MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit
Dont miss out:
Communication and Research Culture workshop, 8 – 9 December 2026 -> register and submit an abstract.
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
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
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)
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
CBU blog posts
🔗 Wednesday Lunchtime Seminar: Collaboration Across Scales
🔗 Wednesday Lunchtime Seminar: Cultural Differences
🔗 Wednesday Lunchtime Seminar: Expectations and Academic Week
🔗 The Serious Business of Playing with Lego
🔗 Courageous Peer to Peer Conversations
Digests
Wednesday lunchtime seminars recordings:
🔗 Julia Beker: Collaboration within an international team working on dissociative identity disorder (YouTube)
🔗 Duncan Astle: The challenge of scale: what is it like to be in a big research team? (YouTube)
🔗 Kasia Lanucha and Caroline Trotter: Cultural differences (Intranet)
🔗 Jenny Zhang: Expectations in academia, and Brendan Burchell: Three-Day Weekend Intranet)
What’s next
📅 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.
