UCA is committed to supporting the experience and career progression of our research staff, with opportunities for professional and personal development.

In 2021, UCA signed a letter of commitment to The Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers (commonly known as the Researcher Development Concordat). The Concordat is an agreement between universities, research institutes and funders to support the career development of researchers in the UK and is based on three core principles:

1. Environment and Culture: Healthy working environments attract and develop a more diverse workforce, impact positively on individual and institutional performance, and enhance staff engagement.

2. Employment: This principle recognises the importance of fair, transparent, and merit-based recruitment, progression and promotion, effective performance management, and a good work-life balance.

3. Professional Development: Researchers must be equipped and supported to be adaptable and flexible in an increasingly diverse global research environment and employment market.

By signing up to the Concordat, UCA has committed to producing an annual report outlining the progress and efficacy of our policies and procedures in accordance with the Concordat's standards and make this publicly available. You can read UCA's Annual Report for 2024/25 academic year here.

Previous annual reports and documents can be found below: