Concordat Board and Working Group Terms of Reference

Versions

Updated: December 2025 
Approved: January 2026 
Next review: October 2026 

Concordat Board Purpose

• Strategic oversight of the implementation and review of the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers (i.e. the Researcher Development Concordat) with appropriate sector representation, including key stakeholder groups
• Ensure that the Researcher Development Concordat, and strategies for communication and implementation, remains relevant to the wider research system
• Publish and regularly update activities in relation to an implementation plan for the Researcher Development Concordat
• Provide a platform to share practice and promote this for the benefit of the research community at the University of Liverpool and its beneficiaries. 

Concordat Working Group Purpose

The following areas are to be considered as part of the work schedule of the Concordat Working Group: 

1. To create an agreed plan to progress all key areas of activity as identified in the University’s commitment to the Researcher Development Concordat and retaining the HR Excellence in Research Award
2. To coordinate the implementation of the Action Plan related to the Researcher Development Concordat
3. To identify emerging priorities in researcher development in support of the Researcher Development Concordat
4. To undertake needs analysis towards embedding the principles of the Researcher Development Concordat in research staff development across the University
5. To encourage and promote the regular engagement of research and research-related staff with:
   • the information module on the Researcher Development Concordat
   • the University’s Statement of Expectations for Principal Investigators and Research Staff
   • the Guidance for the Researcher Annual Professional Development Allowance
6. To ensure continuous and consistent reflection on the realities of the research staff experience at Liverpool.

Consultation and Data Sources

The Concordat Board and the Concordat Working Group should engage with the following: 

• The Culture, Employment and Development in Academy Research Survey (CEDARS) or equivalent  
• Ongoing institutional surveys and projects that explore aspects related to the research environment 
• Staff in Institutes/Schools/Faculties and central services who directly/indirectly support researchers. 

Reporting Relationships

The Board and Group reports through its Chair to the Research and Impact Committee in terms of alignment with other R&I activities and in relation to planning and resource allocation matters. 

Membership

Concordat Board

The Board comprises senior academic and professional services staff responsible for oversight of the Researcher Development Concordat at Liverpool.   

Concordat Working  Group

The Concordat Working Group comprises academic and professional services representatives who directly/indirectly support researchers from a range of departments and faculties across the University. 

Frequency of Meetings

• The Concordat Board meets jointly with the Concordat Working Group once a year
• The Concordat Working Group meets up to four times a year
• Meetings and events outside the above schedule may be called by majority agreement of the Group, and may take different formats as appropriate. 

Quorum

The quorum of the Concordat Working Group shall be one half of the membership, including at least two academic research-only staff representatives and one representative per department or faculty. 

Communication and Record Keeping

• All Board and Working Group representatives will be responsible for ensuring appropriate communication and for circulating and reporting on action points between their departments and local levels
• The University’s Researcher Development and Culture Team is responsible for servicing the Board and the Working Group. 

Principles of Membership

Principles to which all members commit: 

• Membership is for departments that support research staff 
• Departments will nominate one representative to contribute to the Working Group. Membership is associated with the departmental role, not with the individual representative
• Departments/ faculties will send, in person, at least one representative (for faculties, one academic and one PS representative) to each Working Group meeting. Where a named member cannot attend, they should nominate a proxy for each meeting
• The expectation is that departments will review and refresh Working Group membership each academic year to ensure a broader representation of perspectives of the researcher population. Succession planning for new representatives will be the responsibility of their respective departments
• Representatives will have a commitment to, or be leading on, innovative practice in research staff development at strategic or local levels.

Review

The Terms of Reference and Membership of the Concordat Board and Working Group are reviewed annually. 

Current Membership

Concordat Board

Concordat Working Group

Ex-officio members include the following: 

• Representative of the Research Ethics and Research Integrity team  
• Representative of the Open Research team 
• Representative of the Race Equality Charter. 

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