Researchers14 is a voluntary group of expert higher education professionals, uniquely focused on research staff, their development, and the culture in which they work.
In focusing on this community of staff, the group will provide a strategic view of the three principles of the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers (2019): Environment & Culture, Employment, and Professional & Career Development.
The group will share good practice in research staff development to inform partners and influence practice, evolving and developing national strategic objectives.
Definitions
Concordat
The Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers (2019), also known as the ‘Researcher Development Concordat’
The Group
Researchers14 as a collective entity
Host Institution
One of the member institutions elected by the group to host meetings and coordinate the group’s activities, for a period of 1-3 years
Member Institution
One of the universities currently participating in Researchers14
Monthly Meeting
Informal, online practice-sharing sessions
Representative
Named individuals appointed by member institutions (no more than three per member institution)
Research Staff
‘Individuals whose primary responsibility is to conduct research and who are employed specifically for this purpose by a higher education institution or research Institute’ (see Concordat, p. 8)
Strategy Meeting
Meetings of the group, taking place three times per year
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Terms of Reference (TOR)
The group will achieve its purpose by:
a) Consistently being strategic in its activities, holistic in outlook, and collaborative and inclusive in approach.
b) Sharing practice from institution-specific policies and programmes of activity relating to research staff.
c) Serving as a strategic forum for internal and external communications about research staff development and improvements to the environment for research staff.
d) Existing as an independent group, influencing and presenting advice and recommendations, and sitting on external bodies where appropriate.
e) Delivering projects that lead to results and recommendations that benefit the sector.
f) Inviting, to relevant meetings, external stakeholders in the support and development of research staff.
1. Membership
1.1 Any Russell Group university may become a member institution of Researchers14.
Member institutions will commit to the following principles:
i. The institution is the member, not any specific individual.
ii. For strategy meetings, institutions will put forward at least two named representatives, but no more than three named representatives, to act as their delegates on the group. The option to nominate a third institutional representative promotes a balance between inclusivity and manageability and recognises job-sharing and part-time roles.
iii. Institutions may put forward eligible representatives by emailing their name, email address, role and a short reason for the nomination to researcherdevelopment@leeds.ac.uk.
iv. Representatives will have strategic responsibility for researcher development and/or Concordat implementation.
v. Representatives are expected to actively engage in strategy meetings and projects.
vi. Two institutional representatives per institution will be permitted to attend the in-person strategy meeting and attendance should be decided locally. There will be no online option for the in-person meeting. The additional institutional representative will be permitted to attend online when the meeting is held in hybrid or online format.
vii. Representatives may invite colleagues to join the group’s Community Researchers14 JISCMAIL list and attend the monthly practice-sharing sessions.
viii. Succession planning for new representatives will be the responsibility of their respective institution.
1.2. Institutional Engagement
If an institution does not actively participate in strategy meetings and projects for a full academic year this will trigger the non-engagement process.
Stage 1
An email will be sent from the host institution to the institutional representatives at the member institution asking them to respond to confirm their commitment to re-engage. A period of one month from the receipt of the email will be given for the member institution to respond.
Stage 2
If no response to the first email is received, an email will be sent to other researcher developers within the member institution asking them to investigate internally and propose how the institution intends to re-engage with Researchers14. The member institution will be given one month from the receipt of the email to respond.
Final Stage
If no response to the second email is received, the member institution will receive a final email to inform them that the institution will be removed from Researchers14 in one month from the receipt of the email if no response is received. The institution will be permitted to rejoin the Researchers14 at a later date subject to the institution’s commitment to the membership principles as set out in the group’s terms of reference.
2. Host Institution and Chair
The group will elect one member institution to act as host for a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 3 years.
The host institution will nominate a Chair or Co-Chairs from among their representatives for the period during which that institution is hosting.
The Chair/Co-Chairs may, by agreement with the group, appoint another institution as Deputy Chair to assist in the delivery of strategy and monthly meetings.
The host institution may also convene an Organising Committee to support the effective delivery and coordination of the group’s activities and projects.
