture challenges for ECRs.

889
00:44:39.985 –> 00:44:41.925
Um, ECRs are encouraged

890
00:44:41.925 –> 00:44:44.325
to be involved in decision making in my organization.

891
00:44:44.945 –> 00:44:47.325
Um, ECRs are valued by my organization.

892
00:44:47.745 –> 00:44:49.485
Um, ECRs have a good understanding

893
00:44:49.505 –> 00:44:51.005
of my organization’s strategy,

894
00:44:51.825 –> 00:44:55.325
and in the last five years, research culture has improved

895
00:44:55.505 –> 00:44:56.805
for ECRs.

896
00:44:57.945 –> 00:44:59.765
So yeah, if you could fill it, I think it’s a one

897
00:44:59.765 –> 00:45:02.485
to five linear scale with five is really good.

898
00:45:02.625 –> 00:45:04.965
Uh, one is, uh, one, uh, five is strongly disagree.

899
00:45:05.385 –> 00:45:07.525
Uh, uh, sorry, five is strongly agree,

900
00:45:07.825 –> 00:45:09.285
one is strongly disagree.

901
00:45:36.575 –> 00:45:37.825
There’s an interesting response

902
00:45:37.825 –> 00:45:38.865
that’s coming into this as well.

903
00:45:58.515 –> 00:46:03.045
So from the folk that have contributed, again, the,

904
00:46:03.235 –> 00:46:05.165
it’s kind of, uh, so one, one

905
00:46:05.165 –> 00:46:07.125
of the valuable things if we start at the bottom is though

906
00:46:07.125 –> 00:46:08.805
in the last five years, there’s a perception

907
00:46:08.805 –> 00:46:11.725
that research culture has improved for ECRs.

908
00:46:11.825 –> 00:46:15.805
And I think that, um, broadly that broadly that is the case.

909
00:46:15.965 –> 00:46:17.325
I think a huge amount of energy

910
00:46:17.545 –> 00:46:19.085
and effort has gone into,

911
00:46:19.085 –> 00:46:21.325
in the sector improving the conditions for,

912
00:46:21.545 –> 00:46:23.085
for career researchers.

913
00:46:24.645 –> 00:46:27.025
I think that all of what, all of

914
00:46:27.025 –> 00:46:30.465
what I’ve said here is also tempered by the fact that a lot

915
00:46:30.465 –> 00:46:33.185
of this is very complex in the, you know,

916
00:46:33.385 –> 00:46:34.545
research culture is not something

917
00:46:34.545 –> 00:46:38.585
that can be solved overnight or with a single action plan.

918
00:46:39.055 –> 00:46:42.625
It’s also affected by the dynamics outside

919
00:46:42.625 –> 00:46:43.865
of the research environment.

920
00:46:43.865 –> 00:46:48.105
And sometimes we just get, um, what almost tied waves

921
00:46:48.775 –> 00:46:49.945
that impact the whole

922
00:46:50.025 –> 00:46:52.145
of our research culture ecosystem as well.

923
00:46:52.285 –> 00:46:54.065
Um, so the financial challenges

924
00:46:54.065 –> 00:46:56.185
that universities face currently is one,

925
00:46:56.185 –> 00:46:58.065
such one such things that we’re now having

926
00:46:58.065 –> 00:46:59.185
to navigate through as well.

927
00:46:59.685 –> 00:47:01.225
But it’s also that we can make steady

928
00:47:01.405 –> 00:47:02.545
and sustained progress.

929
00:47:02.845 –> 00:47:05.945
Um, prosper is an excellent example of, of one

930
00:47:05.945 –> 00:47:08.625
of these initiatives, but, um, there are also many others.

931
00:47:09.255 –> 00:47:11.865
It’s also good to see that a number of you responded to say

932
00:47:11.865 –> 00:47:16.525
that ECRs are valued by your organization, um, as well,

933
00:47:16.525 –> 00:47:19.805
because I think this really goes back also to about, um,

934
00:47:20.835 –> 00:47:23.625
about what this means that I think that there has been a,

935
00:47:23.705 –> 00:47:25.465
a shift about what it means

936
00:47:25.465 –> 00:47:27.585
to be an ECR within an institution

937
00:47:27.765 –> 00:47:29.065
and about what their value is

938
00:47:29.465 –> 00:47:33.325
and about how we value, um, colleagues as well

939
00:47:33.385 –> 00:47:35.645
and promoting collegiality as well,

940
00:47:35.665 –> 00:47:37.045
and opportunities as well.

941
00:47:37.145 –> 00:47:38.885
And also career development as well.

942
00:47:39.185 –> 00:47:41.805
Um, I’m, I’m the least, I’m least surprised by the fact

943
00:47:41.805 –> 00:47:43.925
that, um, ECRs don’t have a good understanding

944
00:47:43.945 –> 00:47:45.805
of organizational strategy.

945
00:47:46.145 –> 00:47:47.525
And I think this is one part

946
00:47:47.525 –> 00:47:50.765
of the induction processes in particular that we miss out,

947
00:47:51.195 –> 00:47:53.965
that I think a lot of time s think that they’re there

948
00:47:53.965 –> 00:47:56.605
for a particular project if they’re on a time TED project

949
00:47:56.865 –> 00:48:00.005
and don’t think about the broader landscape and ecosystem.

