Connect with others

The researcher communities at our University have long held and nurtured its inquiring spirit intact. There are multiple communities in the University that were created to support the different aspects of researcher hood. Afterall, there was never a good researcher who did it alone.

In this page, you will get to know the various communities that exist in the universities.

Researcher community

The researcher communities operate in multiple formats, ranging vastly in their membership, remit and purpose.

Researcher forums

Forums connect on-ground research practice to high-level strategy. These are collaborative, executive spaces which create tangible change through policies, initiatives and programmes.

Research staff forum

What is it about? The Research Staff Forum is the University’s primary area for consulting with the University’s most transient staff cohort – research staff. The original focus of the group was to support the University’s commitment to the Concordat to support the Career Development of Researchers and has evolved over the years to become an important space for addressing researcher employability, recognition and policy development. For more information about the committee, visit the Research staff forum page.

Who are the members? Chaired by the Vice-Principal for Research and Innovation and attended by research staff. This highly talented cohort includes research assistants, research fellows, senior research fellows and specialist facility staff from across the University.

Any School can have one to three research staff representatives. The Forum also has two or three research group leaders from the Sciences and Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.

How will it benefit you? The forum is highlyr engaged in the policies and procedure that concern key aspects of a researcher’s journey. This can range from matters of employment, career development, environment and culture. It keeps you connected to the ongoing conversation as well as lends you the voice to be a part of it.

How to get in touch? If you would like to become a representative or have questions, please email: [email protected].

Sub-Committee on Researcher Career Development

What is it about? The Researcher Career-development Sub-Committee is a standing group of research and professional services representatives to steer the work of maintaining and enhancing our professional development offer for research staff. It drives researcher career development across the University through strategic initiatives that scope, listen to and leverage the existing career needs of researchers. For more information, visit the Sub-Committee on Researcher Career Development page.  

Who are the members? This Sub-Committee recruits new representative members every 3 years using a simple and open process. It is helmed by a chair from professional services and an academic lead. The other members include the Executive Director of RSS, two Principal Investigators, eight research representatives, two School/Dept level research support representatives, one Careers Service representative and one Human Resources representative. 

How will it benefit you? This committee is a space to understand, access, assess, and deploy key professional development initiatives across the University. It allows you to input, understand and shape useful developmental initiatives.  

How to get in touch? If you would like to know more or have questions, book a call with us.

Sub-Committee on Research Integrity

What is it about? The Sub-Committee on Research Integrity provides an academic-led approach to the University’s continuous improvement in relation to enhancing its culture of research integrity, and the associated policies, guidance, awareness-raising, training and monitoring. For more information, visit the Sub-Committee on Research Integrity page. 

Who are the members? The committee is helmed by a Chair from Professional Services and an Academic Lead. The representatives include four academic representatives (covering a range of career stages – PGR, postdoc and permanent staff), one technician representative, one School/Dept level research support representative.  

How will it benefit you? This committee is key in the maintenance and the enhancement of the culture of research integrity in the University through policy, training, guidance and monitoring. This ropes you into the ongoing institutional and global conversations on ethics and integrity providing a strong setting for your expertise and insights.  

How to get in touch? If you would like to know more about the committee or have questions, contact: [email protected]. 

Researcher networks

As a researcher, a hand on the pulse of wider developments in your field is crucial. Disciplinary networks come in handy to help you with that. They aid dialogue, development and diversity of thought. Here is a list of external networks researchers at our University are a part of –

If you did not find what you were looking for, we encourage you to start your own community. Communities attract people from walks of life so similar yet so different from yours. If you would like more support, or are in a network which you think the wider researcher community might find useful, drop an email to <[email protected]>