All posts by Alison Charles

Events, News, Training

‘Valuing, supporting and developing our postdocs’ (‘ECRN’ event)

Postdocs play a vital role in delivering institutional research outputs and are thus crucial to the success of any research-intensive university. Kent is committed to supporting and developing its postdocs to achieve their potential and offers a range of training and development opportunities to all research staff, including early career researchers.

Join us for an informal session on Tuesday, 21 September from 12.30-2pm (online) to inspire you to think about the opportunities available. Learn about sectoral developments to support research staff, as well as Kent-based initiatives including new opportunities for the 2021-22 academic year.

The session will include contributions from Professor David Bogle, Pro-Vice-Provost of the Doctoral School at UCL, on ‘how can we better prepare postdocs for a broader future?’ and from Kent colleagues involved in the Summer Vacation Research Competition, which is a great way to boost your career and gain transferable skills.

Professor Paul Allain, Dean of the Graduate and Resesarcher College (GRC), said:

“As a busy postdoc, it can be hard to find the time to plan your professional and career development. We hope that this lunchtime session will whet your appetite to explore the range of training, development and support options available to you at Kent and to discover more about how the GRC is working with and for researchers to support their academic and research careers.”

This session coincides with National Postdoc Appreciation Week (20-24 September, 2021) and is open to all Kent academic and research staff, especially PDRAs, RAs and Research Associates.

There is no need to book – access the Microsoft Teams link via SharePoint (Kent staff login required.) We look forward to seeing you there.

News

Researcher Development Concordat Annual Report and Action Plan published

The University of Kent’s first Annual Report and Action Plan for the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers have been published today.

The Annual Report 2021 reviews the substantial progress made towards implementing the ‘Researcher Development Concordat’, to which the University committed in June 2020. It identifies measures of success against which to judge efforts to implement the Concordat Principles, including key deliverables, and refers to the accompanying Concordat Action Plan (July 2021-June 2022), which includes critical next steps to further embed researcher development at Kent. (The Action Plan is the outcome of a detailed gap analysis undertaken to compare existing policies and practice against the Concordat Principles.)

These strategic documents were developed by staff in the Graduate and Researcher College (GRC) with the assistance of academic, research and PSD colleagues in the Researcher Development Advisory Group (RDAG), the Divisions, the Careers and Employability Service, EDI, HR, IS Research Support, Research and Innovation Services, and Talent and Organisational Development. Focus groups and an anonymous feedback form were also utilised to incorporate the views of academic researchers.

Professor Paul Allain, Dean of the GRC, said:

“I would like to personally thank all colleagues who provided feedback, ideas and clarification about how to improve institutional practices to further support researchers. It is clear that successful implementation of the aspirational Concordat principles will only be achieved with buy-in from academic and research colleagues across the institution, especially research managers/PIs and Co-Is, and we are working hard to provide the mechanisms and resources to facilitate this.”

Work is underway to create key deliverables identified in the Action Plan including a researcher-specific Moodle induction course and separate handbooks for research managers and researchers. The GRC will also be expanding its dedicate web and SharePoint sites to reflect the Concordat Principles, including the expectation that all academic and research staff should engage in a minimum of 10 days’ professional development pro rata per year.

Further information about next steps and progress will be communicated to relevant staff by email and via GRC blogposts. Watch this space!

Events, News, Training

Training sessions for research staff – w/c 14 June 2021

The Graduate and Researcher College (GRC) is pleased to announce that a range of virtual training and development events are available for academic and research staff to book including four scheduled to take place next week:

Demand management for research schemes and relationships with external stakeholders – 14 June 2021, 10-11am

Consultancies and tenders – 16 June 2021, 11am-11.30am

Commercialising your research - 17 June 2021, 10-11am

Please see https://www.kent.ac.uk/graduate-researcher-college/academic-and-research-staff/training-and-development/grants-factory-training for further information about these events and links to book your place.

Coping with rejection – 15 June 2021, 11am-12pm

(The GRC is also offering 1:1 Coaching for PDRAs, RAs and Research Associates – 17 June 2021 and 15 July – 3 slots each day.)

Please see https://www.kent.ac.uk/graduate-researcher-college/academic-and-research-staff/training-and-development/grc-training for further information about these sessions and links to book your place.

Registration for these sessions is via Target Connect, the GRC event booking system, but please note that you will need to register for an account on Target Connect using your Kent email address before you can book any of these events.

These sessions are organised by the GRC as part of its new remit to support the development of colleagues who research throughout their careers and further information is available in our new web pages for academic and research staff.

Professor Paul Allain, Dean of the Graduate and Researcher College, said:

“These webinars are a great opportunity to learn more about relevant topics in targeted sessions delivered by specialist academic and Professional Services staff from Research and Innovation Services, IS Research Support, the GRC and the Divisions. They reflect our ongoing work to create an impactful programme of demand-led training and development for teaching and research colleagues across the University, which now includes some 1:1 coaching for PDRAs, RAs and Research Associates.”

Please note that most sessions will be recorded and made available to view after the event.

