Research culture: let's reimagine how we work together
We want to hear your solutions to improve research culture. As a funder we need to play our part, and your role is essential. Achieving a successful research culture needs collective responsibility and change at all levels. Your ideas will help us to craft a set of ambitious goals for creating a better culture.
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Thousands of researchers have taken part in the largest ever survey into experiences of research culture. Now we want to hear your solutions to some of the concerns that have been raised. Your ideas will help us craft a set of ambitious goals for creating a better culture.
Check out the ideas that have already been suggested below, comment and vote for the ones you think could make a difference. Or you can add your own idea following this format (you'll need to create an account to vote and add responses).
Add your idea:
Title of your idea/solution
Enter a short description (optional):
1) A brief description - who can make the change and how?
2) Examples of what you could do to support this change.
3) Stick to under 250 words.
4) If you want, you can tag your institution!
Help us make sure everyone feels safe and free to engage in discussions. Don't be rude, hateful or insulting--we will not tolerate this. You can respectfully challenge ideas but never attack the person. Check out our forum etiquette and moderation rules.
Find out more about Wellcome's campaign to reimagine research.
View All Ideasover 1 year ago
Supervision to be recognised as an important part of mid to late career researcher's role, with mandatory training
In our institution there is mandatory training for supervising PhD students, but not for supervising other researchers. Some early-career researchers are given group supervision, meaning that it is hard to bring up difficulties they are having due to other members of the team. We discussed that seniors need to take responsibility for any harassing behaviour of their supervisees, such as always providing 1-to-1 supervision for complaints to be brought up or discussed with the accused. Training should be given in how to tackle harassment and other behaviours that lead to negative work environments. If training were given and the work recognised and recompensed, we felt the standard may improve.
over 1 year ago
People's ability to work beyond hours and produce output naturally varies through the life-course. More allowance should be made for this.
Institutions, grant-awarding boards and people in management should be made to consider that a person's ability to produce output as measured by e.g. ref can vary throughout their lives, for example, if sick or have caring responsibility. This is a normal part of life for everyone, but is especially true for women with small children, carers, those with mental health difficulties. These people should be judged on the quality of their work, in the expectation that quantity may fluctuate. This is a diversity issue, because disadvantaged minorities may be hit harder in terms of ability to access or afford certain solutions (such as childcare or accommodation close to workplace). Many managers may have not experienced this in their own lives or have been able to overcome fairly easily, but should be aware it is not always so easy for others.
9 months ago
Outline expectations early
Departments/Institutes should encourage PIs to meet with postdocs/students early in the relationship to discuss the expectations they have, for example, it could be part of the induction process or be outlined in a lab manual. This would provide clarity on issues such as work/life balance, project management, conference attendance, career goals, etc. and might prevent certain issues from arising or escalating later in the relationship.
over 1 year ago
Supporting Junior Researchers
Where postdoctoral researchers are eligible for small research grants (according to funders' criteria), encourage University management to allow them to apply. Currently, only higher pay grade postdocs or academics are allowed to apply for research funding. The first few years of postdoctoral research are critical for building a publication record, a professional network, and obtaining preliminary data for independent fellowships. Some smaller grants are available to supplement this period, e.g. for travel, but if they include any research-related costs they are currently not permitted under some University rules. Smaller awards would help junior researchers to demonstrate their suitability for more ambitious and more competitive applications. This situation is worsened by the low proportion of postdocs who achieve (or who are put forward for) promotion, also limiting the numbers of those who are eligible to apply for funding.
over 1 year ago
Turn Universities into evolutionary organisations, building healthy research cultures from the bottom up
Create spaces through training courses for academic impact champions, directors and deans with responsibility for impact and impact officers from professional services to empower colleagues to identify barriers preventing them from doing their best work. Give them permission to experiment, starting with easy, low-risk solutions they don't have to fund or ask permission for, building on what works and adapting what doesn't, to create their own research culture between them and their closest colleagues. At worst, it is possible to create a protective bubble in a toxic culture, but at best, when people are given permission and encouraged to experiment, unexpected new ways of working emerge and spread from person to person and group to group, with multiple cultures aligned with people's different values all emerging in parallel, to create a diverse and motivated body of researchers
