As we know, over the past few years research culture as a topic has become much more visible. Today is an opportunity to reflect on that progress and think together about how we can collectively highlight our successes more effectively.
The session is structured around two main themes. First, we will reflect on the positive changes we have seen. Second, we will hear updates from the working groups and consider their future direction.
I’d like to begin with a few updates.
We are pleased to share several upcoming opportunities from the National Centre for Research Culture. We host monthly convening and knowledge-sharing activities, alternating between this Enablers Meeting, which is more rapid-fire in format, and our Conversation Series, which allows for deeper exploration of specific topics.
Next month’s Conversation Series, hosted by my colleague Adele, will feature colleagues from Nottingham who will discuss the inclusive research culture resources they have been developing collaboratively.
Another upcoming opportunity is our annual Research Culture Conference. This year the conference will take place over two days in response to participant feedback and the high level of engagement with the call for abstracts. There will be an online day on 21 September, followed by a hybrid and in-person day on 23 September. The team received more than 130 abstracts this year, which demonstrates the continued strength and activity of the research culture community.
There is also an upcoming International Consortium for Research Culture event, hosted as a hybrid symposium by Stellenbosch University in South Africa. Links have been shared in the chat for anyone interested in attending.
A further update concerns the Research Professional Futures project, a UK-wide programme funded through the Research England Development Fund. The programme aims to reshape how research is delivered in the UK by improving the visibility, recognition, training and career pathways of the diverse community of research professionals who are essential to research excellence.
The project began in January, and two important surveys will be launched soon. One is an individual survey, and we encourage everyone to participate and share it with colleagues. The second is an institutional survey. Contributions from colleagues in roles represented here will be particularly valuable because the term “research professional” continues to evolve and extends far beyond research office staff. It includes research librarians, knowledge exchange professionals, and colleagues working in third-space or otherwise less clearly defined roles.
When the institutional survey reaches your organisation, any support you can provide to ensure these harder-to-reach groups are represented would be greatly appreciated.
To learn more about the project, there will be panel sessions at the upcoming ARMA Conference in June and at the Research Culture Conference in September. My colleague Katie is also establishing a Research Professional Futures Community of Practice, and a new LinkedIn group will be launching soon.
Finally, I would like to highlight another initiative focused on a challenge that underpins much of the anxiety and power imbalance that can undermine a positive research culture: research precarity.
The Research Precarity Working Group, established by Ash Collins, has been organising over the last few months and remains open to new members and contributors. Joining the group is a way to signal support, and there are also opportunities to become actively involved through its new workstreams:
- Data and Evidence
- Organising and Outreach
- Making the Ask
If you have any questions, please contact Ash. You can also get in touch through the Research Culture Enablers Network with myself or Yasmine at Bristol, as we are co-leading the Organising and Outreach workstream.