If you would like to suggest future sessions or to discuss researcher development at Kent, please contact the GRC.

We look forward to seeing you at these and future events.

Funding, News, Training

Undergraduate Summer Vacation Research Competition winners announced

The Graduate and Researcher College is pleased to announce the undergraduate winners of the Summer Vacation Research Competition 2021:

  • Penelope Agranov
  • Ellie Crocker
  • Carl Grevel
  • Jodie Harbour
  • Jonathan Hobbs
  • Sophie Laxton
  • Caitlin Moriaty
  • Katie Town
  • Juancarlos Valero.

These enthusiastic and motivated students will be employed as Research Assistants on a range of bespoke projects taking place in summer 2021.

Managed by our cohort of early career researcher winners, the students will gain valuable experience of working on real-life projects and thus learn more about the world of research whilst simultaneously boosting their CVs.

Hannah Greer, Work-Study Scheme Coordinator, highlighted the benefits of participation in the scheme for both researchers and undergraduates:

“The Summer Vacation Research Competition offers a unique chance to expand your skills no matter where you are on your early career path. Whether a postdoc looking to undertake additional project or line management, or a student wondering what the world of research is all about, the competition will broaden your horizons and skills set in a structured and supportive environment.”

Applications for this innovative opportunity for second and third-year students were managed by the Careers and Employability Service through its Work Study Scheme which helps students gain confidence and overcome barriers to graduate-level work.

For further information or to advertise an opportunity to students, please contact workstudy@kent.ac.uk. Some match-funding is available annually so do get in touch soon if you are thinking of recruiting Kent student-staff.

Events, News

Concordat focus groups for academic and research staff

As part of Kent’s commitment to the Researcher Development Concordat, the University is required to produce a Concordat Action Plan and Annual Report for submission to Vitae in June 2021. This work is being coordinated by the Graduate and Researcher College (GRC), whose remit includes supporting the professional and career development of academic and research staff in conjunction with colleagues in Divisions and other Professional Services departments.

To encourage input into these strategic documents, which will guide the University’s plans to implement the Concordat principles across the institution and record progress already made to embed support for researchers into our working practices, the GRC is organising three Concordat focus groups for staff who research at different career stages:

When to participate?

Early-career researchers (including PDRAs, RAs, Research Associates and ECRs): Thursday 13 May, 11am-12.30pm (online)

Mid-career researchers: Tuesday 11 May, 2pm-3.30pm (online)

Senior researchers and research leaders: Wednesday 12 May, 2pm-3.30pm (online)

The focus groups will explore:

  • the scope, accessibility and efficacy of current support for staff who research
  • barriers to accessing support, or to progression or job satisfaction
  • your recommendations for future planning and support for researchers.

Dr Alison Charles, Researcher Developer (Academic), said:

“These sessions are a great opportunity to discuss initiatives and ideas to support research staff and, most importantly, to tell us what more needs to be done to support your development. All feedback will be anonymised so this is your chance to say what you really think about researcher development at Kent and to ensure that the researcher voice is heard loud and clear.”

How to give us feedback?

To book your place at a focus group, please complete our expression of interest form.

Please note that if you are unable to attend a focus group, we encourage you to submit feedback anonymously via our feedback form, available until 23.59 on 31 May 2021.

Finally, there is still time to complete the CEDARS survey, running at Kent till 23.59 on 19 May 2021. Learn more in the blogpost or go straight to the survey via this link.

Any queries, please contact the GRC. We look forward to receiving your feedback.

News

Culture, Employment and Development in Academic Research Survey (CEDARS) 2021

Tell us what you think! The national CEDARS survey is now live at Kent and asks academic and research staff about their experiences, needs and views as part of a larger sector drive to promote positive research cultures and career development in academia.

CEDARS is your chance to tell the University about your views and experiences as a research-active member of staff. Key benefits are as follows:

  • The information you provide will be used to inform Kent policy and practice relating to researcher employment, management and development. This should benefit not only you, but also have long-lasting impact for future researchers.
  • The survey should provide a clearer picture of Kent’s progress towards implementing the principles of the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers, to which the University signed up in June 2020, and towards upholding its HRER commitment to support its researchers.
  • A good response rate and national benchmarking would provide leverage for future changes at Kent.

The CEDARS survey is hosted on Online Surveys, a secure web environment, and is anonymous. It is managed by Vitae, the international organisation supporting the professional development of researchers.

Who should participate? The survey targets colleagues who research at all career stages. This includes staff who are active researchers, teaching staff engaged in research (including ‘teaching & scholarship’ staff) and academic staff who manage researchers.

The Graduate and Researcher College (GRC) is coordinating this survey, as part of its new remit to support all academic and research staff in their career and personal development. This includes curating a range of training and development sessions, many of which are now available to book via Target Connect, including some taking place next week.

To complete the survey, please go to this link. The survey runs till 23.59 on 19 May 2021.

Any queries, please contact the GRC and thank you in advance for taking part in this important survey.

