About
ContactOur mission
- Vitae exists to champion careers in research, across all sectors, as we believe careers in research are open, rewarding and inclusive.
- When all individuals are included and supported in their careers, this enables their research to become more innovative, creative, and ultimately, impactful.
Our values
- Inclusive – we want all those involved in research to feel a part of something meaningful
- Collaborative – we advocate for working together to solve challenges
- Informed by evidence – we use data and evidence to inform decisions
- Act with integrity – at the heart of what we do, we are open and transparent
Who we are
Vitae is a non-profit programme run by the charity the Careers, Research and Advisory Centre (CRAC), which provides research, intelligence and innovation services to those who support career development.
CRAC and Vitae have experience in research projects in areas such as career tracking, research culture and researcher development. Our notable research development tools are the Vitae Researcher Development Framework (RDF), a framework specifically tailored, and recently updated, toward the professional development of researchers; and the Research Culture Framework, which aims to promote open, inclusive and supportive working environments by outlining the behaviours and values required to achieve these.
What we do
- For all aspects of careers in research, we are an independent and trusted provider of evidence.
- We are an advocate for the conditions for individuals to be able to succeed in their careers in research, across any sector.
- We act as a convenor, community builder and collaborator. We work in partnership with the sector, working towards ensuring relevant, inclusive and meaningful professional and career development for all those involved in research.
Our Impact
- In the last year 2023 – 2024, Vitae has made an impact through our events, programmes and research projects, such as:
- The Vitae International Researcher Development Conference (#VitaeCon) – our flagship annual conference took place in September 2024 with impactful themes of belonging, recognition and leadership, bringing together researcher development professionals
- Our policy work to improve the working conditions for researchers, such as the Research culture landscape survey pilot 2024, which gathered the views of those working in research in higher education institutions (HEIs), to understand how best to inform research culture
- Our research and intelligence work, with projects including a think piece for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), ‘Embedding career learning into doctoral programmes.’
