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
Funders responsible for holding PIs to account for behaviour
While funding comes from outside bodies to specific researchers, universities have little incentive to effectively deal with complaints against bullying supervisors as they would lose the research funding. If complaints were directed to the funding body, a promise could be made to reallocate money to another researcher to be based at the same institution in the event of behaviour serious enough to warrant withdrawal of funds. The University would no longer have a financial incentive not to dismiss or discipline group leaders who are breaking codes of conduct.
over 1 year ago
Having for each task an amount of time calculated with value £ per hour (e.g. what happens for teaching contracts for postgrad students)
Long hours at work culture.
12 months ago
Specific funding allocation for professional development activities of postdocs on grants
Postdocs who are hired on grants should have access to funding for professional development activities and this could be accomplished by having a specific funding allocation on grants for this purpose.
over 1 year ago
Limit the size of labs
I have worked in France before, where certain organisations have a limit on the number of PhD students a PI can have at any one time. A rule to limit things is harsh, but may be necessary as a PI can only give so much time to each person. Perhaps we could structure so that a group of x size is limited to y number of PhD students, which have a corresponding number of post-doctoral researchers, technicians, lab manager, support staff etc.
over 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.
