Fostering International Collaboration

RCUK’s international strategy works to engage the “best with the best” by enabling access to data and resources, influencing the international research agenda, and enabling movement of collaborators. RCUK’s new offices in China, India and the US have important and evolving roles in fulfilling these goals. Many schemes enhance international collaboration, encouraging the flow of researchers and academics, while aiming to retain connections with the host countries.

Iain is head of the Research Councils UK (RCUK) Research Careers and Diversity Unit which is responsible for co-ordinating research careers and related diversity issues across the UK Research Councils. He has specific responsibility for implementation by the UK Research Councils of the recommendations of the “Roberts’ Report – SET for Success” – in particular the Skills Training agenda. He works closely with the UK Government Department for Innovation Universities and Skills and liaises with the UK Higher Education Funding Councils and other funders. Iain represents the UK on the EC Steering Group on Human Resources and Mobility and participates in several international networks. Iain has played a highly visible role in raising the profile of skills and career training for researchers in UK universities and has co-ordinated the development of a revised Concordat for the career development of researchers. Iain has worked with the Research Councils since 1990 and was Head of Postgraduate Training with EPSRC from 1999-2005. He has an honours degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Edinburgh and a PhD in Virology from the University of Glasgow. He has also held post postdoctoral positions in a university department (University of Reading) and a research institute (Institute of Virology in Oxford).