Reporting to the University Research and Enterprise Board (UREB), and guided by an Advisory Board, the Early Career Researcher Institute (ECRI) Governance structure has been designed to embed opportunity for the Imperial community to contribute towards shaping the strategic development and direction of ECRI.
As we move forward into 2024-25, we will be establishing various specialist and technical advisory groups as well as a stakeholder group. If you are interested in joining one of these groups, or have an idea for a new specialist or technical group, please reach out to a member of ECRI Management Group.
ECRI Governance
- ECRI Management Group
- People, Culture and Operations Group
- Advisory Board
- Professional Practice Group
- Innovation, Identification and Monitoring Group
- Specialist/technical groups
- Stakeholder Group
Overall purpose and remit
Meeting monthly, Management Group is the key internal decision-making body of the Early Career Researcher Institute (ECRI). It is strategic in nature and provides leadership and direction for all ECRI activities.
The Imperial Values underpin all our work and ECRI Committees are conducted in line with these values and behaviours.
Terms of Reference
- To provide oversight of the direction of all ECRI learning, development, support and projects.
- To approve ECRI strategic plans.
- To provide opportunity for ECRI leadership to update each other on relevant activities, initiatives, objectives and projects taking place within Imperial and beyond.
- To consider sector best practice, publications and policies which may influence, impact and help to shape ECRI provision.
- To approve the ECRI Risk Register and business continuity plan.
- To consider regular reports from ECRI committees and groups, including the Advisory Board.
- To report to the University Research and Enterprise Board (UREB).
Membership
- George Constantinides, Director of ECRI [Chair]
- Jennifer Quint and Laki Buluwela, Deputy Directors (Academic) of ECRI
- Liz Elvidge, Associate Director (Early Career Researcher Development)
- Laura Lane, Associate Director (Strategy and Operations) [Secretary]
Other members of ECRI staff and other Imperial staff and students may be invited to attend to present and discuss agenda items, as appropriate.
Overall purpose and remit
This Group will meet 6 times during the first year of the Early Career Researcher Institute (ECRI) inception, moving to termly meetings thereafter. It is responsible for considering all operational functions for ECRI and all staff matters and reports to the ECRI Management Group.
The Imperial Values underpin all our work and ECRI Committees are conducted in line with these values and behaviours.
Terms of Reference
Operational
- To approve operational plans which accompany ECRI strategic plans.
- To receive regular updates from Management Group with respect to activities happening across Imperial and other more general updates which impact on ECRI operational provision.
- To review the ECRI Work Location Framework
- To consider issues which arise from ECRI office space and relevant health and safety matters.
- To agree the annual cycle of ECRI events i.e. the winter celebration, research staff awards, PhD summer showcase, PGR Welcome activities.
People and culture
- To receive regular reports on overall team compliance with Imperial Essentials
- To receive regular reports from the ECRI Imperial Values Champion, including items in relation to staff health and wellbeing, ECRI team culture and ECRI team working practices.
- To approve the ECRI staff survey action plan and receive regular updates to actions.
- To review themes arising from the Annual Review Conversation (ARC) season with a view to enhancing ECRI team culture and celebrating success.
Reward, recognition and staff development
- To review the ECRI Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Framework and Procedure.
- To consider internal reward and recognition processes and opportunities.
Membership
- All ECRI staff
Overall purpose and remit
Reporting to the Early Career Researcher Institute (ECRI) Management Group, the Advisory Board meets annually to make recommendations for the strategic direction of ECRI. It is also intended to provide opportunity for the membership to share examples of sector best practice.
The Imperial Values underpin all our work and ECRI Committees are conducted in line with these values and behaviours.
Draft Terms of Reference
- To make recommendations for the strategic direction of ECRI with respect to:
- The personal and professional development of Early Career Researchers (ECRs).
- Key attributes which would make Imperial’s ECRs attractive to a broad range of employers, within and beyond academia.
- Developing a healthy research environment.
- Extending the national and international impact of both ECRI and Imperial’s ECRs.
