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Early Career Researcher (ECR) Development Program

Previous program years
 

2011 Program

A cohort of thirty-seven ECRs were selected via an application process, with the program commenced in March.  Cohort members attended a series of sessions on a range of topics, engaged in discussions with experienced researchers, and received individual mentoring on establishing a successful academic career.

In the context of High Quality Research topics covered in the core sessions included: building your research capability, achieving research funding, publishing well, enhancing personal and social competencies, developing research in collaboration, work and life, research quality, benchmarking and planning.

2010 Program

The program is offered as a cohort model with a  focussed content, aligning the program to the Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA).

Twenty-nine ECRs were selected via an application process and the program commenced in April.

In the context of High Quality Research topics covered in the core sessions included: building your research capability, achieving research funding, publishing well, enhancing personal and social competencies, developing research in collaboration, calibrating and benchmarking, and career planning.


2009
The program offered a cohort model again in 2009 with a refocussed content, aligning the program to the Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA).

Thirty-four ECRs were selected via an application process and the program commenced in April.

In the context of High Quality Research topics covered in the core sessions included: building your research capability, achieving research funding, publishing well, enhancing personal and social competencies, developing research in collaboration, calibrating and benchmarking, and career planning.


2008
The program offered a cohort model again in 2007 but with a refocussed content, aligning the program closer to the Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA).

Twenty-six ECRs were selected via an application process and the program commenced in May.

In the context of High Quality Research topics covered in the core sessions included: building your research capability, achieving research funding - mechanisms and strategies, achieving research funding - grant writing exercise, publishing well, enhancing personal and social competencies, developing research in collaboration, calibrating and benchmarking


2007
The program offered a cohort model again in 2007 with a similar structure to that of 2006 but with a refocussed content, aligning the program closer to the Research Quality Framework (RQF).

Twenty-three ECRs were selected via an application process and the program commenced in April with the two-day retreat.

In the context of High Quality Research topics covered in the core sessions included: building your research capability, the human dimension, developing skills in research management & collaboration, and publishing highly and publishing well. 


2006
The program offered a cohort model again in 2006 with a similar structure and content to that of 2005:

Twenty-four ECRs were selected via an application process and the program commenced in March with the two-day retreat.

Issues covered in the core sessions again included: grants, publishing, managing resources, and the wider research community.

The Director: ECR Development was overseas in 2006 and the contract for this position expired in December 2006. The Research Career and Leadership Development Committee formed in May 2006 and now has oversight of the ECR Development Program. The Chair of this new committee reports to RPC.


2005
In 2005 the program implemented a cohort model, with Heads of Schools invited to each nominate one person. There were 21 participants in the cohort program which included the following elements:

Issues covered in the core sessions included: grants, publishing, managing resources, and the wider research community. ECRs not members of the cohort were invited to attend the morning presentations of the core sessions.

Participants are invited to fill in an evaluation form at the close of each workshop. In addition, 2005 cohort members were invited to complete an end of year evaluation form to provide information on measurable outcomes and whether participation in the program has influenced those outcomes, and a report has been produced.


2004
An Early Career Researcher Development Advisory Group chaired by Professor Ian Davey was established early in 2004. The position of Director: ECR Development was established at Level E for three years at 0.3 and Professor Julianne Cheek was appointed in February 2004.  The ECR Development program reported to the Research Policy Committee via Professors Davey and Cheek. The aim of Early Career Researcher development is to contribute to the improvement of the University’s research performance and the performance indicators for the program are measurable improvements in the research performance of participants. The ECR Development program offered a ‘smorgasboard’ approach through 2004, with nine workshops attended by 149 participants. The workshop topics covered issues such as grants, publishing, managing resources, performance management, commercialisation, and intellectual property.


2003
In December 2003 a forum was held for Early Career Researchers UniSA. Chaired by Professor Ian Davey, the forum provided ECRs with the opportunity to provide input into the development of the ECR development program. Early Career Researchers for the purpose of this program are researchers who are within five years of the start of their research careers. This normally means that they have been awarded a doctorate within the previous five years. Researchers whose doctorate was awarded more than five years ago, but whose research career has been interrupted, may still be eligible. Research career interruptions could include non-research employment, misadventure, illness, or family and career responsibilities (source: ARC website).
 

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For further information about the program, in the first instance, contact Siobhan Langan, Consultant: Organisational Development.

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