The HRB is fully committed to the DORA principles that research and researchers should be assessed on the merit of their research as a whole and not solely on journal-based metrics, and that the value and impact of all research outputs be considered. As signatory of the DORA declaration, the HRB is committed to supporting a research environment where importance is placed on the intrinsic value and relevance of research and its potential impact in society.

Since 2016 the HRB has been using a narrative-like CV in its research career funding schemes, where the person is at the core. The HRB Career Track CV template has been slightly revised based on feedback and reflections from experimental work, and is in line with the Royal Society Résumé for Researchers and best international practice. 

In addition to some basic details including ORCID, researchers are asked to write a personal declaration, describe, if they wish, any breaks from research, and their key contributions under four modules:

1. Contributions to generation of knowledge
2. Contributions to training and development of others
3. Contributions to the wider research community
4. Contributions to broader society

The HRB Career Track CV template can be found at the top of this page.

The HRB Career Track CV is used across career funding schemes such as postdoctoral fellowships, emerging investigator stage and research leadership stage.

In schemes where the focus is not on the Lead Applicant but on the potential outputs from the award, a shorter CV format is used. It is worth noting that the HRB has never used journal impact factors in any scheme.

We are keen to revise the approach of using such a CV for leadership teams (e.g. Collaborative Doctoral Awards).

We are committed to the fair assessment of researchers based on the merits of their contribution as a whole.

The HRB Career Track CV is richer and more comprehensive compared to the more traditional academic CV, which are typically based solely on quantitative metrics (typically publications). The HRB Career Track CV template is not solely based on a narrative structure and includes some quantitative metrics (e.g. most relevant research funding and research outputs), which are complemented by narrative-based sections supporting a qualitative assessment.

This CV format is currently mandatory for Lead Applicants, Co-Lead Applicants and Mentors in the research career funding schemes and is an integral part of the overall funding application. Researchers applying for funding should use it to craft a convincing rationale and present their career paths in a comprehensible way. Reviewers will not score the different sections of the CV individually but will assess the CV in line with the assessment criteria of the funding scheme.

Each HRB Career Track CV should be tailored to the individual completing it and to the funding opportunity they are applying for.

The HRB is conducting an evaluation by surveying lead and co-lead applicants, mentors, peer-reviewers and panel members from two funding schemes (Emerging Investigator Awards for Health and Collaborative Doctoral Awards in Patient-focused research) to learn more about the acceptability and usability of this CV. The results of this evaluation will be shared nationally and internationally.

Established in 2021, the Joint Funders Group brings the HRB together with international funders to explore a shared approach to adopting a narrative-like CV format. The Group is led by UKRI in UK.

Members of the group collaborate to develop resources to support the implementation and evaluation of such a CV format across the research sector.