- To share sector best practice with respect to the development and support of ECRs.
Membership
We are currently working on establishing the membership of this Board. More information will be published here in due course.
Overall purpose and remit
Meeting bi-monthly and reporting to the Early Career Researcher Institute (ECRI) Management Group this internal ECRI staff group has overall responsibility for supporting ECRI staff, who deliver learning and development opportunities, to enhance their professional practice.
The Imperial Values underpin all our work and ECRI Committees are conducted in line with these values and behaviours.
Terms of Reference
- To receive regular updates from ECRI leads for funded projects i.e. Research England, Pedagogy Transformation etc.
- To share best practice in learning and development opportunities gained through attendance at external and internal development opportunities i.e. conferences, workshops, networks etc.
- To review the annual Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme for ECRI staff who coach formally as part of their role.
- To make recommendations to the ECRI management Group
Membership
We are currently consulting on the membership of this group. More information will be published here in due course.
Overall purpose and remit
Meeting monthly, and reporting to the Early Career Researcher Institute (ECRI) Management Group, this Group is responsible for receiving recommendations to enhance and develop ECRI provision, commissioning ECRI work and has overall responsibility for the quality assurance of ECRI learning, development and support provision.
The Imperial Values underpin all our work and ECRI Committees are conducted in line with these values and behaviours.
Terms of Reference
- To receive recommendations from the ECRI Stakeholder Group and the Specialist/Technical Advisory Groups on the development of ECRI learning and development provision.
- Based on recommendations from the Stakeholder Group and the Specialist/Technical advisory Groups to commission development work for new ECRI provision.
- To commission work to be carried out by ECRI staff as articulated in institution-wide Action Plans i.e. the Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES) and the Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES) action plans, the Student Experience Survey action plan, Race Equality Charter Action Plan Athena SWAN
- To have overall responsibility for the quality assurance of ECRI provision.
- To report to ECRI Management Group.
Membership
We are currently consulting on the membership of this group. More information will be published here in due course.
Overall purpose and remit
Reporting to the Innovation, Identification and Monitoring Group, all technical and specialist advisory groups bring together appropriate Early Career Researcher Institute (ECRI) staff and Imperial experts working within specialist fields/areas to help scope and shape the learning, development and support provided by ECRI. It is proposed that each group meets annually, but the frequency of meetings is to be determined by the Chair of the specialist/technical group in consultation with the membership.
The Imperial Values underpin all our work and ECRI Committees are conducted in line with these values and behaviours.
Terms of Reference
- To review current ECRI provision within the specialist/technical area
- To horizon scan and identify new areas of potential provision which ECRI could implement.
- To make recommendations to the Innovation, Identification and Monitoring Group
We are currently developing the proposed specialist and technical groups – if you are interested in joining one of these groups, or have an idea for another group, please contact ecri@imperial.ac.uk
- Scientific Computing, AI and Machine Learning, Programming, Software Development, Data Analytics and Data Stewardship
- Enterprise, Entrepreneurship and Industry
- Research Integrity, Ethics and Philosophy
- Research Impact
- Research Culture / Supervision and Leadership
- Careers, Alumni and Advancement
- Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)
Overall purpose and remit
Meeting termly and reporting to the Innovation, Identification and Monitoring Group, this Group ensures the programme of Early Career Researcher Institute (ECRI) learning, development and support meets the needs of, and is aligned with, the strategic direction of Imperial academic departments and their Early Career Researchers (ECRs). This is a direct opportunity for departments, centres and ECRs to provide feedback on ECRI provision.
The Imperial Values underpin all our work and ECRI Committees are conducted in line with these values and behaviours.
Terms of Reference
- To consider what learning and development opportunities ECRI should deliver to meet the needs of departments and their ECRs
- To consider advice and good practice from Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs) and Doctoral Training Programmes (DTPs) and other Landscape
- To make recommendations to the Innovation, Identification and Monitoring Group
We are currently consulting on the membership – if you would like to be involved, please contact ecri@imperial.ac.uk