Are you involved in developing your local culture, or leading on a SPRE initiative? Looking for inspiration to help support your work? Or perhaps you’re interested in how we’re driving our research culture forward at Bath and want to hear more.
Whatever your reason, we'd love to see you at one of our upcoming events:
Develop a Research Design tool together - workshop 1
22 October, 09.30-11.15 (8 West 2.23)
How can we make it easier for you to embed positive research culture practices into your work? There are so many things to consider - impact, ethics and integrity, open research, inclusion, sustainability, responsible research and innovation. How can you find the guidance, resources, or expertise you need, exactly when you need it? Come along to this workshop and help co-develop a tool that works for our research community.
This first workshop is for you if you do, or support, research and could benefit from using this tool in the future.
Research Culture - Forward, together
3 November, 09.30-11.30 (1W 2.102 and Claverton Rooms)
Want to learn from others, fast?
Through Lightning Talks and posters, this session will share a range of innovations, experiences, resources, and examples of developing and strengthening research culture practice across disciplines. This one’s particularly great for SPRE leads and anyone advancing research culture in their department. This includes Heads of Department, Directors of Research, and culture and inclusion leads, but is also open to colleagues from any job family/career stage to learn what is happening elsewhere or to share your own innovations.
Develop a Research Design tool together - workshop 2
18 November, 10.00-12.00 (10W 2.45/46)
How can we make it easier for researchers to embed positive research culture practices into their work? There are so many things to consider - impact, ethics and integrity, open research, inclusion, sustainability, responsible research and innovation. How can we make sure researchers have the guidance, resources, or expertise they need, exactly when they need it? Come along to this workshop to help co-develop a tool that works for our research community.
This workshop is for you if you have an interest or expertise in one or more areas of positive research practice.
Support for Setbacks: Panel Discussion
19 November, 13.00-15.00 (Online)
Bringing together some of Bath’s foremost experts and speakers in destigmatizing failure and managing setbacks and uncertainty, join APVCR and host Professor Rachel Arnold for a fascinating panel discussion and related talks, covering support for individuals, teams and systems.
Guest speakers include: Prof. Marcus Munafo, Prof. Daniel Brown, Head of the Centre for Coaching and Leadership Kate Elliott, Prof. Chris Bowen, and more to be confirmed.
Responsible Research Assessment in-person training
25 November, 11.00-13.00 (10W 2.45/46)
This in-person training builds on the RRA online training and offers an introduction to robust, fair and transparent research assessment, including discussion on using metrics responsibly and applying the guidance in practical scenarios.
This training is mandatory for frequent assessors (Heads of Department, Associate Deans for Research, Deans and Academic Staff Committee members). For everyone else, it is optional, although highly encouraged if you are involved in carrying out or supporting research assessment processes such as promotions, recruitment, awards, prizes and internal funding calls.
Conversations on Research Quality with Magdalena Skipper, Editor-in-Chief of Nature
9 December, timings TBC (University of Bath)
Join us for a special visit from Magdalena Skipper, Editor-in-Chief of Nature, exploring the future of research quality, integrity and scholarly publishing.
Through a keynote lecture, audience Q&A and a dedicated workshop for doctoral and early career researchers, the visit will examine the opportunities and challenges presented by AI, open research and evolving approaches to research assessment, while offering practical insights into publishing, peer review and building a successful research profile.
The Researcher Academy
Don't forget that The Researcher Academy has a full workshop programme for research staff, with events scheduled from now until June 2027 available to book here
SPRE support for REF 2029
With preparation for REF 2029 well underway, the previous ‘Environment’ component has been replaced by ‘SPRE’ which stands for ‘Strategy, People & Research Environment’.
Worth 20% of the overall REF score, SPRE uses a narrative-led approach, supported by evidence, to evaluate how universities and research units support infrastructure, invest in people, and foster a strong research environment.
Over the next six months, we’ll be supporting our new SPRE leads with a programme of events to share knowledge, tools, and help foster a sense of community. Full programme details will be available soon but booking is now available for our SPRE Writing Retreat below.
SPRE Writing Retreat
4 March 2027, 09.30-16.00 (Hilton Doubletree, Bath city centre)
This writing retreat offers protected time for SPRE leads/their writing teams to advance their UoA SPRE statement. Expect a collaborative atmosphere, and access to colleagues who can provide practical support - helping you turn ideas into a strong draft.
If you have any questions on SPRE or research culture, please contact the Research Culture team.