My CURSA Journey

Cardiff University Research Staff Association (CURSA ) represents research-only staff. Chair Dr Katy Huxley talks about her CURSA journey and the role the association has in driving the research culture agenda.

I joined the university in 2004 as a research assistant, working on a project with two senior academics. I was not part of a large team, nor in a school with a large cohort of Research-only staff. I felt isolated, though I was supported, a common feeling I came to learn. When an email appeared, many years later, asking for volunteers to act as a representative for the school for CURSA, the research staff association, I took the leap in the hope of meeting a few friendly faces and getting a better understanding of the workings of the university. And that is indeed what happened.

In January 2016 I took the helm, as the then Chair, Lydia Hayes, stepped down to take on a lectureship. Organising meetings for representatives and our annual symposium event, we continued to make inroads into university systems, giving voice to the concerns of R-only staff. When Professor Kim Graham became Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Enterprise we began to be invited to working groups and committees to give our opinions and to canvas opinion from others.

When the Dean for Research Environment and Culture role was introduced in 2019 (now held by Professor Karin Wahl-Jorgensen), CURSA became a central mechanism for engaging and communicating issues to research staff from university management, and vice versa.

Currently, we have representatives on university level committees and working groups related to research culture, and researcher pathways. Our CURSA staff meetings are now open to all R-only staff rather than just reps. We have a Viva Engage/Yammer page through which we can communicate and share. The CURSA inbox continues to see queries raised when people are not sure where else to turn, from employment issues to engagement ideas. We also ran our first CURSA survey and focus groups in 2020.

We continue to lobby for changes that support a healthy and creative working environment. Over the years, we have inputted into changes to PDR, access to the promotion system, involvement in reviews, induction, and new initiatives. A key driver of this work is the university action plan related to the Concordat for the Development of Research Careers -to which CURSA has input and monitors with colleagues.

I have of course been supported by a myriad of people, from previous chairs, co-chairs, the research staff development team, Human Resources, Research and Innovation Services, and the many school representatives who have volunteered over the years. Thank you to you all!

I’m getting long in the tooth, I’ve been at the university for almost 20 years (how did that happen?!), and whilst we’ve made great progress, CURSA will continue to challenge and innovate on behalf of R-only staff as the research culture programme across the university continues apace.  CURSA has been an important mechanism in helping to drive the research culture agenda and I hope that it continues to positively engage and represent R-staff as a cohort.

Our inbox is always open (CURSA@cardiff.ac.uk) whether you have an idea, a concern or want to be more involved.