Research Culture actions and initiatives

Some of the positive actions in the CMVM include:

• Promotion guidance. CMVM actively encourages applicants to Academic Promotions to consider the importance of their behaviours by referring to the Behaviours Charter. The application form states: “In providing evidence to support your application, it is important to reflect on HOW you have achieved what you have as well as WHAT you have achieved. In doing so, you might wish to consider our guidance, in the form of a Behaviours Charter, which reflect our values.”

• Support for ECRs. College Research Office and Institute for Academic Development organise regular career development seminars for our ECRs focussed on preparing for careers beyond or alongside academia, including advice and support to commercially develop research ideas.  Past events included short interviews with speakers who made the switch from academia to a different career path and guidance on how to find mentors using Platform One. Find out more here. 

Some of the positive actions for targeted support include:

• College Research Staff Champions work locally at the Centre/Institute level ensuring visible and active support for research staff at an early stage of their career. They are an essential conduit to and from research staff, with an active involvement in both delivery and development of CMVM policy around research staff support.

• Research Staff Committee aims to support ECRs by running initiatives to support them. Welcome letters are sent to all new ECRs who join the College which information on where they can find support and career development information.  The committee is co-chaired by academic leads from both the medical school and vet school/EB and members include staff representatives from the College Research Office, all College postdoc societies, early career clinician, IAD, PGR experience, research culture and concordat implementation group.  The committee also manages a CMVM ECR mailing list, new starts are automatically added to this list, and relevant information on seminars, funding opportunities, careers events etc are sent ad-hoc.

• Deanery of Clinical Sciences Funding Challenge (2023) provided a small grant to ECRs (PGRs and Postdocs) to apply for funds to support their current studies and research (2023).  This was to provide experience of writing a competitive funding application and to boost their scientific CV.

Some of the positive actions for responsible research include:

• CMVM Fair Publications Policy sets out the requirement to recognise the contributions of technical staff to research in all instances of publications and presentations. The policy applies across the College and is key to delivering the Technician Commitment aims.

• CVS Fair Authorship Guidance sets out expectations for senior authors and their co-authors and promotes best practice by encouraging a fair publication approach. This includes clear criteria for authorship and associated responsibilities, defining author contributorship according to CRediT taxonomy and addressing authorship disputes.

• CVS Guide to Leading a Lab is a template for research groups to help them define responsibilities within the group. The guide is not meant to be prescriptive as it is a collection of opinions, experiences, and tips from CVS Research Integrity Team. PIs are encouraged to discuss ideas in the guide with colleagues, mentors, and share them with lab members; and to personalize it for their own group.

Some of the positive actions for acknowledging and celebrating  cultures include:

• CMVM Staff Recognition Awards recognise staff’s collective and individual achievements. These awards aim to reinforce College’s values and help to foster a welcoming community that is diverse, inclusive and accessible to all. Award categories are: Collaborator Award; Community Engagement Award; Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Award; Excellent Newcomer Award; Innovation Award; Inspiring Others Award; Outstanding Colleague Award; Student Experience Award; Team Excellence Award. An additional award for Exceptional Service is also chosen by the Head of College.  This award is presented to a colleague who has made an exemplary contribution in service of the University community. Their efforts will have exceeded their formal title and stated duties, and provided beneficial and lasting impact on the College community.

• Annual Postdoc Appreciation Week is a local celebration of a National Event. It includes  awards for outstanding postdocs in categories: Citizenship (contribution to the wider community including public engagement) and Research Student Supervision/Support (nominated by staff and students).

BioRhythms – the Edinburgh BioQuarter Community Choir – is a choir for all staff, students, patients, carers and community members based at or around Edinburgh BioQuarter. The aim of the choir is to increase general and mental health and wellbeing for all those on BioQuarter and in the neighbouring communities.