& Value 2.1.3 Research managers should be required to participate in active performance management, including career development guidance and supervision of those who work in their teams Support Principal Investigators who currently manage teams or who aim to in the future and offer tailored courses Offer ‘Managing a Team’ for experienced PIs or consultants Promote Vitae resources for PIs via website/MySOAS and staff Bulletin Promote SOAS toolkit resources under theme of ‘Managing People and Teams’ 31/07/19 Include management of teams as a ‘Coffee Morning’ topic; Increased awareness by PIs of Vitae & SOAS Self-Development Toolkit resources so that at least 75% of PIs are aware of the Concordat and Vitae resources, measured through annual survey and reported to REC by 2018. Target: 100% by 2020. Research Manager & Value 2.1.4 Research managers should be required to participate in active performance management, including career development guidance and supervision of those who work in their teams Support Principal Investigators who currently manage teams or who aim to in the future and offer tailored courses Continue to develop the REO programme of support including making courses available online Launch and run training programme 31/07/19 Continue to develop and run 8 courses for PIs with feedback satisfaction at 4.00 and above (5 point scale). Target: 75% to attend/complete online at least one session annually Research Manager Support & Career 3.1.1 Employers should provide a planned induction programme to ensure early effectiveness through the understanding of the organisation and its policies and procedures Induction & Orientation Encourage research staff to attend the School’s orientation programme. Increase in attendance through informing PIs when their staff do not complete the mandatory orientation training programme 31/03/20 100% of new research staff invited to orientation; 10% increase in attendance each year monitored in the annual report to REC. SL&DM
Support & Career 3.1.2 Employers should provide a planned induction programme to ensure early effectiveness through the understanding of the organisation and its policies and procedures Induction & Orientation Review materials on an annual basis. 31/07/19 25% increase in number of research staff to have accessed pages. Usefulness checked in annual focus groups with 75% satisfaction. Reported to REC annually SL&DM Support & Career 3.2.1 Researchers benefit from clear systems that help them to plan their career development Mentoring Scheme Ensure all new research staff are given a mentor to help them with settling into SOAS and career development 01/09/19 100% of new research staff to be offered a mentor. Usefulness to be monitored through annual questionnaire. Target: 80% positive feedback Pro-Director Research Support & Career 3.2.2 Researchers benefit from clear systems that help them to plan their career development Training & Career Development Continue to promote Vitae web site and materials on web site, in online handbook and at new staff orientation programme 31/07/19 Raised awareness of key information indicated in annual feedback questionnaire 2019 & 2020. Target: 80% positive feedback SL&DM Support & Career 3.3 Research managers encourage researchers to maintain or start their CPD Research staff forum Continue to run termly lunch meeting for research staff to meet others from across the institutions and discuss issues 31/07/20 4 sessions run annually during term time starting October 2016. 25% increase in numbers of staff attending at least one session by 2020. Research Manager Support & Career 3.4.1 Research managers provide effective research environments for the training and development of researchers Grant Applications Continue to run specific sessions for research staff on making grant applications including deciding on which funders to apply to at different points in the research career. 31/07/20 One session run with all new researchers invited; online version available. Target: 25% increase in numbers of staff completing course by 2020. Research Manager
Support & Career 3.4.2 Research managers provide effective research environments for the training and development of researchers Epigeum Enhancing Research Ethics/ Research Integrity module Ensure that all new PIs complete the training on changing ethical, legal and professional obligations and standards before starting a new grant 01/07/2020 100% of PIs with new grants to have completed the training before the start of the grant. Training to be done every 3 years Target: 100% of staff with grants to complete the training before the grant starts with refresher training after 3 years Research Governance Officer Support & Career 3.4.3 Research managers provide effective research environments for the training and development of researchers Research Impact programme Deliver an annual programme of events on understanding and ensuring research impact 31/07/20 Design programme, advertise and run 5 workshops. Target: 50% of research staff to attend at least one session Impact Manager Support and Career 3.5 Employers, funders and researchers recognise that researchers need to develop transferrable skills delivered through embedded training Develop Teaching Skills Ensure that all research staff who teach attend the PDHEP Core Modules as per current GTAs (unless they can show previous experience or qualification) 01/10/19 Research staff contract amended to include mandatory attendance at Core Modules prior to teaching; Monitoring system set up to ensure 100% compliance; reported in annual HR equality report Pro Director L&T 5.1.1 Researchers should recognise that the primary responsibility for managing and pursuing their careers is theirs Careers Support All new research staff to be made aware of the dedicated careers support and guidance available to them by email within 12 weeks of contract start. At least one Careers guidance session included in the post-doc lunch programme annually 31/12/20 100% of new research staff to receive welcome email. All staff kept informed of available support by email. Target: 10% increase in numbers attending careers sessions by 2020. Careers
5.1.2 Researchers should recognise that the primary responsibility for managing and pursuing their careers is theirs Training Needs Researchers make use of REO programme, Vitae web site and materials on web site, online handbook, departmental and centrally organised seminars and training events 31/07/20 All staff kept informed of available support by email. Training needs recorded as part of SDR (or replacement/new scheme). Increased participation in centrally organised events to 60% (from 40%) per annum by 2020 SL&DM 5.2 Researchers should ensure that their career development requirements and activities are regularly discussed, monitored and evaluated Personal Development Research Plans Research staff discuss research plans at regular meetings with PI 31/07/19 All PIs to ensure research plans are discussed in line with REF requirements. Completion to be monitored through annual questionnaire. Target: 100% completion HoDs Diversity & Equality 6.1 Public bodies to take positive steps to promote equality Institutional Commitment New EDI Strategy (2016-2020) adopted by SOAS summer 2016 2016-2020 Actions have been identified and will be monitored on a termly basis by EB and EDC Diversity & Inclusion Manager Diversity & Equality 6.2 All managers of research should ensure that measures exist … through which discrimination, bullying or harassment can be reported and addressed Respect at SOAS Publicity campaign to advertise the policy; train more contacts and advertise their availability 31/07/19 A further 5 anti-harassment contacts identified and trained by 2019. Diversity & Inclusion Manager Diversity & Equality 6.3.1 Employers should also consider participation in schemes such as the Athena SWAN Charter … and other initiatives aimed at promoting diversity in research careers Athena Swan Charter, Equality Bronze Award EB to consider benefits of reapplication for bronze award; reconstitute self-assessment team 30/04/19 Athena Swan Self-assessment complete resubmission by deadline Diversity & Inclusion Manager