Over the last year ARMA has listened to research leaders from across the UK, asking about challenges they face and how ARMA could support them, resulting in an enhanced offer being launched this spring.
Survey and findings
ARMA’s Member Engagement Committee (MEC) regularly reviews the benefits of membership and identifies areas where we could strengthen what we offer. Last year we launched a project to talk to self-identifying research leaders about any currently unmet needs where ARMA might be able to support them.
In spring 2024 we published an online survey asking for views from anyone who identified as a research management leader, with the aim of understanding the range of senior leaders and directors within the research ecosystem, as well as asking for their views on what their roles demand of them, and any training or networking needs for their roles which have not been met elsewhere. 225 people responded, most of whom work in higher education institutions (HEIs), and the majority from England. 50% of the respondents had been a leader for 5 years or less.
The response highlighted the breadth of senior leaders and underscored the diversity of our sector. It showed an appetite amongst research leaders for learning, networking and support through ARMA, to enhance knowledge and career progression. There is need for better promotion of our current offer, for example in relation to ARMA’ s professional development framework, as 58% of survey respondents had not accessed the framework (with many being unaware of it). In addition, the survey pointed to gaps for ARMA to change and grow its offer and support senior leaders, due to the range of challenges faced whilst stepping into senior roles and navigating new professional challenges where there is no current provision.
Roundtable and recommendations
16 senior leaders who had responded to the survey and from a range of HEIs and research institutions, joined a roundtable discussion for 90 minutes online. Participants were asked in advance to rank key themes from the survey which then informed the topics discussed at the roundtable. From the options, networking, training and development, specialist resources, and the ARMA research directors’ forum ranked highest.
The roundtable enabled participants to discuss in a “safe space” particular challenges that reflect the current environment in HEIs, for example many finding that research leadership roles are becoming increasingly “corporate”, with people new in the job often having to deliver difficult change management or budget restrictions without significant training or support. The skills required were not all specific to research, and although some participants had access to such training and support, this was not equally available across the diversity of HEIs and research institutions.
Recommendations to ARMA informed by the survey and roundtable are:
- Refreshing and relaunching the ARMA Research Directors Forum, to enable it to become a more visible, accessible and proactive ARMA member community, with member volunteers acting as champions (like Special Interest Group (SIG) champions) to develop and deliver events, both in-person and online; for example around strategic planning, funding and policy changes and major research reporting (e.g. REF and KEF)
- Developing a peer-to-peer mentoring “Mastermind” approach to support career development, enabling research leaders to share their experience and offer advice or a friendly ear to those newer to the job, or facing particular challenges
- Offering opportunities for across the sector engagement and advocacy, informing and inputting into changing policies, regulatory requirements and funder expectations (for example in relation to newer areas like Trusted Research)
- Working with other professional organisations to develop a tailored training and development programme to meet the support needs identified: for example, short courses in relation to budget and financial management, strategic planning and training aimed at leaders with guidance and case studies on areas like export control and data management, as well as exploring a longer leadership training programme for new and aspiring leaders.
You said, we are doing
Feedback and recommendations from our work have been considered by ARMA’s Training and Development Working Group, the Professional Development Committee, and ARMA Board, and actions are now well underway.
- A pilot Mastermind self-help/mentoring group has now been launched
- The ARMA Research Directors’ Forum is being reinvigorated in light of the recommendations
- Discussions with Knowledge Exchange UK (formerly Praxis Auril) have opened up the potential for the co-development of a leadership course for members.
We would like to thank everyone who has contributed to our work so far. ARMA is here to represent and support the whole community and so strengthening our offer to the senior leaders is a key part of our offer to members. We encourage engagement with these new opportunities and are looking forward to feedback on these and on any other ways that ARMA can support its members.
Kirsty Allen and Vanessa Cuthill are members of the ARMA Member Engagement Committee.
