Responsibilities for researchers
It’s a good idea to know what your responsibilities are as a researcher to enable you to perform your research at your best.
- Responsibilities for researchers
- Professional development review
What are my responsibilities as a researcher?
Knowing your responsibilities as a researcher is vital to fully understanding your role.
Follow our guide below to understand your responsibilities and how you can progress your professional development.
Responsibilities for researchers
The European Charter for Researchers sets out the following responsibilities for researchers which includes:
- Research freedom
- Ethical principles
- Professional responsibility
- Professional attitude
- Contractual and legal obligations
- Accountability
- Good practice in research
- Dissemination, exploitation of results
- Public engagement
- Relationship with supervisors (and managers)
- Supervision and managerial duties
- Continuing professional development
The Researcher Development Concordat and the Research Integrity Concordat also outline responsibilities for researchers, so it is worthwhile consulting these.
It’s also recommended you consult the Vitae Researcher Development Framework for a comprehensive outline of the behaviours, attributes and skills you will need to be a successful researcher.
Good to note:
- Institutions are expected to support you in your development, however the responsibility for your own professional development lies with you.
- You need to identify the training and experience you need to get you to where you want to be.
- It’s also your responsibility to communicate your career aspirations.
- Most institutions provide mentoring, performance reviews, appraisals and professional development reviews to create a formal structure for career conversations to take place.
- Your line manager and your institution should ensure you have opportunities in place to explore your career development.
Professional development review
Research staff will normally undergo a professional development review or appraisal on an annual or biennial basis. This is a formal process, using your job description and project-specific targets as a checklist, to enable you and your line manager to take stock of progress during the previous year, and to plan ahead.
What are the components of the review?
- A review of your research project – are the aims of the project being met or have these changed? If so, how can you adapt?
- A review of your wider career and professional development goals and how your employer can support you in achieving them.
As good practice, it is recommended to have two separate meetings to discuss these two components individually. A different reviewer will be needed for each:
- 1. A project review meeting to discuss progress towards the goals of the specific research project, usually with your principal investigator or line manager.
- 2. A development review meeting to focus on the wider career and personal development of the researcher beyond the current project, often with a careers’ advisor, mentor or researcher developer.
Good to note:
If you would prefer to have a personal development review with an independent person rather than your line manager, you are entitled to ask for one.
What is involved in a typical personal development review?
- A written self-assessment of what you have achieved since the last meeting.
- A formal meeting between you and your reviewer, where you will discuss your self-assessment and agree your goals for the coming year.
- A written summary of the discussion and the goals agreed.
- Ongoing review of the goals is critical – keep a copy of your written goals so that you can refer to them regularly.
What is involved in a typical project review or appraisal?
- A self-assessment to assess whether the project targets have been met since the last meeting.
- A formal meeting to discuss the self-assessment and to agree on project targets with your line manager.
- A written record of the meeting, which, along with your job description, will form the basis for the next review.
Things to takeaway
- The European Charter for Researchers sets out the responsibilities for researchers
- The Researcher Development Concordat and the Research Integrity Concordat also outline responsibilities for researchers, so it is worthwhile consulting these.
- Institutions are expected to support you in your development, however the responsibility for your own professional development lies with you.
- Research staff will normally undergo a professional development review or appraisal on an annual or biennial basis.