Concordat and HR Excellence in Research

Researcher Development Concordat

The Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers

The Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers, or Researcher Development Concordat, is an agreement between institutions, researchers, managers of researchers and funders to collectively improve the employment and support for researchers and researcher careers in higher education in the UK. First published in 2008, the revised 2019 Researcher Development Concordat was published in September 2019 and provides a framework to support the career development of researchers in UK universities and research institutes.  The Concordat defines the key principles of researcher development, which the University is committed to supporting, for research staff across all disciplines.

The University of Stirling declared its commitment to the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers by becoming a signatory in October 2020, nominating Professor Rachel Norman, Dean for Research Engagement and Performance, as the University Concordat Senior Manager Champion.

Professor Judith Phillips, Deputy Principal (Research) said: “Signing the Researcher Development Concordat demonstrates the University’s ongoing commitment to support our researchers in their professional development. At Stirling we will continue to equip and empower our researchers to succeed in their chosen careers.”

The development and coordination of the newly published Concordat action plan and the continued work on the HR Excellence in Research Award is led by the Research Environment Group (REG).  REG reports to the University Research Committee and has cross Faculty representation from both academic and professional service teams and is chaired by Professor Edward Duncan, Associate Dean for Research, Faculty of Health Sciences and Sport.

The University’s progress in delivering actions related to the Researcher Development Concordat will be reported annually to University Court and will be published below.

For more information contact researchenvironmentgroup@stir.ac.uk

HR Excellence in Research Award

HR excellence in research award

Stirling first achieved the HR Excellence in Research Award in 2011 and has successfully retained the award following the most recent 10-year review.

The UK-wide process, managed by Vitae, incorporates the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers. The European Commission’s HR Excellence in Research accreditation is awarded to those institutions which demonstrate a commitment to, and alignment with the principles of the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers.

REG Chair, Professor Edward Duncan, said, “since becoming a formal signatory to the Concordat in October 2020, REG continues to engage with the researcher community to gain a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced today. We are committed to enhancing our inclusive and positive research environment through the practical actions outlined in the Concordat Action Plan and are delighted to receive this award in recognition of our ongoing efforts.”

The 12-year report, an update on our previous action plan and the new HREiR/Concordat Action 2023-26 plan can be viewed below.

Our previous action plans and report documents

We welcome feedback on our support for researchers at any time. Please contact ias@stir.ac.uk with any comments or queries.

Further information about the award is available from the European Commission or for information about its operation in the UK visit the Vitae website. You can download a copy of the 2019 Researcher Development Concordat