Events, News, Training

New training sessions for research staff from w/c 26 April 2021

The Graduate and Researcher College (GRC) is pleased to announce that a range of virtual training and development events are now available for academic and research staff to book including three scheduled to take place next week:

Essential elements of a successful grant application – 26 April 2021, 10-11am

Click here to book your place.

Sharing sensitive data, GDPR and research ethics – 27 April 2021, 3-4pm

Click here to book your place.

Copyright and open access publishing – 28 April 2021, 10-11am

Click here to book your place.

Registration for these sessions is via Target Connect, the GRC event booking system, but please note that you will need to register for an account on Target Connect using your Kent email address before you can book any of these events.

These one-hour online sessions are organised by the GRC as part of its new remit to support the development of colleagues who research throughout their careers and further information is available on our new web pages for academic and research staff.

Professor Paul Allain, Dean of the Graduate and Researcher College, said:

“These webinars are a great opportunity to learn more about relevant topics in targeted sessions delivered by specialist academic and Professional Services staff from Research and Innovation Services, IS Research Support, the GRC and the Divisions. They reflect our ongoing work to create an impactful programme of demand-led training and development for teaching and research colleagues across the University.”

Please note that most sessions will be recorded and made available to view after the event.

If you would like to suggest future sessions or to discuss researcher development at Kent, please contact the GRC.

We look forward to seeing you at these and future events.

Awards, News

Summer Vacation Research Competition 2021 winners announced

The Graduate and Researcher College is pleased to announce the winners of the Summer Vacation Research Competition 2021:

  • Dr Miyoung Ahn, Centre for the Study of Higher Education
  • Dr Francesca Cavallo, School of Arts
  • Dr Christopher Dunmore, School of Anthropology and Conservation
  • Ioannis Galanakis, School of Economics
  • Aino Petterson, School of Psychology
  • Suzi Sapiets, Tizard Centre

This event, now in its fourth year, attracts PDRAs, RAs and Research Associates looking to gain additional project and line management experience through an established scheme in which they are supported by central and Divisional University colleagues.

Applications in this atypical year addressed a range of topical issues including understanding inequality in UK HE, assessing the economic impact of the recent ‘eat out to help out’ scheme and educating about climate change in Brazil. Their national and global focus reflect Kent’s role as an innovative research-intensive institution which strives to find answers to diverse challenges by exploring relevant questions for the benefit of the local, national and international communities it serves.

Professor Shane Weller, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research & Innovation, said:

“I am absolutely delighted to support this year’s Summer Vacation Research Competition, which was promoted across the Divisions as part of our strategy to enable our students actively to participate in research. The competition benefits both our early career researchers and our undergraduate students. It is particularly pleasing to see that the approved projects align so well with two of the University’s new Signature Research Themes (‘Environment, Food Systems and Natural Resources’, and ‘Future Human’), whilst a third reflects another proposed theme (‘Inequalities and Diversity’). I wish all competition participants every success in their endeavours and very much look forward to reviewing the project outcomes and discoveries.”

Applications for this innovative opportunity for second- and third-year undergraduates to gain research experience are being managed by the Careers and Employability Service, and will open on 22 March. We look forward to receiving applications from enthusiastic and motivated students who are interested in learning more about the world of research through active participation in a real-life project.

News

PDRA/RA communications survey – we would love you to share your views

With Valentine’s Day almost upon us, the Graduate and Researcher College would love to hear from Postdoctoral Research Associates, Research Associates and Research Assistants about how best we can communicate with each other.

To kick-start the conversation, we have created a short survey which we are asking you to complete to guide us in the right direction.

The research environment is constantly changing, never more so this year, and the GRC remit has recently been expanded to support you in your ongoing development as a researcher.

Please help us to help you by letting us know how you would like us to engage with you. The link to the survey has been sent to relevant staff – please email kentgrc@kent.ac.uk if you haven’t received it.

Events, Funding, News, Training

Summer Vacation Research Competition 2021 Q&A Session

Are you considering applying for the Summer Vacation Research Competition 2021 but unsure where to start? Or do you have a great idea but also practical concerns? Then come along to the Summer Vacation Research Competition 2021 Q&A Session, which will be held online on Thursday, 21 January 2021 from 1300-1400.

Participating in this competition, which is now in its fourth year, is a great way to boost your career and the initiative is being generously supported by the Careers and Employability Service, the Centre for the Study of Higher Education, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor – Research & Innovation, the Divisions, the Graduate and Researcher College, Research and Innovation Services, and the Signature Research Theme Leads. Use this virtual get-together to meet the event organisers and discover more about the skills you will develop through managing your own project and intern. You’ll also learn about what makes a successful submission and pick up some practical tips for your application.

Dr Helen Leech, the event’s co-founder with Dr Jennifer Leigh, said:

“Whether you have definitely decided to apply and have a project in mind or are still considering your options, why not join us for an informal chat in a supportive environment? We will endeavour to encourage and inspire you, and will suggest ways of maximising your chances of success.”

Details of the meeting have been sent to relevant staff – please contact svrc@kent.ac.uk if you do not receive this email.

We look forward to answering your questions at the session!