Who are RPs?
Who are RPs?
Research Professionals (RPs) are a diverse and skilled community whose work helps research happen effectively, ethically, securely, and with impact. RPs work in many different environments. Some are part of large, central teams; others may be the only RP working across multiple institutions. Together, we form a community of more than 20,000 professionals in the UK, working alongside academic and technical colleagues to deliver high-quality research that is impactful and robust, while helping to de-risk the research process across the sector.
We contribute specialist expertise across every stage of the research lifecycle.
Below showcases just some RP voices:
‘We are the research development manager adding value to a funding application’
‘We are the programme manager overseeing a multi-million-pound international collaborative hub’
‘We are IP and commercialisation managers sourcing industry partners and licensing IP’
‘We are the research librarians supporting the research community with open access and scholarly outputs’
‘We are the Directors of Research Offices, shaping research strategy and supporting teams to deliver good research’
The Challenge
Across the sector, RPs are a highly skilled community whose expertise strengthens research and innovation. However, this expertise is underutilised and lacks recognition, meaning the full potential of this workforce isn’t fully realised.
At the same time, the demands on research are growing:
- Global challenges require research that is more collaborative, responsive and robust
- UK’s financial pressures mean institutions must find new ways to work efficiently without reducing research quality
- Research is becoming higher risk and more regulated, with growing expectations around integrity, ethics, data management, security, open research and international partnerships
- Policy and funder requirements are evolving rapidly, requiring institutions to interpret and implement change quickly, consistently and at scale
- Emerging developments such as AI and shared service models have the potential to reshape how research is delivered
- Past attempts to recognise RPs have often been fragmented or small in scale, and have not fully captured cultural dimensions, limiting sustained impact across the sector
There is significant untapped potential within the RP community, a hidden advantage that could play a major role in strengthening the UK’s research endeavour.
Delivering meaningful change also relies on strong partnerships across the research ecosystem. RPs do not work in isolation; they must collaborate with academics, technicians, senior leaders and wider institutional teams to deliver change that benefits everyone. This work depends on building shared understanding, trust, alignment, and engaging allies and champions across these groups.
RPF will help the sector recognise this potential and fully unleash the expertise RPs bring.
We are all here for the research.
