Concordat

The Concordat provides a single statement of the expectations and responsibilities of researchers, their managers, employers and funders. It is a national document with many signatories including Universities UK, HEFCE and the research councils UK.

The Concordat consists of a set of seven principles set around six areas which as a university we seek to align our practice:

Recruitment and Selection (principle 1)
Recognition and Value (principle 2)
Support and Career Development (principles 3 & 4)
Researchers’Responsibilities (principle 5)
Diversity and Equality (principle 6)
Implementation and Review (principle 7)
The focus of the Concordat is on "employees engaged principally to undertake research, the majority of whom are necessarily supported by fixed-term project funding".

The Concordat is referenced in all the Research Councils’ Delivery Plans and there is an expectation that research intensive universities who employ researchers will be able to demonstrate alignment with the principles.

The Concordat is managed by Vitae, the national organisation championing the personal, professional and career development of researchers.

• Vitae resources for research staff
• University of York research webpages

Events and news

15 June 2018: 'On Your Doorstep: Celebrating researchers and research at York'
9am until 3pm in the ARRC Auditorium

The aim of the conference was to highlight the high-quality research carried out at the University and to celebrate the support for research we receive.

You can view the presentations at the above link and on the RETT Research Staff Conference playlist via the RETT YouTube channel.

6 July 2017: Progress update meeting on Departmental Concordat Action Plans
10am-12pm, H/G15 Heslington Hall

This valuable face to face event was for DRCs and those with responsibility for the implementation of the Concordat and facilitated the sharing of good practice between departments as it relates to the Concordat and Athena SWAN. Each department was given an opportunity to provide an update on progress made in the last twelve months against the departmental action plan. 

23 June 2017: 'Celebrating Research' - a conference for University of York research staff and postdocs
9am until 1pm in the Spring Lane Building lecture theatre

• Learn more about research career destinations
• Become a better researcher
• Ask funders questions

A more detailed conference programme is available to view here. The conference was followed by our Falling Walls Lab: York 2017 which ran 2 until 4.30pm. 

Research Staff Development and Concordat Shared Practice Event 2016

The event took place on Thursday, 9 June 2016 from 12:00 to 16:00 at BS/104 (The Treehouse) Berrick Saul Building.

It was aimed at: Research staff/fellows/postdocs, PIs and those responsible for the implementation of the Concordat in departments (eg DRCs).

Details of the event are now available.

HR Excellence in Research Award retained

The University of York is one of ten UK universities to retain the HR Excellence in Research Award from the European Commission.

Following an external evaluation administered by Vitae, which is supported by Research Councils UK (RCUK) and UK HE funding bodies, York has retained the award for a further four years.

The results were announced by Ellen Pearce, Director of Vitae at the ‘HR Excellence in Research Award: exploring strategies for evaluation, evidence and future directions’ event in London on 23 January 2015.

"The Award demonstrates a university's commitment to improving the working conditions and career development for research staff, which will in turn improve the quantity, quality and impact of research for the benefit of UK society and the economy."

Ellen Pearc