The Researcher Development Framework for career development of research degree students

Alison Mitchellalison.mitchell@vitae.ac.uk

Vitae®, © 2011 The Careers Research and Advisory Centre (CRAC) Limited

Aims of presentation

About Vitae The UK Researcher Development Framework Using the UK Researcher Development Framework

ResearchersStaff supporting researchersInstitutions

Discussion

Vitae vision and aims

For the UK to be world-class in supporting the personal, professional and career development of researchers

Build human capital by influencing the development and implementation of effective policy relating to researcher development

Enhance higher education provision to train and develop researchers

Empower researchers to make an impact in their careers

Evidence the impact of professional and career development support for researchers

Researcher development in context

The UK is committed to the development of world-class researchers.

Researchers are critical to economic success

Researchers’ careers span a wider variety of employment sectors

Strong UK commitment to researcher development

The Researcher Development Framework (RDF)

Major new approach to researcher development

Builds the UK research base

Develops world-class researchers Enhances the personal, professional and career development of researchers

Developed through UK-wide interviews with successful researchers in a range of disciplines

Led by Vitae in collaboration with the HE sector and other stakeholders

The Researcher Development Framework (RDF)

Framework of the knowledge, behaviour and attributes of successful researchers

Enables self-assessment of strengths and areas for further development

Common framework across institutions in the UK

Universal language for communicating researcher capabilities

The Researcher Development Framework (RDF)

The professional development framework to realise the potential of researchers

The RDF developmentLiterature survey

definitions of research and research rolesLiterature review – competency frameworks

academic and related occupationsEmpirical data

experienced researchers audio-recorded, semi-structured interviews>100 interviews range of experiences, institution types, geographical context, disciplines, demographics>1000 characteristics and variants, clustered into common groups

Broad consultation 242 sector responsesEmployer validationAdvisory & Project groups

The Researcher Development Statement (RDS)

The Researcher Development Statement (RDS) is the strategic statement of the RDF:

for policy makers and research organisationsendorsed by 26 stakeholder organisations including the Research Councils, QAA, UUK and the funding councilsan evolution of the Research Councils’ Joint Skills Statement (JSS)

The RDS and RDF together provide: strategic statement (RDS)

operational framework (RDF)

Using the RDF and RDSResearchers:

identify strengths and priorities for professional and career development

Managers, supervisors and employers of researchers fundamental to planning researcher development

Staff supporting researchers in HEIsunderpins strategies for researcher development

Policy makers, employers and other stakeholdersrealising researchers’ potential for all sectors of the economy and society

4 domains

12 sub-domains

63 descriptors

The Researcher Development CPD tool

Choose a domain to develop skills

Click on the relevant additional buttons to access report, guidance notes and useful resources for personal and career development planning

Choosing areas for development

Assess your skills/knowledge

Lens on the RDF

Clusters of knowledge, behaviour and attributes

Identified using a special lens methodology

Intrapreneurship

Public engagement

Enterprise

Teaching

Leadership

Information handling

Intrapreneurial Lens on RDF

RDF Domain RDF Category Intrapreneur capability

B Perseverance A1.Persistence and resilience

B Preparation and prioritisation B1. Environmental scanning

D Networking; Interdisciplinary awareness

C1. Maintains contacts out of academia or own discipline

D Enterprise D1. Impact and influence

B Self-confidence E1. Self awareness

Example: mapping 1 section of Intrapreneurial capabilities

‘It put career development back into the forefront of my mind as it can often slip back when you’re engaged in what you’re doing day to day.’

‘The RDF will encourage me to be more proactive about my career development as it provides me with a framework (list of milestones).’

‘It was very good for me to reflect. I realised that nothing is stopping me but myself. The sky is the limit.’

‘I’ve always thought of myself as being quite ambitious, driven and focussed on what I want, but the framework made me realise I can have a much larger vision.’

Researcher feedback

Links and resources

RDF: www.vitae.ac.uk/rdf

RDS: www.vitae.ac.uk/rds

RDF profiles:www.vitae.ac.uk/rdfprofiles

Downloadable CPD tool: www.vitae.ac.uk/rdftool

Contact: rdf@vitae.ac.uk