Recognising Professionalism in Science What is professionalism Subject

Recognising Professionalism in Science

What is professionalism? Subject Knowledge underpins everything Knowledge requirement Professional skills are highly desired by employers Professional competence requirement Commitment to Continuing Professional Development Activities that prove you are committed to being professional • Employers are increasingly seeing the need for staff to demonstrate CPD during recruitment • Employers need to demonstrate the availability of CPD to retain talented staff

A joint approach We recognise CDTs tend to be multidisciplinary Therefore RSB, RSC and IOP are collaborating to accredit CDTs jointly for the award of Chartership (CBiol, CChem and CPhys) We can accredit the training components of these programmes Allowing students to jump start their ability to demonstrate professionalism

How does joint accreditation work If you would like more than one discipline accredited, we can do this with the desired combination of the three professional bodies (or all three) in one single joint application You will have a dedicated contact at each participating professional body

What accreditation covers Independent and rigorous assessment of the skills development and training aspects of a doctoral programme Standard to meet the requirements of chartered status However, accreditation does not seek to: assess the quality of research produced by doctoral students define a highly specified curriculum

Outcomes of accreditation Students from accredited doctoral training programmes will: have begun to accrue evidence for chartered status have a head start over their peers be able to submit their application for Chartered status around the end of their first post-doctoral working year

Accreditation Process

Accreditation process stages Stage One document submission Stage Two visit by panel and setting of conditions and recommendations Stage Three university actions in relation to conditions and recommendations

Stage One – document submission 1. Application document 2. Accreditation matrix 3. Destination data 4. Resource documents Bespoke documents

Stage One – document submission 1. Application document – only one per joint accreditation application, detailing the key features of the programme(s) 2. Accreditation matrix for each discipline 3. Destination data for recent graduates 4. Resource documents including overview of facilities and staff CVs When your application is approved by staff, a site assessment visit will be undertaken by the assessors Note: The specific requirements and outcomes from each professional body will be outlined by each contact from the relevant professional body

Stage One – stage one report A response to the evidence presented Follows format of accreditation template May ask for additional documents Sets agenda for team meeting at the site visit

Stage Two – site visit Example Site Visit Agenda 09: 00 – 09: 20 Arrival of Panel 09: 20 – 09: 40 Private meeting of Panel 09: 40 – 09: 55 Presentation by programme team (general programme overview) 10: 00 – 11. 45 Meeting with programme team (discussion of Stage One Report) 11. 45 – 12. 00 Private meeting of Panel 12: 00 – 13: 00 Meeting with students and recent graduates 13: 00 – 13: 30 Lunch with students and recent graduates 13: 30 – 14: 15 Tour of facilities 14: 15 – 16: 00 Private meeting of Panel 16: 00 – 16. 30 Feedback to team 17: 00 End of visit

Stage Two – site visit The size and make up of an accreditation assessment panel may depend on the Professional Bodies involved and the type of programmes being accredited At a minimum the panel shall include an assessor from each participating organisation The panel member from the lead organisation (as chosen by the institution) shall act as Chair of the panel The panel shall be accompanied by a staff member from one of the Professional Bodies

Stage Two – stage two report This provides a brief summary of items discussed at the visit Lists conditions and recommendations Identifies good practice Note: HEI has the opportunity to check for factual accuracy

Stage Three – ratification Stage Two Reports will be ratified by the appropriate committee at each Professional Body 1. Training scheme accredited with no conditions (usually for five years) 2. Training scheme accredited subject to conditions and/or recommendations (also five years) 3. Training scheme not accredited Advice provided and re-application permitted a year later

Stage Three – stage three report HEI’s actions and evidence on conditions set Professional Body’s final decision Confirms period of accreditation

Emma Fowler – Accreditation Officer emma. fowler@rsb. org. uk Nelly Harvey – Professional Standards Specialist harveyj@rsc. org Robyn Henriegel – Accreditation and Professional Standards Manager robyn. henriegel@iop. org