UK Research Staff Association
UKRSA, in association with Vitae, aims to provide a collective voice for research staff across the UK, through building researcher communities and influencing policy.
- What does the UKRSA do?
- Representing researchers
- Research communities
- Research staff associations
Who are the UKRSA and what do they do?
The vision at UKRSA is to enable a fulfilling career for every researcher.
The UKRSA mission is to empower research staff to take control of their careers and contribute to policy.
Read our guide below to learn more about the important work of the UKRSA.
What does the UKRSA do?
As well as providing a collective voice for research staff across the UK, through building researcher communities and influencing policy, the UKRSA is also involved with research staff issues on a national and international level and encourages research staff to engage with their institutions on issues affecting them at a local level.
What is a research staff association?
- Research staff associations are researcher-led groups or organisations that provide support for new and existing researchers.
- Research staff inform and develop the skills and knowledge base within their institutions. They can provide a focal point for their institutions to engage with on research staff issues and initiatives.
Which areas can research staff contribute to within their institutions?
- Informing institutional policy through representation on local committees covering areas such as working conditions, professional development and career opportunities
- Facilitating the organisation of training activities or career development sessions for other researchers
- Ensuring that the provisions introduced by employers deliver to research staff and are tailored to their needs.
Representing researchers
The UKRSA is involved with research staff issues on a national and international level.
The UKRSA provides a collective voice for research staff across the UK by having members of its advisory board represent the interests of research staff in various policy forums and steering groups.
These policy forums and steering groups include:
- Concordat Strategy Group – The Concordat is an agreement between the funders and employers of researchers in the UK. It sets out the expectations and responsibilities of each stakeholder in researcher careers – researchers themselves, their managers, employers and funders.
- CROS/PIRLS Steering Committee – The Careers in Research Online Survey (CROS) and Principal Investigator and Research Leaders Survey (PIRLS) are aimed at gathering anonymous data about working conditions, career aspirations and career development opportunities for research staff.
- Vitae Policy Forums – Vitae Policy Forums are invitation-only events for senior staff who could speak on behalf of the institution on matters related to researcher development.
- UK HR Excellence in Research Award Panel – A UK-wide process enables UK HEIs to gain the European Commission’s HR Excellence in Research Award, which acknowledges their alignment with the principles of the European Charter for Researchers and Code of Conduct for their Recruitment.
- Every Researcher Counts (ERC) Advisory Group – The long-term aim of the ERC project is to change culture and practice, and build capacity within HEIs, by embedding equality and diversity within the normal business of employing and developing researchers.
- British Council Researcher Links International Initiative Steering Group – The British Council is launching the British Council Researcher Links initiative, in partnership with various research and higher education organisations from around the world.
Online research communities
Where are the research communities internationally?
National communities of researchers
- Canada – Canadian Association of Postdoctoral Scholars – CAPS
- France –La Nouvelle Génération des Biotechnologistes – NGB -New Generation of Biotechnologists
- Germany – Biotechnologische Studenteninitiative e.V. – btS -Biotechnological Students Initiative
- Ireland – Irish Research Staff Association – IRSA
- Netherlands – Postdocs Career Development Initiative – PCDI
- Spain – L’Associació de Biotecnòlegs de Catalunya – ASBTEC – Biotechnologists Association of Catalonia
- United States of America – National Postdoc Association – NPA
Research staff associations
Where are the research staff associations located in the UK?
There are various research staff associations across the UK, mainly connected to universities and research institutions. Check your institution’s webpages or ask in your research office for more information on the research staff association most appropriate for you.
Things to takeaway
- As well as providing a collective voice for research staff across the UK, through building researcher communities and influencing policy, the UKRSA is also involved with research staff issues on a national and international level.
- Research staff associations are researcher-led groups or organisations that provide support for new and existing researchers.
- There are various research staff associations across the UK, mainly connected to universities and research institutions.