The announcement that IBERS had become a signatory was made during the All Wales Technical Conference, held in Cardiff on 4 June 2025, which brought together technical staff from higher education institutions in Wales to share insights, foster collaboration and explore the latest advancements in their fields.
Dr Clare Stevenson, Technician Commitment Associate Lead, said:
“It's fantastic that the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) has signed the Technician Commitment. It's always great to see strategically funded Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) institutes join this important initiative. I'm really looking forward to seeing their action plan and collaborating on best practices to further raise the visibility, recognition, and career development of technical roles.”
IBERS employs a range of technicians at its Gogerddan campus with a wide variety of laboratory, field and support skills.
Professor Iain Donnison, Head of IBERS, said:
“Our technical staff are a vital part of the IBERS community and make a huge contribution to the resilient crop plant breeding research and other innovative programmes we carry out in Aberystwyth. We are delighted to formally demonstrate our strong appreciation and our ongoing support for their work by becoming signatories to the Technician Commitment.”
Professor Alison Kingston-Smith, Director of Research at IBERS, said:
“As new signatories to the Technician Commitment, we will be drawing up a detailed action plan setting out how we will continue to develop our technicians’ skills and future career paths, as well as raise their profile – not only within IBERS, but across the rest of the University and externally as part of our wider research culture strategy. It is important to both recognise and champion the essential role of our technical staff in delivering the success of our research.”
Further Information:
Colin Nosworthy, Communications and Public Affairs, Aberystwyth University
+44 (0)7496 914301 / ctn1@aber.ac.uk
Aberystwyth University
Established in 1872, Aberystwyth University is a leading teaching and research institution. Named Welsh University of the Year for 2024 by The Times & The Sunday Times Good University Guide, it has been rated the top university in Wales for overall student satisfaction for the past eight years, based on the National Student Survey. 98% of the University’s research is of an international standard or higher with over 75% being ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’ according to the 2021 Research Excellence Framework. The University is a community of 8,000 students and 2,000 staff committed to delivering inspirational education and research in a supportive, creative and exceptional environment. Registered charity No 1145141.
