Employers in Higher Education

The Science Council works with higher education institutions in a number of ways, from supporting and empowering your technician workforce, to encouraging employability among your students.

Professional technical staff

Technicians are vital to the success of the UK’s universities and research institutes.

They underpin the key activities of their organisations, providing the technical expertise essential to research, teaching and knowledge transfer. Alongside this, many technicians are researchers and teachers in their own right. Despite the importance of technicians, traditionally their role has not been well recognised and their career and professional development can often be overlooked.

The Science Council aims to increase recognition for technicians and to improve their professional development opportunities at all career stages. Registered Science Technician (RSciTech), Registered Scientist (RSci) and Chartered Scientist (CSci) recognise people in technical science roles with different degrees of responsibility, knowledge and skill.

“It is unimaginable that we could deliver what we do without a really well qualified and motivated technical staff.”

Professor Sir David Greenaway; Vice-Chancellor University of Nottingham, Chair of the Russell Group

Improving student employability

The Science Council works with universities to help employers and students get the most out of  industry placements, through the professional standards of Registered Scientist (RSci).

RSci standards cover the breadth of scientific disciplines – from food science to sports science to bioscience and beyond. This means that the student, having completed their year in industry and Science Council assessment, achieves nationally recognised registered status for the practical skills they have gained on placement.

For students, recognising their vocational experience through the RSci standards gives them the edge over new graduates and enhances their employability. For employers, aligning the RSci standards to placements has  provided structure to their programmes and an added competitive edge enabling them to attract the best students.

“Encouraging Pfizer placement students to apply for RSci helps them recognise everything they have achieved in their year in industry. Recognising their vocational experience gives them the edge over new graduates and Pfizer is proud to support that.”

Kate Barclay; Director, Pfizer Ltd