Research Cultures
Research Cultures
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What is Research Culture?

Research cultures are built on the values, expectations and behaviours that shape how we support, deliver and communicate our research.

Research cultures are built and maintained by the actions, interactions, behaviours and processes that we all encounter and perform while undertaking or supporting research.  These cultures are felt and influenced by us at individual, team, department, university and wider discipline level.  Research cultures can be experienced differently at each level and within each discipline, which is why University of Edinburgh's approach acknowledges that we experience and contribute to multiple research cultures, and that a University the size of Edinburgh will have many research cultures.

 

Research culture encompasses the behaviours, values, expectations, attitudes and norms of our research communities. It influences researchers’ career paths and determines the way that research is conducted and communicated.

Research Culture | Royal Society

We want to help build a better research culture – one that is creative, inclusive and honest. Current practices prioritise outputs at all costs, and this is damaging people’s wellbeing and undermining the quality of research. Expectations around how research is conducted need to be reimagined.

Research Culture | Wellcome

In recent years funders and policy makers have increased their interest in research culture, a broad agenda that covers individual and organisational culture; equality, diversity and inclusion; management practices and policies; research ethics and integrity; open research; research impact and how all these areas inter-relate with each other.  Although the term 'research culture' has gained prominence recently, University of Edinburgh has been engaged in improving aspects of our research culture for many years, for example through our committments to our Athena SWAN action plans and our Open Research Roadmap.

Research Cultures Action & Delivery Plan

In February 2023, University of Edinburgh published its first Research Cultures Action Plan.  More details can be found at the link below.

Funder & Policy Maker Views on Research Cultures

 

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