Developing Researchers’ Competencies through CARE–KNOW–DO and upSKILL.map, aligned with EU and UNESCO Priorities
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Background In an era of interlinked global challenges, researchers are expected to combine disciplinary excellence with socially relevant solutions. Existing competency frameworks recognise transversal skills but tend to prioritise employability and career management, treating skills as value-neutral and positioning sustainability, equity, and justice at the margins. This creates skills mismatches and leaves many researchers underprepared for work aligned with the UN-SDGs and Horizon Europe priorities. Methods This Phase-1 study within the European METEOR project develops upSKILL.map and provides in-context validation for eco-outwards research careers. Grounded in the CARE–KNOW–DO principles, the tool articulates eight competency domains (8Cs) integrating values, knowledge, and action. A phase-appropriate cohort of 40 researchers completed the 8Cs self-assessment and wrote reflective think-pieces, generating a mixed-methods dataset for contextual psychometric analysis and thematic enquiry. Results Exploratory factor analysis, reliability testing, expert review, and user feedback support a coherent five-factor structure explaining 75.7% of variance, clustering the 8Cs into: Responsible policy-engaged research; Collaborative inclusive leadership; Interdisciplinary networked innovation; Societal impact methodologies; and Resilient capacity development. Datasets highlight an aspiration–practice gap between collaborative, transformative goals and uneven institutional support. Conclusion Conceptually, the study advances a shift from “competency-as-performance” to “competency-as-worldview, “articulating the eco-researcher identity where technical expertise is inseparable from commitments to sustainability, equity, and justice. This represents one valued orientation among legitimate research identities; fundamental science and curiosity-driven inquiry remain equally valid. Methodologically, it provides context-bound evidence that upSKILL.map can function as a low-cost diagnostic tool combining psychometric validation with qualitative insight. Organisationally, it outlines how doctoral schools and researcher development leads can use the five-factor structure to identify gaps and design targeted interventions for local and global agendas. Findings are based on a single institution and a small, self-selected cohort, so further multi-institutional validation is needed before high-stakes or sector-wide use.
Source: Open Research Europe
Institution: The Open University
Language: English
Subfield: Information Systems and Management
Field: Decision Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $841
OpenAlex ID: W4415740578