Research Report

Launching Research Faculty Leadership Development Programs

Topic

Research Enterprise

Tag

This white paper helps chief research officers take the initial steps to launch research faculty leadership development programs.

Chief research officers (CROs) have traditionally relied on recommendations from faculty and deans—as well as personal networks—to identify the best candidates to lead research teams. As competition for sponsored research projects continues to grow, leadership has become an increasingly significant factor in team success. As a result, CROs have learned that strong research abilities do not always translate into strong leadership.

This white paper helps CROs launch research faculty leadership programs. The first section provides deeper context into the evolution of research leadership and the need for specific training. The second section details a six-step process to launch a program and highlights institutional case profiles.

The case for research leadership

The lack of strong research leadership is in large part due to faculty never having been formally trained to lead research teams, either in their graduate training or professional careers. Although general faculty leadership trainings exist, few are designed to specifically address the competencies required to lead large and complex research projects.

70%

of junior researchers seek better-trained principal investigators

By addressing these gaps in faculty training, CROs can support individual faculty career development as well as the broader success of their research mission. Developing research-specific leadership programs allows CROs to focus on the competencies that are unique to roles in research labs at their respective campuses and to each campus’s unique faculty culture.

"
Institutions need to step up their provisions of effective resources for lab leaders and professional development for emerging researchers. They should ‘own’ the research environments they are providing.
"
C.K Gunsalus, Director of the National Center for Professional and Research Ethics
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Explore Section 1

6 steps to launch research faculty leadership development programs

The following section expands on a six-step process to design a program, profiling institutions with unique initiatives for each corresponding step. Following the process below, institutions can build a training program that contributes to the development of faculty skills and the advancement of university research.

Define the scope of competency areas

Defining specific competencies is the initial step in developing a research faculty leadership program. Competencies should be specific and outcomes-focused as these will serve as the foundation for the program structure, sequence, and design. Read More
Assess institutional networks and resources

Consider what resources, faculty expertise, and networks exist on campus that can support programming efforts. Assisting faculty in building relationships across the institution and gaining access to existing resources allows them to leverage these tools when leading research teams. Read More
Build the program agenda

Design a program with specific topics and activities in alignment with the defined competency areas. Building an agenda requires paying close attention to logistical details including potential collaborator outreach, room reservations, schedule management, and any associated costs. Read More
Design the application process

Design an application process that addresses the intended learning objectives and demographic of faculty. Eligibility criteria should ensure accessibility to the faculty in need of the training. Given existing faculty workloads and capacity, the process should be simple and streamlined to avoid creating additional barriers to participation. Read More
Select program participants

Program participants should be selected by considering program objectives, available capacity and resources, as well as the broader university mission and vision of research. Participant selection is an opportunity to ensure equitable support of researchers across the university’s academic disciplines from a central institutional office. Read More
Collect and document participant feedback to evaluate the program

Research leaders must determine how to evaluate program efficacy before launch. Solicit feedback from all stakeholders engaged within the program including faculty participants (applied and selected), collaborating campus partners, and research office staff who assisted in the execution of the program. Read More