Developing a comprehensive training and awareness-raising program for university professional staff is essential to support academics on their valorisation journeys. The REVALORISE+ consortium conducted research to identify important topics to integrate into the training program to ensure university professional staff are well-equipped to support their SSH academics.

One of the critical issues identified through the survey was a general lack of awareness among university professional staff in SSH, which may stem from a lack of interest and familiarity with the term ‘valorisation.’ The program addresses this by providing comprehensive training to improve staff awareness of the SSH academic’s profile, including their motivation and skills needs.

The program also emphasizes the need for university professional staff to understand the barriers and support mechanisms SSH academics may face on their valorisation journeys. This includes a lack of funding, time, and resources, as well as a lack of awareness of the support structures available to them. The training program aims to provide staff with the necessary knowledge and skills to assist academics in mobilising resources, collaborating with external stakeholders, and building a community around valorisation.

The program consists of several self-study modules available on the REVALORISE+ website, covering topics such as the needs of academics to valorise their research, how to exercise a support role, different support resources available for valorisation, and leveraging external collaboration for valorisation success. The program also encourages staff to potentially deliver their own training and informational programs for academics using elements from the REVALORISE+ Researcher Training, inspiring a culture of valorisation and entrepreneurial thinking across European universities.

Overall, the REVALORISE+ consortium’s training and awareness-raising program is a vital step towards equipping university professional staff with the knowledge and skills needed to support SSH academics on their valorisation journeys. It aims to raise awareness, provide essential skills and knowledge, and ultimately create a culture of valorisation and entrepreneurial thinking within European universities.

Read the original article by Catherine Hayward, in E-zine – Revalorise: Ezine 4, Pages 16,17.