In September 2019, Wellcome launched a major new initiative aimed at improving the working culture of research. Building on a growing sense of a need for change in the research community Wellcome’s Director Jeremy Farrar said that he wants to see funders, institutions and individuals value not just what is achieved, but also how it is achieved. Wellcome aim to plant this concept at the heart of everything that it does.

Wellcome want to undertake this transformation in partnership with the wider research community, and ran a major survey which received an unprecedented response. Wellcome now want to share the results of that survey with you, and hear your thoughts on how all parts of the research system, including Wellcome, can change.

Event

In partnership with Newcastle University, Wellcome is hosting a Townhall event to share and discuss the survey’s findings, describe what a better culture would look like, and begin formulating ideas which can get us there. The Townhall will be an opportunity to celebrate the good practice already happening, and work out how we can get this to spread further. Wellcome are running a number of these events across the UK, and each discussion will feed directly into their work to craft a set of clear goals for a great research culture, and inform the changes Wellcome will be making.

We want to hear from everyone who supports research, including those at different local institutions, different career stages, different supporting roles, and different disciplines. Following registration and lunch, the afternoon will kick off with a facilitated, interactive discussions inspired by the survey findings, finishing with a panel Q&A.

Get involved

This event is open to all staff working in or supporting research, however we are limited by numbers.  In an effort to ensure that we hear perspectives across a diverse range of career paths and from different career stages, we are running expression of interest for attendance. The EOI will be open from 17th December 2019 to 4pm 7th January 2020 with outcomes emailed on the 9th January 2020.

Completing the EOI will also provide an opportunity to be added to a number of mailing lists for information on future events and alternative opportunities to contribute to Wellcome’s Reimagine Research Culture work.

To learn more about the Reimagine Research initiative and other events, please visit the Wellcome website.

Having coordinated with other Town Hall hosts to ensure all geographical areas have an opportunity to contribute, the Newcastle University event will accept EOIs from all the following institutions:

Teesside University, Durham University, Northumbria University, Sunderland University, York University, Leeds University, Sheffield University, Edinburgh University, Heriot-Watt University, Newcastle University