Contact Us
We welcome input from our community and encourage colleagues to share their feedback on our research culture.
For any questions or enquiries, please feel free to get in touch via email at: researchculture@lancaster.ac.uk
Developing our Researchers
As part of our commitment to the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers all Lancaster Research staff are entitled to 10 development days a year (pro rata). Please see the Researcher development days guidance on how to make the most of your 10 Researcher Development days. Follow these instructions to log your development days on People XD (HR portal), so that you, your line manager and the institution are confident that this opportunity is being taken.
Our Code of Practice for Lancaster’s researchers, researcher managers and for the Institution puts the principles within the Concordat in a Lancaster context.
Lancaster’s Organisational Development (OD) and Curriculum and Educational Development Academy (CEDA) teams run an extensive range of programmes. Researcher development is also supported by the Library, who provide support activities and dedicated space for researchers to meet and collaborate with others from across disciplines and the Research Services Office, provide additional information and guidance.
Researcher Career and Development (RCAD) Groups
Each faculty has an RCAD/Research Staff Network, led by and for researchers.
They offer:
- Career development events
- Social and moral support
- Information and advice
- A direct link into opportunities within the faculty/university
- Peer to peer learning
Click on 'show more' for contact details.
“By ECRs, for ECRs”: British Academy Early Career Researcher Network (North West and North Wales Cluster)
This inclusive, researcher-led network is open to all UK-based early career researchers (ECRs) working across SHAPE disciplines. It offers a wide range of training, development, networking, and funding opportunities across the region and nationwide. There is no cost to be a member or attend the events. We welcome staff at Lancaster who identify as research active, including practice-based researchers and independent researchers. The network defines an ECR as someone who has completed their PhD (or equivalent research experience) in the last 10 years. However, there is flexibility for career breaks.
For further information, please visit the British Academy ECRN webpages or contact the cluster’s project manager, Pam Forster, on p.forster@lancaster.ac.uk
Prosper
Prosper is an innovative approach to postdoc career development that seeks to unlock postdocs’ potential to thrive across multiple career pathways – both within and beyond academia.
Explore the Prosper Portal, an online hub packed with insights and tools to help you uncover your career aspirations, discover opportunities beyond academia, and equip yourself with lifelong skills to thrive in any professional path you choose.
The Portal is completely free to use. Registration unlocks the Career Development Navigator function, allowing you to tailor Prosper’s resources to your own journey and create a personalised action plan.
Prosper is led by the University of Liverpool and was developed in partnership with Lancaster University and the University of Manchester.
Researcher Career Development (Bridging) Scheme
The Researcher Career Development (Bridging) Scheme is being supported through our Research England QR Enhancing Research Culture Fund and offers financial and tailored support to researchers who are coming to the end of their indefinite contract with end date and expect a gap before a new contract starts at Lancaster.
A number of researchers are being supported through the scheme in the 24/25 year, receiving up to 3 months of contract extension. In this time they will take up a number of professional and career development opportunities as well as making contributions to enhancing the research culture at Lancaster.
Applications to the scheme are now closed. It is hoped that the scheme will be opened up in the future, subject to funding availability.
100 Black Women Professors Now
Lancaster is working with the Women's Higher Education Network (WHEN) to explore actions and changes to create a strong pipeline of black women professors. The aim of the programme is to provide black women academics with the most inclusive, impactful and bespoke support for their career development and unblock organisational barriers getting in the way of equity and progression.
For more information on the project visit the WHEN webpages.
Academic Probationers' Conference Participation Fund
The Academic Probationers' Conference Participation Fund exists to support the careers of researchers and high-quality research outcomes linked to conference participation (in person or online). Specifically, up to £1,000 is available to support probationers in meeting their probationary conference participation requirements.
Priority will be given to those in the final year of their probationary period, where the probationary conference participation requirements have not yet been met.
The scheme is currently closed for 2024/25. It is hoped to run the scheme again in 2025/26, subject to confirmation of budget.