HR Excellence in Research Award 2021

Cardiff University retained its HR Excellence in Research Award following a successful external review of how it supports its research staff and their development.

The Award demonstrates an organisation’s commitment to the implementation of the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers. It is an important mechanism for implementing the principles of the Concordat, and in retaining their Awards institutions have demonstrated their long-term commitment to the career development of researchers.

The University is one of four UK universities that retained the Award after their ten year review.

The award acknowledges that the University completed a gap analysis of its existing policies and practice against the Concordat, developed a robust action plan for implementation and considered the views of its researchers.

Over the next two years the University will focus on the four following actions set out in its Concordat Action Plan:

• Raise awareness across the institution of its commitments and responsibilities under the Researcher Development Concordat to support a positive research environment for its research staff.
• Extend and diversify researcher personal and professional development opportunities to ensure that all research staff are informed and equipped for their future careers.
• Amplify the researcher voice and visibility in University policy-making and strategy, empowering research staff to help shape our research cultures and environment.
• Improve researcher equality, diversity, and inclusion, including support for well-being and mental health, to enable all our research staff to thrive.

Professor Karin Wahl Jorgensen, Dean for Research Environment and Culture said, “The HR Excellence in Research Award is a welcome recognition of the University’s commitment to advancing researcher careers and supporting a positive research environment. I look forward to working with researchers and other colleagues across the University on the next step in implementing the action plan.”

The aims of the Concordat align closely with a larger, ongoing programme of work focusing on enhancing the research environment and culture of the University.