EARMA Conference, Odense, Denmark

Last week I joined around 1500 other research managers from across Europe and beyond at the annual EARMA conference.

Changes to the environment in which research managers operate was seen as happening at an ever-increasing pace. It was commented that research managers have had to deal with frequent changes in the past and so we are well placed to adapt to whatever the future holds.

There was a recurring discussion about the future impact of AI on the profession. A number of speakers encouraged attendees to address their fear of the unknown by finding out more about AI and how it can help. Areas such as taking on repetitive tasks and seeking out new collaborations were frequently highlighted. One speaker likened AI to a new colleague you need to get to know better. What was clear to me was that AI can complement our skills, improve our decision making and give us more time for critical thinking.

These skills and others were a focus for many of the discussions around professional development frameworks and career development. It was great to see the ARMA Professional Development Framework referenced by many of the speakers.

There was also lots of discussion on building partnerships, with speakers sharing the challenges they had faced and how they looked to address them. I was part of a panel speaking about international collaboration where I was able to highlight the work that ARMA has undertaken in Africa.

I look forward to exploring these areas and others at our own conference next month in Brighton. I hope to see you there.

Alasdair Cameron

ARMA UK CEO