950
00:48:00.025 –> 00:48:01.085
And this goes beyond

951
00:48:01.105 –> 00:48:03.485
as well into about thinking about careers beyond academia

952
00:48:03.865 –> 00:48:07.485
as well, but actually about how it all joins up about,

953
00:48:07.865 –> 00:48:10.125
you know, what the post is, what the purpose is

954
00:48:10.125 –> 00:48:13.245
for an institution about what support structures are there,

955
00:48:13.665 –> 00:48:15.205
and therefore the value that, um,

956
00:48:15.205 –> 00:48:16.605
they might bring to it as well.

957
00:48:16.785 –> 00:48:19.565
And that sense of belonging too.

958
00:48:20.885 –> 00:48:23.545
So yeah, thank you for your, um, responses on these.

959
00:48:23.545 –> 00:48:27.585
These are, it’s really, um, it’s really valuable to see, um,

960
00:48:27.585 –> 00:48:29.625
where we’re going to, um, emerge forward.

961
00:48:30.725 –> 00:48:33.585
So just to then to, um, conclude, uh,

962
00:48:33.645 –> 00:48:35.705
and then I’m happy to turn over the last, uh,

963
00:48:35.725 –> 00:48:36.745
10 minutes for questions.

964
00:48:36.925 –> 00:48:39.905
Um, the questions for you leading from this, uh,

965
00:48:40.505 –> 00:48:42.025
workshop about how you, um,

966
00:48:42.485 –> 00:48:46.025
how will you develop a positive research culture for ECRs,

967
00:48:46.165 –> 00:48:47.185
uh, both individual

968
00:48:47.325 –> 00:48:50.385
but also in your teams, in your different units.

969
00:48:51.045 –> 00:48:53.345
Go and have conversations about research culture, go

970
00:48:53.345 –> 00:48:57.185
and engage them both the informal, informal, um, structures.

971
00:48:57.935 –> 00:49:00.145
Also, how might you enable a values driven approach

972
00:49:00.165 –> 00:49:02.065
to a positive research culture?

973
00:49:02.605 –> 00:49:05.265
So at the start we talked about different activities

974
00:49:05.265 –> 00:49:06.825
and actions that can be taken,

975
00:49:07.245 –> 00:49:09.985
but a lot of this also is about the approach that we take.

976
00:49:10.325 –> 00:49:12.065
And one of the successes that we’ve had at,

977
00:49:12.125 –> 00:49:13.305
at Durham particularly is

978
00:49:13.305 –> 00:49:15.345
that our approach is values driven.

979
00:49:15.685 –> 00:49:17.985
And because we know what values we want to live by

980
00:49:17.985 –> 00:49:20.505
as an institution and indeed, uh, uh,

981
00:49:20.575 –> 00:49:23.425
echo within our research culture, what that means is

982
00:49:23.425 –> 00:49:24.825
that we’re not just looking at actions,

983
00:49:24.845 –> 00:49:27.785
but we’re looking at values driven mode to do it.

984
00:49:28.525 –> 00:49:30.625
And then the fine thing to take away from you today is

985
00:49:30.625 –> 00:49:31.625
how might you change, adapt,

986
00:49:31.645 –> 00:49:34.665
or take away to support ECRs in the future.

987
00:49:35.345 –> 00:49:37.625
I hope there’s some food for thought within, um,

988
00:49:38.285 –> 00:49:41.865
the presentation there about some of the aspects

989
00:49:41.925 –> 00:49:43.025
to, uh, consider.

990
00:49:43.325 –> 00:49:45.425
Um, it’s covered quite a, a broad range

991
00:49:45.425 –> 00:49:48.225
of the research culture, um, ecosystem.

992
00:49:48.885 –> 00:49:50.325
Um, uh,

993
00:49:50.505 –> 00:49:52.045
and hopefully there’s a couple of things

994
00:49:52.045 –> 00:49:53.565
that you might be able to take away to change

995
00:49:53.585 –> 00:49:55.325
and adapt, uh, from that.

996
00:49:56.545 –> 00:49:59.725
So I’m gonna, um, finish, uh, there.

997
00:49:59.725 –> 00:50:02.925
Thank you everyone for, um, listening particularly over, um,

998
00:50:02.925 –> 00:50:05.205
your lunch break, if that’s what you’ve been on as well.

999
00:50:05.425 –> 00:50:07.085
You can also, uh, hear more about

1000
00:50:07.085 –> 00:50:08.685
and learn more about Durham’s research culture

1001
00:50:08.685 –> 00:50:10.205
through FRI at Durham via

1002
00:50:10.305 –> 00:50:12.125
for the QR code there or the web link as well.

1003
00:50:12.545 –> 00:50:15.165
I’m also very happy for you to, to reach out to me

1004
00:50:15.185 –> 00:50:19.685
to talk about research culture, um, development as well if

1005
00:50:19.685 –> 00:50:21.205
that’s for early career researchers,

1006
00:50:21.205 –> 00:50:23.285
but also, um, beyond that as well.

1007
00:50:23.345 –> 00:50:25.565
So thank you for, for taking the time today

1008
00:50:25.705 –> 00:50:28.645
and I’m happy to take, uh, questions at the end of this.