Our Researcher Development Framework

Career development is integral to realising our full potential as academics. Our Researcher Development Framework has been created to bring additional structure and consistency to the support we provide Essex researchers, as they progress through their careers and strive to improve continually and make a meaningful impact.

We have spent a considerable amount of time developing this important piece of work. It’s the result of an extensive process of consultation across our entire research community – including our early career researchers and our most experienced researchers, as well as our colleagues from professional services. It’s the product of many minds and structured around four key categories that we collectively identified as making up the research development journey. The framework is also informed by the Vitae’s Researcher Development Framework.

When our researchers visit to the exploration tool of the Research Development Framework, they will find the following four categories:

• Enhancing professional skills
• Funding your research
• Managing and leading research projects
• Public Engagement, Knowledge Exchange and Impact

This exploration tool has been devised so colleagues can dip in and out of these areas depending on what they feel is most useful to them.

There’s a strong collaboration element that seeks to encourage sharing and co-creation both within and between disciplines, with the overall aim of strengthening still further the great research we produce every day while building purposeful relationships. This year, there have been over 48 new events scheduled to support researchers as part of Newcomers, Impact Academy and CER programmes. These activities, as well as case studies and more generic professional development offerings, can be accessed by engaging with the full Develop at Essex Moodle site.

Finally, all researchers are encouraged to develop a short profile on the Peer Mentoring database so other colleagues can reach out to them to learn, develop and share their experience and expertise. When preparing the profile, please declare interest in supporting the continuous enhancement and delivery of the framework by offering to deliver or co-deliver workshops, facilitate group coaching for researchers, or support the ongoing evaluation of the framework itself.

Enjoy looking around Develop at Essex and do keep coming back. It’s a comprehensive resource that exists to helps our researchers to be the very best. Find out more about my thoughts on our Researcher Development Framework.

Any queries or feedback, please email develop@essex.ac.uk or myself.