For the new academic year 25-26, we have made some changes to how we plan and map the researcher development opportunities provided to PGRs at Swansea. Our programme is now mapped to the Vitae Researcher Development Framework (RDF), revised in 2025, to help you as researchers plan, prioritise and track your own development.
What is the RDF?
The RDF sets out the knowledge, skills and behaviours of effective researchers at all career stages, recognising the contribution of researchers to society, economic and environmental change both within and beyond higher education. It is created by Vitae, a leader in researcher development, with input from researchers and practitioners across a range of career stages and sectors.
The RDF is split into three main sections, known as ‘domains’:
- Researcher: encompassing the personal and professional values and behaviours needed by researchers
- Research: the knowledge and skills needed to undertake research and deliver outcomes
- Research communities: the knowledge and skills to engage and work with others
Each domain is broken down into a number of sub-sections, known as ‘descriptors’. The RDF is designed to have broad relevance to researchers at all levels and career stages, and in all disciplines, but it is also flexible. Some descriptors will naturally be more important to you than others, depending on your priorities, ambitions, prior experience, and the demands of your research.
View the RDF graphic here.
How do we use the RDF at Swansea?
All of our workshops and resource are mapped against the domains and descriptors of the RDF. We also have a tool (the Development Needs Analysis, or DNA) to help you focus on your individual development needs and plan how to address these. This structured reflection, plus mapping of our provision, will help you to navigate our provision and align it to your own needs.
For example, if when looking at the RDF, you decide that you want to focus on improving your skills and experience in engagement and impact (one of the descriptors within the ‘research’ domain), you can look out for workshops and opportunities provided by the university that are mapped to this descriptor.
You may find that you need to seek more specialist development opportunities beyond the university; the RDF and DNA will help you to identify these areas too.
Remember, not all of your development will take the form of formal workshops or online training resources. Attending academic events such as conferences, engaging with relevant networks or committees, practical experience such as teaching or demonstrating, self-directed reading as well as collaboration or discussions with peers can all form part of your development. We encourage you to view your development in the broadest terms possible, and to document and reflect on this regularly.
To read more about the RDF, and see the full framework in detail go here. It’s worth bearing in mind that the RDF is not just aimed at PGR students, so some of the descriptors and detail may not feel very relevant to you at this stage, but they may become more important later in your career.