Vitae International Researcher Development Conference 2026 – call for community content

What works in researcher career support: Evidence, practice and investment

Researcher development has moved a long way in three decades, from the recognition that researchers need professional development alongside their research training to the range of ways professionals and organisations now support researchers: through career transitions, cross-sector mobility, leadership and capability development, and the cultures and systems that shape researcher success. We know more about what works than we did. At the same time, resourcing is under pressure, and organisations are making hard choices about what to sustain, what to cut, and where to focus.

The in-person conference asks where that evidence points us next:

• How much and what kinds of support do researchers need, and when?
• What level of provision is enough to make a real difference to researcher outcomes?
• Where should organisations invest to produce meaningful change?
• What makes support effective in practice across different contexts?

We welcome contributions on career support in its broadest sense, including the programmes, initiatives and cultures that build the capabilities, leadership and professional identity shaping researcher careers. Sessions might share findings from a study, learning from a programme or initiative, reflections on what has worked (or not) in a particular context, or analysis of policy and international practice.

Topics might include career transitions and pathways, leadership and capability development, AI and researcher development, or career support in different sectors and contexts. We also encourage links to the three themes of our strategy: understanding the global landscape of careers in research; making professional and career development relevant, meaningful and sustainable; and championing inclusive and supportive research environments.

Session formats
Proposals should be designed to be engaging for in-person delivery. Sessions should be either:

• 30 minutes, for shorter special interest sessions that share research findings or specific examples of practice. These may include interaction or Q&A but will be more presentational in form.
• 60 minutes, for an interactive workshop, discussion forum, networking activity or similar.

We also invite submissions for in-person posters on any of the themes above, which will be showcased across the two days.

Applications have now closed for in-person content.

Celebrating innovation in researcher development

The online element focuses on new and emerging practice. We invite contributions from across the international researcher development community on what you are trying, what is working, and what you are learning. This is the space for approaches that are recent, in development, or not yet widely shared.

The online format also makes space for voices and contexts that are less often represented at sector conferences, and we particularly welcome contributions from researcher developers working in settings where this kind of practice is still being established.

The day centres on the Vitae Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) final, which will be live-streamed openly. Alongside the live programme, contributions from across the community will be hosted on the Vitae website in a range of formats, available before, during and after the day itself.

For the first time, the online conference is free for Vitae members.

Session formats

Proposals should be designed specifically for online delivery, with careful thought for the experience of online participants. Submissions can be either:

• Live online sessions, 30 or 60 minutes in duration. Examples include interactive workshops, facilitated discussions, or presentations with open Q&A.
• Multimedia content, hosted on the Vitae website. This suits work in the form of a short video, recorded presentation, or other online format.

Applications have now closed for online content.