The University of Nottingham aims to be a sector-leading environment for those who conduct, contribute to, manage, enable and support research.
Aligned with our university values, our Research and Knowledge Exchange Culture Strategy sets out our vision until 2034.
Read more about the Research and Knowledge Exchange Culture Strategy
“An inclusive and vibrant Research and Knowledge Exchange (RKE) culture at the University of Nottingham is critical to ensuring our staff and students can bring their authentic self to work and to study. A community where everyone feels they matter and are valued drives ambition and excellence in our Research and Knowledge Exchange work and ensures we retain and nuture our talent. The RKE Culture Strategy serves to clearly articulate our priority areas of work as an organisation and will allow us to address challenges in our culture collectively as a community so that we can all see the benefits at a greater pace.”
Our full Research and Knowledge Exchange Culture Action Plan will be released early in the 24/25 academic year. Here we have included examples of our current ongoing work.
Reducing career precarity
REC-HURDLE (Revisiting Employment Contracts and Help for Under-represented Researcher groups to Develop, Lead and Excel) is a £1million Wellcome Trust funded project to address employment practices which contribute to precarious work.
Over the course of this two-year project we aim to improve the experiences of those engaged in conducting, supporting and enabling research. Activities will include:
- A review of Fixed-Term Contracts: We're conducting a thorough examination of the use and impact of fixed-term contracts across all levels and role types. We’re particularly interested in the impact of fixed term roles on minoritised groups.
- Planning trial/s of new employment models: We will identify existing best practices, both within our sector and internally, and evaluate their potential to reduce contract precarity. By 2026 we will have co-created pilot models with staff and have a plan for roll out.
- Expanded Career Support: We're expanding our support offerings, including a bespoke careers training program for those who identify as Early Career Researchers, online resources accessible 24/7, and increased availability of specialist careers advice, mentoring, and skills development opportunities.
- Targeted offers for underrepresented people: Grant funding includes additional resource for approximately 30 underrepresented people from any staff group. This provides an individualised training program where ordinary provision isn’t suitable.
Connect with the REC HURDLE team to discuss more
Researcher Development Concordat
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Responsible use of metrics in Research Assessment
Understand our principles and processes concerning research ethics and research integrity, including our codes of conduct and our pledge to the Concordat to Support Research Integrity.
Delve into our research integrity principles
We have services and guidance to enable a wide variety of our research outputs to be made openly available wherever possible.
Learn about our open research
Institute for Policy and Engagement
We connect Nottingham's world-leading researchers with the public and policymakers to share insights, solve problems, and tackle local, national and global challenges together.
Access our policy and engagement resources
We are accelerating the translation of zero carbon research into real-world commercial solutions in partnership with industry and government.
Explore the Zero Carbon Cluster