Contract concordat needs annual update

Universities should be forced to publish annual summaries of progress in implementing the concordat for contract research staff. That is the recommendation of the research careers initiative, chaired by Sir Gareth Roberts of the University of Sheffield, published this week.

A new group should be established to protect the conditions under which 30,000 contract researchers work, it recommends. In response, the Department of Trade and Industry has allocated Pounds 150,000 towards improving careers guidance for contract researchers.