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Research and Enterprise

Building a Stronger Research Culture at LBU

What makes a great research culture? At Leeds Beckett, it means creating an environment where researchers are supported, valued, and able to thrive. Over the past year, colleagues have taken the time to share their feedback — through surveys, events, and conversations — and that insight has helped shape the university’s priorities.

Drawing on the Research Culture Survey, CEDARS (the Culture, Employment and Development in Academic Research Survey) 2023, PRES (the Postgraduate Research Experience Survey) 2023, and ongoing engagement with the research community, Leeds Beckett has taken meaningful steps to improve how research is recognised and supported. This blog provides an update on progress — and a look at what’s coming next.

Written By

Jaime Harrison

Published on 26 Mar 2025

The exterior of the Rose Bowl seen through a tree

Listening and Acting on Your Feedback

The latest Concordat Annual Report outlines the progress made and sets out the university’s priorities for the year ahead, reflecting how feedback has informed actions aligned with the HR Excellence in Research action plan.

The recently developed Culture Survey Action Plan was created in response to findings from the Research Culture Survey, with a focus on key areas including career development, collaboration, and recognition.

CEDARS 2023 also provided valuable insight into researchers’ experiences of career progression, support, and recognition. While changes are already underway, CEDARS 2025 will offer an important opportunity to evaluate their impact and identify next steps.

What We've Achieved So Far

Over the past year, meaningful progress has been made in several areas:

> LBU Researcher Mentoring Scheme: Launched in September 2024, nearly 60 researchers have been matched with mentors. We’ve also joined a cross-institutional scheme to support mid-career researchers.

> Signatory of DORA: Leeds Beckett is now a signatory of the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), with narrative CV principles embedded in updated academic promotion criteria.

> Research Cafés and ECR Network: The new Early Career Researcher (ECR) Network will launch in June 2025, with events and networking opportunities to follow. Research Cafés are also in development to provide informal spaces for collaboration.

> Festival of Research and Knowledge Exchange: Our 2024 festival showcased research across the university and introduced staff awards to celebrate the contributions of our research community.

> Research Retreats: Funding has been introduced for research retreats — particularly to support women and women of colour. We've had a fantastic response to the funding call and look forward to supporting researchers through this initiative.

> Supporting Our Supervisory Community: We’re enhancing support for supervisors with additional resources and training. This includes helping them gain UKCGE (UK Council for Graduate Education) Supervisor Recognition, strengthening leadership skills and equipping them to guide researchers effectively.

> LBU Research Voices Blog Series: A new blog series has launched to highlight the diverse experiences, achievements, and insights of our research community — giving LBU researchers a platform to share their stories and connect with colleagues.

What's Next

There’s still more to come — here’s what’s ahead for 2025 and beyond:

> Reverse Mentoring and PGR Mentoring: We’re exploring the introduction of reverse mentoring and expanding the existing scheme to include PGRs.

> Enhanced Researcher Induction: A new induction programme will launch in 2025/26, giving new colleagues clearer guidance on university policies, research practices, and career development opportunities — helping them feel supported from day one.

> Career Development: Based on your feedback, a new Career Development Programme will launch in 2025/26 — starting with tailored support for PGRs and colleagues on fixed-term contracts. The programme will focus on strategic career planning, transferable skills, professional confidence, and resilience — helping researchers make informed career choices and thrive within and beyond academia.

> Leadership Pathways: We’re developing three leadership training programmes to support established, emerging, and future research leaders — ensuring researchers have the tools to grow into leadership roles.

> 2025 Festival of Research and Knowledge Exchange: The Festival and Awards will return on 18 and 19 November — further details to follow soon!

> CEDARS 2025: The next survey runs from 19 May – 13 June. Your feedback will help us assess progress and identify new priorities. Please take the time to complete it — your input really does shape decisions!

Why This Matters

Creating a positive and inclusive research culture takes time — but it’s something the university is fully committed to. While not every action has had an immediate impact, the work already underway is building strong foundations for long-term change.

We’ll continue to keep you informed — and if you’d like to get involved, ask questions, or share ideas, you’re always welcome to contact Jaime Harrison j.n.harrison@leedsbeckett.ac.uk or the Researcher Development team at researcherdevelopment@leedsbeckett.ac.uk

Research & Enterprise

Jaime Harrison

Research Culture and Environment Manager / Research Services

Jaime is responsible for enhancing research culture and fostering a supportive, inclusive environment for LBU research colleagues and postgraduate researchers.