Facilitating Practice-Led Research Culture in Initial Teacher Training

This critical reflection examines how a team of academics began to tackle the challenge of developing research culture among their professions-facing colleagues through two interconnected initiatives. It presents the theoretical underpinning of Facilitated Practice-based Research (FPR ©University of Sunderland) and its practical implementation through Research Culture Roundtable (RCR) events and subsequent formation of Agile Research Teams (ARTs). Drawing on contemporary debates around research excellence and practitioner-researcher identity, it explores how structured collaboration can support academics in integrating their practical and scholarly expertise. The ARTs model enables manageable, time-bound participation in research projects while building sustainable research capacity. Initial outcomes demonstrate the potential of this approach for developing research confidence and creating a more inclusive research community. The authors conclude that supporting practitioner-researchers through facilitated, practice-led initiatives can enhance both individual development and institutional research culture, particularly in teaching-intensive settings. Funding Acknowledgement This research was supported by internal research grants provided by the University of Sunderland UKRI Enhancing Research Culture Fund 2024.