HR Excellence in Research Award

SOAS is committed to supporting and developing our research staff (postdoctoral researchers, research assistants and independently funded research fellows).

See our Researcher Development Resources page to find out more about the support and development opportunities available. Also to help you with your research planning are the following documents:

We recognise the important role that all of our researchers plays in helping to achieve our research goals – both people at the beginning of their career as well as those at more advanced stages – and the successful achievement of the HR Excellence in Research Award in 2012 confirms this support. 

Who do we mean by "research staff"?

Our definition of research staff is drawn from the Concordat and defines researchers as 'Individuals whose primary responsibility is to conduct research and who are employed for this purpose. We also recognise that ‘research staff’ refers to a wide range of staff including those with:

  • different disciplinary backgrounds
  • varying levels of training, including Early Career Researchers
  • a wide variety of different experiences and responsibility types
  • different types of contract (fixed or permanent, full or part time)
  • diverse career expectations

What is the Concordat?

The Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers sets out the expectations and responsibilities of researchers, their managers, employers and funders. It aims to increase the attractiveness and sustainability of research careers in the UK and to improve the quantity, quality and impact of research for the benefit of UK society.

The School is committed to the The Concordat Principles to support the career development of researchers. The 2023 report for the Concordat to support the Career Development of Researchers is available to download.

HR Excellence in Research Award

SOAS successfully applied for the European Commission’s HR Excellence in Research Award (March 2012 round) and as such our commitment to the development of our researchers has been recognised. We successfully submitted our two-year review plan for assessment in 2014 and successfully underwent a more rigorous re-accreditation process in 2016 and 2020. The HR Excellence in Research Steering Group has monitored progress and developed the action plans, approved by Research and Enterprise Committee. SOAS is joined by over 120 other UK institutions in holding this award which is an important mechanism for implementing the Concordat principles.

Planning and outlining the institution-wide support for research staff for the ten-year review is summarised in the following progress report and action plans:

Previous documents

Previous documents in relation to initial submission

The award identifies organisations as providers and supporters of a stimulating and favourable working environment for researchers. In addition it recognises the identification of career development opportunities for its researchers and the provision of a clear Concordat Action Plan (PDF) for future developments. SOAS will now be able to use the HR Excellence in Research logo, and this will help in the recruitment of research staff who will be encouraged to choose an employer or funder who has earned the right to use the logo because:

  • their rights as a professional will be recognised and enhanced
  • their mobility experience will be valued
  • their work-life balance will be respected
  • their recruitment will follow a transparent process
  • they will join a truly pan-European network consisting of research organisations and researchers.

This will help researchers chose SOAS as their employer of choice. Research and Human Resources Committees will monitor the implementation of the action plan and its effectiveness on an annual basis.