C‑DICE roundtable discussion on research culture spurs new eLife publication

A new publication Research Culture: Going beyond compliance to build on the Researcher Development Concordat is published in eLife as a result of a Concordat online round table hosted by C-DICE as part of the National Postdoc Conference in 2023.

The article by academics from Bristol, Glasgow, Manchester and Sheffield universities finds that while the UK’s Researcher Development Concordat has clarified expectations and prompted useful institutional action plans, progress is uneven and key barriers remain for postdoctoral researchers.

Priority actions include protecting time and recognition for professional development, reducing reliance on serial fixed‑term contracts in favour of more secure models, improving visibility and resourcing for Concordat activities, and building robust, comparable data to track culture and outcomes over time.

A roundtable discussion at a C-DICE conference including leading sector voices including Nik Ogryzko (Senior Talent Programme Manger at UKRI & Skills) and Yolana Pringle (Director & Deputy CEO at CRAC-Vitae) formed the basis of the open access article.