Liverpool’s C‌ommitment to Researchers

Commitment to Supporting Researchers’ Career Development

To encourage and support research staff to undertake professional development beyond the needs of the primary project, we have allocated a minimum of 10 days pro rata per year for researchers to engage with professional development opportunities. We are committed to supporting researchers to balance the delivery of their research and their own professional development, recognising that researchers will pursue careers across a wide range of employment sectors. Guidance on development activities is now available.

Statement of Expectations: Principal Investigators and Research Staff

The ‘Statement of Expectations: Principal Investigators & Research Staff’ aims to define expectations around responsibilities of research staff and principal investigators with an emphasis on embedding professional practice. PIs are tasked with supporting the career development of researchers through a focus on development, a concern for the research environment and via the PDR as a vehicle for discussing career development, with reference to the Vitae Researcher Development Framework (RDF). Researchers are similarly tasked with taking ownership of their career development by making the most of the support and opportunities the University makes available. The Statement of Expectations presents a bold declaration of intent regarding our institutional commitment to supporting researchers. By virtue of being embedded within key processes such as PDR and, critically, across the University’s Concordat Implementation Plan, the delivery and effectiveness of the Statement will be reviewed and evaluated on a regular basis.   

Go to the Statement of Expectations: Principal Investigators and Research Staff 

C‌ommitment to Researchers

The University’s commitment to the support and development of all researchers to achieve the highest standards of excellence is clear within the University’s Research and Impact Strategy. Our focus is on creating a positive and productive experience for all research staff we employ. We aim to provide support, career advice, and development opportunities to make Researchers competitive candidates for careers within or outside academia. 

The University is committed to:

  • Ensuring that PIs, Heads of Department/School/Institute and others are aware of their responsibilities in relation to researchers
  • Recruiting and developing researchers with the highest potential to achieve excellence in research
  • Integrating all researchers into their department/School/Institute and the broader University
  • Supporting all researchers to assist them in becoming established in an appropriate career
  • Giving researchers the access to facilities, training and development that they need to fulfil their roles
  • Supporting researchers in developing individual research plans for discussion in research planning meetings and PDR discussions
  • Ensuring that researchers are given appropriate opportunities for career development, for example, the opportunity to gain some teaching experience or to gain experience outside the University to develop alternative careers
  • Recognising and celebrating the success of researchers
  • Ensuring that researchers’ views are considered through regular use of the CROS survey, the development of forums for researchers, the annual Research Staff Conference, and the representation of researchers on relevant committees
  • The ongoing monitoring of the University’s implementation of the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers