Researcher Development Concordat primed to deliver on government’s people and culture strategy

Efforts to improve the conditions, culture and career progression of UK researchers are bearing fruit, according to a new set of case studies published by the Researcher Development Concordat Strategy Group, supported by Universities UK (UUK).

Signatories of the ‘Researcher Development Concordat’ – including The Royal Society, The British Academy, and UK Research and Innovation – are working with UK universities and research organisations to deliver on the UK government’s People & Culture Strategy, by implementing action plans that promote equality, diversity and inclusion, skills development, career mobility and networking opportunities for early-career researchers and beyond.

The news comes amid renewed priorities for the concordat, which transferred its secretariat to UUK in 2021 and adopted a new governance structure to better support signatories and the UK research and innovation community. The new structure and strategy aim to ensure the voices of the community are heard at a national level with engagement opportunities for researchers at all career stages, industry leaders and senior university management. The concordat will be regularly reviewed and updated to reflect policy developments, and its impact on the sector will be monitored.

Professor Julia Buckingham, Chair of the Researcher Development Concordat Strategy Group said:

“The government’s People & Culture Strategy has rightly identified areas where research culture in the UK could be improved to make best use of the nation’s talent. The Researcher Development Concordat is a powerful tool that can catalyse the delivery of this strategy, and evidence shows that institutional leaders are already making the kinds of changes we need to support the government’s ambitions.”