Strategic partnership: building a research culture framework for Trusted, Responsible, Open Research and Innovation (TRORI)
Workforce training & enablement
Developing and delivering a multi-year responsible innovation and research culture learning programme for the University of Glasgow's DiveIn Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT), helping doctoral researchers and prospective supervisors integrate Trusted, Responsible, Open Research and Innovation (TRORI) principles into research practice, professional development, and future career pathways.
The Challenge
The DiveIn Centre for Doctoral Training sought to place Trusted, Responsible, Open Research and Innovation (TRORI) at the heart of its postgraduate learning framework and research culture. The programme recognised that trusted research, responsible innovation, open research, and research culture are interconnected concepts that collectively shape how research is conducted and translated into wider societal benefit.
As an EPSRC-funded Centre for Doctoral Training, the programme also needed to support doctoral researchers in developing an understanding of responsible innovation. However, rather than delivering responsible innovation as a standalone compliance requirement, the leadership team wanted to embed it within a broader framework of research culture, professional development, and interdisciplinary research practice.
The opportunity was to create a coherent learning journey that would help both supervisors and doctoral researchers understand how trusted, responsible, and open approaches to research could be integrated throughout the PhD experience and beyond.
The Approach
Working closely with programme leadership, I designed a three-year capability-building framework that integrates responsible innovation within the broader TRORI agenda. The programme was designed to support researchers at different stages of their doctoral journey while also engaging supervisors as key partners in the process.
Programme Highlights
Co-development workshop for supervisors to shape how TRORI principles are integrated into doctoral training and research practice.
Cohort-based induction activities introducing students to TRORI and its relevance to their research journey.
Integration with existing responsible innovation provision to ensure alignment with institutional and EPSRC expectations.
Student-led opportunities to share learning, showcase good practice, and engage with peers across Centres for Doctoral Training.
Future-focused activities helping researchers consider how responsible innovation, networks, and stakeholder engagement can support their next career steps.
The overall approach focuses on building capability rather than delivering one-off training, enabling participants to embed trusted, responsible, and open approaches into their research practice throughout the course of their PhD.
The Outcome
Project currently in delivery.
The foundational year established key structures, behaviours, and expectations that will support the development of TRORI throughout the lifetime of the CDT.
Key highlights
Established a co-created framework for embedding Trusted, Responsible, Open Research and Innovation (TRORI) within the DiveIn CDT research culture.
Facilitated development of a longitudinal TRORI Passport to support reflective practice and professiona development throughout the PhD lifecycle.
Built shared understanding among supervisors and students of how research culture and responsible research practices can be integrated into everyday research activity.
Early evidence from student reflections suggests participants are embedding principles such as open research, stakeholder engagement, transparent decision-making, and responsible innovation into project design and practice from the outset.