About Vitae

CRAC has been a pivotal force in career development for researchers in higher education since 1968, when we ran our first project to support transitions of doctoral researchers to industry. Much of our work has been funded by the UK Research Councils and we have played a key role in the UK drives for high-level skills, innovation and world-class researchers. This has included the UK GRAD programme and subsequently Vitae. For details of current activities, see the Vitae Website.

Increasingly our work with researchers is international, helping institutions, research funders and others with an interest in supporting researchers' careers.

Vitae is the global leader in supporting the professional development of researchers, experienced in working with institutions as they strive for research excellence, innovation and impact.

Vitae logo

Vitae Mission

Realising the potential of researchers, globally

STRATEGIC AIMS:

  • Influence the development and implementation of effective policy relating to researcher development
  • Enhance higher education provision to train and develop researchers
  • Empower researchers to make an impact in their careers
  • Evidence the impact of professional and career development support for researchers

Membership - Join us

Working together to realise the potential of researchers by supporting:

Researchers

Communicate your research

1,200+ researchers from member institutions take part each year

Find out more about 3MT®

Access online resources

Take a look at how Vitae can support you to realise your potential

Join the conversation

Follow us at @Vitae_news to get updates and trends in professional development for researchers

Let @Vitae know your thoughts about the research culture and environment on LinkedIn and via X @Vitae_News

Researcher developers

Demonstrate impact

Access Vitae reports and publications for sector intelligence and benchmarking insights:

Vitae Annual Report for sector insights at the national and global level

Read out Impact and evaluation pages

Share Best Practices

Attend Vitae events to network with colleagues from across the UK, Europe, America, Australasia and Japan to share evidence-based best practices

Develop Yourself

Enhance your career and yourself through professional development opportunities

Institutions

Shape Policy

Vitae supports over 80 member institutions with submission for the HR Excellence in Research Award

Take a look at the work Vitae conducts internationally relating to researcher development policy

Researcher training support for Vitae member institutions

Vitae membership offers a host of benefits to institutions and their researchers. Looking to develop the capacity of your institution? We offer  ‘Train the Trainer’ programmes” for researcher developers. Contact us to find out more.

Services

What Vitae offers

Tree with leaves of hands waving

MEMBERSHIP

Working together to realise the potential of researchers

EVENTS

From member events to the Vitae International Researcher Development Conference

Image of card sorting activity from training workshop

LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT

Workshops, mentoring, webinars and consultancy

PUBLICATIONS

Reports, booklets and leaflets

Screenshot of Vitae RDF Planner online application

RDF PLANNER

Professional development planning. Map your skills and attributes to the Vitae Researcher Development Framework (RDF)

COMMUNITY OF POLICY AND PRACTICE

Be involved in researcher development policy and practice-sharing

Portfolio

Examples of work

Vitae website

Portal for researcher, researcher developer and member organisation resources

CEDARS

Read more about the Culture, Employment and Development in Academic Research Survey

Link to the Vitae Researcher Development Framework on the Vitae website

The Researcher Development Framework

Describes the knowledge, behaviour and attributes of successful researchers

What Vitae members say

"The experiential learning style of Vitae’s training for La Caixa has been refreshingly innovative and memorable.
It will certainly have a long lasting impact on our Fellows"
Paola Isetta, INPhINIT Programme Coordinator, Fellowships Department, La Caixa Foundation

"A delegation from King’s always heads off to the annual Vitae Researcher Development International Conference. It’s an invaluable networking and information gathering opportunity. We always come back with lots of ideas for the year ahead "
Dr Nigel Eady, Director of Research Talent, King’s College London

"Vitae gives access to significant networking opportunities and through attending Vitae events
I have built an extensive network of professional colleagues"
Prof Susan Brooks, Director of Researcher Development Oxford Brookes University

"[The workshop] was eye-opening...
it will enable me to maximise my potential and build a stronger career"
Participant in the Creative Researcher workshop, Belgium

"We are delighted to be Vitae members as this allows us access to leading resources and support
to build our researcher development capabilities in line with our international colleagues"
Alison O'Regan, University of Limerick, Ireland

"The skills and knowledge I have aquired
will improve the institutionalisation of mentoring in my institution"
CIRCLE workshop participant, Kenya, Africa

"Vitae is a distinctively valuable organisation whose work has brought much benefit
to the wider economy supporting skills and the employability of researchers"
Professor Rick Rylance, Arts and Humanities Research Council, UK

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Contact

CRAC

22 Signet Court
Cambridge
CB5 8LA
UK

+44 (0)1223 460277

Charity number: 313164

Companies House Number: 825036

VAT Registration number: GB 100 205 694