Research Staff Association

Lancaster University Research Staff Association (RSA) supports and empowers research staff across all Faculties and Institutes to develop inspiring, progressive and fulfilling research career experiences, in an environment that maximises academic and research opportunities. Since its inception in 2013, the RSA has been run on a voluntary basis by University research staff with the support of the Organisation Development (OD) team.

RSA undertakes a wide range of activities and events, which include:

• Facilitated workshops enabling research staff to develop and reflect on individual career paths.
• Informal gatherings and networking events facilitating social and professional connections to bring about cross-cutting research opportunities.
• Social events and opportunities to meet other research staff across all disciplines.
• Representation on the Researcher Concordat Implementation Group.

Through these activities, the RSA seeks to:

• Retain high quality research staff at Lancaster University through career signposting and knowledge sharing.
• Raise awareness and understanding of the specific issues facing research staff working at Lancaster University, for example, the ‘contractual turbulence’ of fixed-term contracts.
• Develop, support and maintain a research community through networking, collaboration and mutual sharing of knowledge and experience.
• Promote and sustain robust lines of communication and engagement between researchers and the university, through the effective representation of research staff needs to senior management.
• Establish strong links with Research Staff Associations at other HEIs, particularly in the North West, learning from other Associations’ experiences and developing examples of best practice.
• Contribute to the development of institutional research policy, and progress the implementation of the Vitae Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers.
• Helping develop a Code of Practice for the development of research staff

As a researcher at Lancaster, membership to the RSA is automatic during the course of your employment at Lancaster University. You are welcome to attend all informal meetings, presentations, discussion forums, workshops and social occasions.

Getting involved

We are always looking for volunteers to help us maintain the Association, so please do come and share your experience and expertise with us.

For more information or to become more involved in the organisation and running of the RSA by simply contacting rsa@lancaster.ac.uk

For regular updates, head over to the RSA WordPress

RSA Executive Group members:

• Dr Linda Cusworth (Law School, FASS)
• Dr Oliver Bates (SCC, FST)
• Dr Olivia Gable (The Work Foundation, LUMS)
• Dr Ghazala Khan (Medical School, FHM)

For more information on Researcher representation in your own department please contact your department or faculty Research Staff rep. List