The University of Bristol has been nominated in the Times Higher Awards 2006 in the category of 'Outstanding support for early career researchers'. The award, sponsored by Research Councils UK (RCUK), rewards the best support provided by UK universities in making research an attractive career path and helping early career researchers achieve their full potential. Bristol has been nominated alongside the Universities of Edinburgh, Oxford, and Plymouth and Imperial College London.

The judging panel, made up of leading figures in research and academia, will reveal the winner at an awards event on 15 November at the Hilton Hotel, London.

The University of Bristol has been nominated for the world-leading reputation it has earned for handling its 1,100 contract research staff. The University has an ethos that sees contract researchers as employees rather than students. Bristol established an annual staff survey in 1999 that has now been rolled out to 43 higher education institutions across the UK and has an excellent communication channel with its staff through an annual staff conference.

Dr Iain Cameron, Head of the RCUK Careers and Diversity Unit, congratulating the University of Bristol on its nomination, said: "The Research Councils are committed to enhancing the quality and output of the UK research base. Our sponsorship of this award signals our commitment to helping research organisations improve the attractiveness of research careers, the quality of research training and the employability of researchers."

Dr Janet Metcalfe, Director of the UK GRAD Programme, added: "These awards are a great way to celebrate the excellent progress the sector has made in supporting the skills and career development of researchers and to highlight the quality of the practice being developed by universities."