Research initatives
We support a number of research collaborations within Wales, and also partner the other higher education funding bodies and other organisations in several UK-wide initiatives to benefit research.
We established the Reconfiguration and Collaboration Fund to strengthen the Welsh higher education sector by promoting collaboration between institutions. The Fund supports developments across the full range of institutions’ activities, not just research. It has, however, played an important role in strengthening the research base in Wales by supporting a number of research partnerships.
Reconfiguration and Collaboration Fund
Aberystwyth/Bangor Research and Enterprise Partnership
Wales Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience
Wales Institute of Mathematical and Computational Sciences
Wales Institute of Social and Economic Research, Data and Methods (WISERD)
Biosciences and Environmental Alliance
We have signed the following agreements, and are working with other bodies across the UK to ensure they are implemented:
A set of principles drawn up by organisations that fund research in the UK to encourage public engagement to boost the social and economic impact of research.
Concordat for Engaging the Public with Research
A statement of the expectations and responsibilities of researchers, their managers, employers and funders in relation to career development, which aims to increase the attractiveness and sustainability of research careers in the UK
The Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers
As part of this commitment to the careers of researchers, we are encouraging universities in Wales to participate in the following:
We encourage HE institutions in Wales to participate in the Careers in Research Online Survey designed to explore the working conditions, career aspirations and career development opportunities for research staff. Run biennially, CROS 2011 was open for HE institutions from 1 March to 31 May 2011
Complementary to CROS, PIRLS aims to collect responses from principal investigators – researchers - on how they gained the experience and capabilities that have made them research leaders, and on how the research leaders of tomorrow may gain the experience and capabilities that they will need. PIRLS will also run every two years and was open for HE institutions from 1 May and 30 June 2011
We are supporting a HEFCE-commissioned project that aims to improve equality and diversity in research careers across the UK. The project will be carried out by Vitae.
Every researcher counts: equality and diversity in research careers
