Paper short abstract:

Through qualitative interviews with high-level university employees tasked with leading the implementation of research culture activities at their institution, this study explores the multifaceted values, agendas, & organisational approaches driving the rise of 'research culture work' in UK academia

Paper long abstract:

The past decade has seen growing attention to the importance that research culture has for the wellbeing of researchers and the conduct of research (e.g., Noorden 2018; Science Europe 2021). This attention has been particularly pronounced in the UK higher education sector, where issues such as heightened competition, the prevalence of metrics, rising job insecurity, and problematic workplace behaviours have raised concerns (see Moran et al. 2020). In response, major funders like the Wellcome Trust have underscored the need for fostering a healthy research culture. Moreover, in 2021-22, Research England established a fund worth £30M (since renewed two more years) to be distributed among English universities to enhance their research culture. This coincides with efforts to elevate the importance of 'research culture' in the upcoming REF evaluation. In response to these developments, a variety of initiatives aiming to cultivate a positive research culture have emerged across the sector, ranging from surveys, events, and working groups to the establishment of new positions and even entire sections dedicated to the cause.

This study is interested in what these initiatives look like across different universities, exploring their organisation, implementation, and the underlying agendas and values driving their development. To gain insights, qualitative interviews have been conducted with high-level university employees tasked with spearheading research culture activities at their institution.

In the talk I will share findings from these interviews, and what they suggest about future work in this emerging field. Additionally, I will situate ‘research culture work’ within related sociological and STS literature.