3. Host Responsibilities
3.1 Strategy Meetings
i. Host/organise three strategy meetings per year, one of which will be online, one will be hybrid, and one will be an in-person meeting.
ii. Share dates at the beginning of each academic year, with meetings usually to take place in November, March and June in any year.
iii. Draft the meeting agenda for agreement by the Organisation Committee.
iv. Coordinate and distribute any pre-work that may need to take place before the meeting.
v. Invite speakers, if applicable and cover any costs associated with them attending the event.
vi. Chair the strategy meetings.
vii. Cover all catering costs (tea/coffee on arrival, lunch, and tea/coffee in the afternoon) and supply admin support for the meetings.
viii. Coordinate minutes and actions to be shared with the group within one month of the meeting and monitor progress on actions.
ix. Manage the completion of any additional work that has been identified to take place between meetings.
x. Organise and facilitate online follow-up discussion meetings after each strategy meeting. Attendance at these is optional.
3.2 Monthly Meetings
i. Set the recurring meeting and share a calendar invite with the group.
ii. Organise the monthly one-hour meetings, identifying themes and inviting speakers.
iii. Chair the monthly meetings.
iv. Share relevant resources post-event, including curating the video content on YouTube.
3.3 General
i. Maintain up-to-date membership and mailing lists, including the Community Researchers 14 and the Institutional Representatives JISCMAIL.
ii. Act as a point of contact for any queries relating to Researchers14.
4. Group Decisions
Any representative can call a vote on an issue which they consider that open discussion would not, or has not been able to, resolve. Votes are conducted on the basis of one vote per institution (not one vote per representative).
Quorum is set at 50% of institutions.
A majority response of two-thirds of those present in any vote will be needed for a decision to be implemented.
5. External Communications
The use of material deemed confidential by the institution where that material originated will only be shared outside the group by prior agreement.
Any institution may declare its wish to exempt itself from communications sent out in the name of the group.
6. Website
The group’s website will be managed, and associated costs paid, by the University of Cambridge, provided that the University of Cambridge shall continue to be a member institution of Researchers14.
7. Social Media
The focus of the Researchers14 LinkedIn page, which is open to anyone to follow, is to showcase the activities and projects of Researchers14, and job opportunities in researcher development and culture. To post job opportunities on the page, requests should be sent to researcherdevelopment@leeds.ac.uk with a link to the role description on the recruiting institution’s website. The page is not intended for individual or institutional promotional activities.
Management of the page will be overseen by the Chair or Co-Chairs and Project Officer (if support is available at the host institution) who will act as super admins. Members of the Organising Committee will have the opportunity to volunteer as content admins, granting them access to post content on the page and comment as the page.
8. Review
The Terms of Reference will be reviewed annually and agreed at the strategy meeting nearest in date to 1 November.
Updated: January 2025
Approved: 26 February 2025
Next review: February 2026
Addendum
Terms of Reference (TOR) for the Researchers14 (R14) Organising Committee, during the University of Leeds term as Co-Chairs.
1. Introduction
The R14 Organising Committee is responsible for planning, coordinating, and facilitating R14 events, such as the R14 monthly meetings for the wider UK researcher development community and the three strategy meetings for nominated R14 members only.
2. Objectives
The primary objectives of the R14 Organising Committee are:
i. To contribute to and approve the agenda, then plan and facilitate the three strategy meetings per year.
ii. To help identify relevant content and decide the format of the monthly meetings.
iii. To create an environment in R14 events that is conducive to sharing information and best practice in researcher development in an inclusive, transparent, open and accessible way.
3. Composition
The Organising Committee will be composed of the following R14 members:
Both Co-Chairs, a Project Officer (if support is available at host institution), and up to eight R14 institutional representatives.
4. Meetings
The Organising Committee will meet up to six times a year online, to plan upcoming strategy meetings and decide on content for the monthly meetings. Meeting schedules will be determined by the Organising Committee and communicated to all members in advance.
5. Duration
The Organising Committee will operate for one academic year at a time. New members can join at the beginning of a new academic year. Members who need to leave the Organising Committee before the end of the academic year may nominate a colleague from their institution who is a Researchers14 institutional representative.
6. Amendments
Any proposed amendments to these Terms of Reference must be presented in writing and discussed and approved at a Researchers14 strategy meeting.