chorus a concept of collaboration and a tale of togetherness

CHORUSCHORUSA Concept of Collaboration and a Tale of TogethernessA Concept of Collaboration and a Tale of Togetherness

CHORUSCHORUSA Concept of Collaboration and a Tale of TogethernessA Concept of Collaboration and a Tale of Togetherness

Alison McCleery – Convenor, Universities Scotland Research Training Sub-Committee and

Director of Research Strategy at

Universities Scotland

Alison McCleery MURG Spring ConferenceCoventry March 2012

Singing in CHORUSCross-sector generic skills support for Scotland’s researchers

A proposal for aA proposal for a• collaborative HUB of opportunities for collaborative HUB of opportunities for

researchers in Scottish universitiesresearchers in Scottish universitieswhichwhich• responds to the challenge of embedding the responds to the challenge of embedding the

Roberts concept efficiently & effectively andRoberts concept efficiently & effectively and• sings from the same song sheet across the sings from the same song sheet across the

diverse HE research landscape in Scotlanddiverse HE research landscape in ScotlandAlison McCleery MURG Spring Conference

Coventry 2012

What is CHORUS?What is CHORUS?What is CHORUS?What is CHORUS?

Scottish HE Research Collaboration Scottish HE Research Collaboration Scottish HE Research Collaboration Scottish HE Research Collaboration

• Research competitiveness through collaboration• SFC/SG promotion of Scottish research excellence • Excellent precedent of doing research via pooling• ESRC DTC Scotland / Scottish Graduate School• Appetite for sector-wide generic skills training too• KE, PE and Impact now all-important for the REF• KE Step Change Pilot Project won THE 2010 Award• US research training sub-committee ideal vehicle


The Duty of Care to Researchers The Duty of Care to Researchers The Duty of Care to Researchers The Duty of Care to Researchers

The researchers: ECRs are the research leaders of tomorrow to whom we owe a duty of care

The requirement: ECRs must make a real world impact and be capacity built in order to do so

The rationale: initial investment in personal gain translates in turn into delivery of public good

The reach: A sector-wide approach to delivery produces essential cross-fertilisation of ideas as well as desirable economies of scale

Alison McCleery MURG Spring Conference Coventry March 2012

The KE Step Change ExemplarThe KE Step Change ExemplarThe KE Step Change ExemplarThe KE Step Change Exemplar

What: to translate research into impact through a cross-sector culture change across the cohort of ECRs

How: by changing the researcher mindset so that KE is perceived as a core element of the ‘normal’ research portfolio

Why: to instil attributes of openness, flexibility and adaptability and so make an impact beyond the academy


Engaging ExperiencesEngaging ExperiencesEngaging ExperiencesEngaging Experiences

• Across discipline boundaries: opportunities for semi-structured encounters between ECRs from a range of disciplines

• Across sector boundaries: opportunities for formal and informal encounters by ECRs with entrepreneurs and innovators

• Across institutional boundaries: opportunities for exploring key national institutions

and analysing their inter-linked functions


Something for EveryoneSomething for EveryoneSomething for EveryoneSomething for Everyone


Coordinated by Universities Scotland & funded by Scottish Funding Council with buy-in from:

• Scotland’s HEIs (all in it together!)• Scottish Government• RSE & NESTA • Key enterprise stakeholdersA ‘step change’ for KE; a key change for HE?

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it – build on it!!

Something from Everyone: Something from Everyone: Genuine CollaborationGenuine Collaboration

Something from Everyone: Something from Everyone: Genuine CollaborationGenuine Collaboration


• ‘Life-changing’• ‘Worthwhile but time-consuming’• ‘Worthwhile and thought provoking’• ‘No magic answer ... just confidence and a

prepared approach’• ‘If it makes sense, then we can do it – maybe!’A development opportunity worth investing in for

its career-enhancing, capacity-building potential

What did the participants say?What did the participants say?What did the participants say?What did the participants say?


What did the participants say?What did the participants say?• By offering distinctive added value

building capacity collaboratively• By responding to social and economic needs

enhancing pgr/ecr employability (1 in 8)• By tackling sector and societal challenges

promoting equality & diversity• By securing high-level sector buy-in for an expanded

but optional initiative


Building on Scottish SuccessBuilding on Scottish SuccessBuilding on Scottish SuccessBuilding on Scottish Success

• Systematic, enduring engagement between employers and research organisations, focused on ensuring the supply of high level skills for the Scottish economy;

• A resource base of exemplars of good practice in developing the employability of researchers;

• Enhanced employability for all researchers participating in CHORUS projects;• Substantial progress in ensuring equality and diversity in research careers, within and

beyond academic institutions;• Significant efficiencies in researcher development, enabling both sustainability and

future investment to extend and enhance provision;• Researcher development which is fully embedded within research leadership,

management and performance as a key contribution to research excellence;• A streamlined researcher development landscape within Scotland, combining strategic

leadership and practitioner support;• Substantial enhancements to Scotland’s brand reputation for excellence in research,

attested by external quality assurance and REF performance

Projected CHORUS outcomesProjected CHORUS outcomesProjected CHORUS outcomesProjected CHORUS outcomes


• Strategic Barriers – political, institutional, financial, definitional

• Operational Challenges – too little, too late; or too much, too soon?

• Difficult Dilemmas – driven by excellence, or by economy & efficiency

• Sensible Solutions – consult, communicate, compromise, complete

From Rhetoric to RealityFrom Rhetoric to RealityFrom Rhetoric to RealityFrom Rhetoric to Reality


• SFC R & KE Committee– content with a previous version

• US R & KE Committee– content in principle but not yet in practice

• SFC Investment Committee– yet to be approached and convinced

• Writing team– needing to communicate, consult and compromise– at risk of fracturing along predictable fault lines

CHORUS Status ReportCHORUS Status ReportCHORUS Status ReportCHORUS Status Report


• Keep calm and carry on• Collaborate and compete locally• Collaborate to compete globally• Don’t cut off your nose ...• Remember the ESRC DTC• Communicate and consult widely• If at first you don’t succeed ...• Watch this space!

CHORUS Next StepsCHORUS Next StepsCHORUS Next StepsCHORUS Next Steps


Thank youThank youfor your attentionfor your attention

Thank youThank youfor your attentionfor your attention

Any questions?

Universities Scotland

Singing in CHORUS Cross-sector generic skills support for Scotland’s researchers


chorus a concept of collaboration and a tale of togetherness

Documents

director of research

normal research portfoliowhy

research leaders of

key change

crosssector culture

ke step change exemplarwhat

sectorwide approach

scottish funding council