SETU is committed to cultivating a collegial, ethical and inclusive research culture that enables researchers at all career stages to thrive. Research culture at SETU reflects the shared values, behaviours and conditions that shape how research is conducted and experienced, and is central to academic integrity, wellbeing and research excellence.
Our Commitment
SETU’s research environment is grounded in:
- Respect, dignity and collegiality
- Research integrity and responsible practice
- Equality, diversity and inclusion
- Fair workload and transparent processes
- Open science and knowledge-sharing
- Support for career progression (R1–R4) including RMAs
- Leadership development and mentoring
- A connected, collaborative research community
These principles align with the Charter & Code and underpin SETU’s HRS4R commitments.
Research Culture Survey (2025)
SETU’s first Research Culture Survey (2025) gathered insights from researchers and RMAs across all campuses. Key themes included community and belonging, the need for clearer communication and processes, enhanced support for development and progression, increased recognition of research contributions (DORA/CoARA), and continued focus on equality, dignity and wellbeing. These findings directly informed SETU’s HRS4R Action Plan (2026–2029).
Research Culture Initiatives
SETU supports a positive research culture through:
- Research Culture Investment Fund for local initiatives and community-building,
- Belonging and wellbeing programmes supporting inclusion and psychological safety,
- Communities of Practice across researcher and RMA groups, including WIRn,
- Leadership and mentoring programmes, including Supervisor Ready and Odyssey mentoring,
- Responsible Research Assessment aligned with DORA and CoARA,
- Regular culture monitoring, with surveys repeated from 2027.
SETU’s research culture work is aligned with Athena Swan Bronze (2025) and broader EDI commitments, ensuring a supportive, equitable and ambitious research environment.