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The Concordat

Researcher Development Concordat at Leeds

The University of Leeds is committed to supporting the career progression of our research staff, with opportunities for professional and personal development.

We are signatory to the revised Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers, launched in September 2019.  This is an agreement between funders and employers of research staff to improve the employment and support for researchers.  It has 3 defining principles: Environment and Culture, Employment, and Career Development.

As we state in our sign up letter:

The University of Leeds has a sustained institutional commitment to provide an excellent working environment, which enables our research staff to fulfil their potential. We have an ambitious action plan, developed in partnership with our researchers, which aims to have a positive impact on both our research staff and the institution.

A scanned copy of the letter can be downloaded as a PDF.  The full Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers can be downloaded in PDF or MS Word format.

Our ongoing work to implement the principles of the Concordat led to us retaining the HR Excellence in Research award for 11 years, but following a consultation with our postdoctoral researchers, Early Career Researcher Development Steering Group and Research and Innovation Board, we have decided to withdraw from the HR Excellence in Research Award.  We will focus our efforts on embedding the Concordat ensuring researchers are at the core of our institutional plans as our activities to enhance our research environment evolve, in alignment with our strategic ambitions for Research Culture.

What does this mean for our researchers? 

The Concordat sets out the responsibilities for funders, institutions and your managers, so you will know what you can expect from each of these groups.  It also provides guidelines regarding the responsibilities you have in your own personal and professional development.  Details of the responsibilities for each group can be found on the information pages for researchers, managers and the institution.  

The Concordat at Leeds:

For Researchers

More information and resources for researchers

For Managers

More information and resources for managers

For the Institution

More information and resources for all staff

Concordat Implementation

Find out about our action plan and progress

Concordat Impact and Resources

Documents, guides, resources and reports

Concordat Governance

How we report and evidence our progress

The Researcher Development Concordat - as easy as 1, 2, 3, 4.......

Our 12 minute podcast to get you up to speed on everything to do with the Concordat

Everything you need to know about the Concordat

A series of short recorded presentations from our Concordat Month in January 2023. What it is, our action plan, how it fits with research culture, and what development looks like.

Concordat Annual Reports

View our Concordat Annual Reports

Concordat Progress

A look at what we achieved in our last 4 year action plan

Join our Researcher Development Community

Join the MS Team to find out what professional and career development is available, meet other researchers, feedback on our Concordat action plan and lots more