support for internationally mobile researchers brendan barker head of international development
TRANSCRIPT
Support for Internationally Mobile Researchers
Brendan BarkerHead of International Development
Structure of Presentation
• Context for recruitment of International staff to Scotland
• Internationalisation at the University of Dundee
• Supporting International Researchers
• Resources
Context: Policy
• Historical differences between Scottish and English Higher Education
• Establishment of the Scottish Parliament has introduced a partially devolved system of higher education, science and research
– higher education policies have diverged (SFC/HEFC)
– some powers related to science and innovation policy are devolved, but UK (and European) policies remain important (eg UK RCs & FP7)
• Immigration policy reserved to UK government
University of Dundee- Key Facts
• 17,000 students – from more than 100 countries
• 3,000 staff - from more than 84 countries
• Core Government Funding £80m
• Turnover of £210m pa (£90m research)
• Strengths in medicine and life sciences, natural resources policy, civil engineering, art and design, history
• Track record of translating research into solutions
• Ranked 176 in the World’s top 200 Universities by the Times Higher Education Supplement
• Ranked 199 in the World’s top 200 Universities by QS
• Shortlisted by the Times Higher Education Supplement as 2011 UK University of the Year
• Ranked in the top five places to work internationally by The Scientist magazine
• Ranked 78 in the World’s top 500 Universities for research (Leiden, 2012) – 13th in world, 1st in UK for ‘mean citation score’
• Ranked top in the world for the impact of research in pharmacology (Thomson Reuters, 2010)
Research - rankings
Why Internationalise?Why Internationalise?
• attract the best staff and students
• provide students with an international education
• prepare students for employment in an international/multi-cultural context
• establish a global presence
• work in partnership to solve global problems
Outward Internationalisation
The University of Dundee has around 100
International partners around the world
Inward Internationalisation
Core Academic Research
Total 3312 759 647
British 2725 624 374
International 517 (16%) 127 (17%) 251 (39%)
Not known 70 8 22
• Internationalisation Strategy Action Point 3.3:
“Improve diversity in staffing with respect to international background and experience”
• University of Dundee Staff in 2010:
Supporting International Researchers
• International researchers make an increasingly important contribution to Dundee (and indeed across the UK university sector as a whole).
• In an increasingly competitive international market for researchers, we need to:
– attract the best researchers to Dundee
– enable them to settle in rapidly so that they can focus on their research and teaching tasks
– develop them as effective academics with enhanced career prospects within and beyond the UK, in science and outwith.
– manage transition from Dundee/academia
Issues for Incoming Researchers
• Accommodation• Money
– living costs, bank account, tax, NI, etc• Family
– children, partner, parents, etc• Language• Impact on Career• Isolation/integration• Safety• Certificates of Sponsorship
and Visas
Sources: Feedback from University of Dundee HR Office; and, Working Abroad: Exploring the International Interests of US Academics,
A Report by the Chronicle of Higher Education and SimpsonScarborough, presented at Going Global 4, London, March 26, 2010 );
Dundee Practice
• HR involvement – most international staff ‘tier 2’ appointees – need to demonstrate best candidate available – for ‘Certificate of Sponsorship’
• new appointees referred to PostDoc Association for advice and support
• University Welcome webpage + Welcome Officer
• induction pack• College induction in first week, University
induction every 6 months – induction check list
Support for Research Careers
Need to develop appropriate strategies and practices to support skills and career development for international researchers that are in line with the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers.
• Concordat to Support the Career Development of Research Staff (1996).
• recognised key role played by contract researchers, and identified and encouraged good practice in researcher career management.
• updated Concordat launched nationally in June 2008 and at the University of Dundee in Autumn 2008.
• new Concordat incorporates the relevant sections of the European Charter for the Employment of Research Staff.
Research Concordat
Dundee Practice
• Context:– On average Postdocs spend 3 years in
Dundee before moving on
– Only 1 in 20 Postdocs in UK remain in science to become Principal Investigators
• generic skills training – includes fixed-term research staff
• supported by introduction of new objective setting and review framework
• International Families Group
What is EURAXESS?1
EURAXESS was launched by the European Union to promote Research careers and facilitate the mobility of Researchers across Europe.
EURAXESS is a one-stop-shop for the developmentof your career in Europe with the support of a network
of people to assist you!
EURAXESS2
EURAXESS develops its activities under the following 4 key initiatives:
Offers you a network of over 500 people in36 countries to assist you
Looks after your rights as a Researcher
Connects European Researchers worldwide
Helps you to find jobs, funding opportunities,grants, employment, etc.
A UK-wide process enables UK HEIs to gain the European Commission’s ‘HR excellence in research’ badge, which acknowledges their alignment with the principles of the European Charter for Researchers and Code of Conduct for their Recruitment. The UK process incorporates both the QAA Code of Practice for Research Degree Programmes and the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers to enable institutions that have published Concordat implementation plans to gain the ‘HR excellence in research’ badge. The UK approach includes ongoing national evaluation and benchmarking.
HR Excellence in Research
Benefits
• Supports change in working culture
• Part of a pan-European network of researchers and research organisations
• Demonstrates commitment to a stimulating and favourable working environment for researchers
• Shows we care about our researchers:
– their rights as a professional will be recognised and enhanced
– their mobility experience will be valued
– their work-life balance will be respected
– their recruitment will follow a transparent process
– they join a pan-European network
• Researchers will be encouraged to choose us
• Use of “HR Excellence in Research” badge when advertising vacancies on the EURAXESS Jobs site
Some Online Resources
• University of Dundee Concordat website: – www.dundee.ac.uk/hr/research/concordat.htm
• Information on research careers and training is provided by Vitae
– www.vitae.ac.uk.
• Concordat website:
– www.concordat.org.uk/homepage.cfm
• The EURAXESS-UK website provides assistance on moving to and from the University of Dundee and other European universities
– www.britishcouncil.org/new/Euraxess-Home.
“an inspirational university with its head in the clouds and its feet firmly on the ground…”
Seamus Heaney
University of Dundee