MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit
What is Research Culture?
Research culture describes the values, behaviours, and systems that shape how research is conducted, supported, and communicated.
A healthy research culture promotes openness, fairness, inclusion, and integrity.
🔗 What is Research culture? YouTube video
How research is managed and undertaken
Focuses on responsible research practices, governance, and sustainability. It includes transparent methods, research integrity, and effective leadership.
🔗 UKRI Concordat for Researcher Development
🔗 Royal Society: Research Culture
🔗 R&D People & Culture Strategy
How people are supported
Explores working conditions, development opportunities, and recognition. It highlights inclusive environments and reward systems.
🔗Research Culture Institutional Action Plan
🔗Professional Services Recognition Scheme
🔗Russell Group: Realising Our Potential
How individuals engage with others
Emphasises collaboration, inclusive leadership, and empowering junior researchers. Good research culture values kindness, mutual respect, and honest communication.
🔗 10 Simple Rules for a Supportive Lab (Pike et al.)
🔗 Essay: Being Kind (Bernhardt)
🔗 Essay: Four Things About Research Culture (Gadd)
How research ensures value
Focuses on recognising contributions, ensuring research openness and impact. Encourages diverse outputs and transparent assessment.
🔗 DORA: Declaration on Research Assessment
🔗 REF Guidance on Research Culture
🔗 Blog: My Research Culture is Better Than Yours
Blog posts and Digests
🔗 Wednesday Lunchtime Seminar: Collaboration Across Scales
🔗 Wednesday Lunchtime Seminar: Cultural Differences
🔗 Wednesday Lunchtime Seminar: Expectations and Academic Week
Wednesday lunchtime seminars recordings:
YouTube:
🔗 Julia Beker: Collaboration within an international team working on dissociative identity disorder
🔗 Duncan Astle: The challenge of scale: what is it like to be in a big research team?
Intranet:
🔗 Kasia Lanucha and Caroline Trotter: Cultural differences
🔗 Jenny Zhang: Expectations in academia, and Brendan Burchell: Three-Day Weekend
What’s next
We, the Research Culture Working Group at the CBU, are regularly involved in events and seminars, such as at WLTS .
📅 Our upcoming event: WLTS seminar, Wednesday (Michaelmas).
📚 For more updated resources, check our list.
📬 For more information and other inquiries, feel free to contact: saskia.frisby@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk
or estherina.trachtenberg@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk.
