The Human Resources Strategy for Researchers (HRS4R) accreditation is a distinction for research organizations that create a working environment that stimulates R&I
The UOC has presented the European Commission with its gap analysis and action plan in its quest to gain the Human Resources Strategy for Researchers[TB1] (HRS4R) accreditation. This is an initiative by which the European Commission gives special acclaim to institutions that have internally evaluated their policies and procedures and have made a commitment to continuous improvement. The purpose of this strategy is to make careers in research in Europe more appealing, both for European researchers and for researchers from elsewhere, so as to attract and retain talent in the European Research Area. It encourages research institutions to implement the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers (C&C) in their policies and practices, and allows them to use the HR Excellence in Research logo.
The UOC ratified its commitment to the HRS4R initiative with the European Commission in February 2017. In line with the procedure established by the European Commission, the UOC then began the implementation phase, with the drafting of a gap analysis and an action plan for human resources management in research. The Executive Board approved the final versions of the gap analysis and the action plan, with coordination provided by the UOC HRS4R Implementation and Monitoring Committee. These documents were then submitted to the European Commission for assessment, both meeting their deadlines.
Through this initiative the UOC demonstrates its commitment to consolidating its policies in this area and incentivizing excellent research around Europe, supported by practices and standards for quality that are internationally recognized.
The HRS4R at the UOC
The HRS4R process carried out at the UOC took an inclusive and participative approach involving the whole research community, the governing bodies, and research management representatives from the Employees' Committee. To enable this, three working groups were appointed with representatives from all the professional categories involved in R&I at the UOC. In addition, six workshops and an open survey of all staff were conducted. The results from the workshops and survey were combined with the results of an analysis of internal and external regulations and policies, which helped to draft the gap analysis and to define the actions and priorities for the UOC’s HRS4R action plan. The inclusion of all our research community in this process has been a priority right from the start, seeking to perform a 360° internal analysis.
The University would like to thank all staff involved in the UOC’s R&I work for their considerable input throughout this process. Continuing these efforts through participation in the working groups can ensure our lines of action get off to the best start. To get involved in the groups appointed for this purpose, please contact hrstrategy@uoc.edu.
The UOC's HRS4R action plan
The UOC R&I page sets out our HRS4R commitment and our action plan. The UOC's human resources excellence in research strategy is fully aligned with our current strategic plan, to the extent that all of their actions are related and will be monitored by the Executive Board.
The aim of the HRS4R is to constantly improve. Therefore, we will regularly update our action plan to observe recommendations from the European Commission and the ongoing assessments and reviews carried out with the help of all the UOC R&I team. The strategy submitted to the European Commission will be reviewed by three independent experts.
More information and contact details
If you have any queries or comments, please write to hrstrategy@uoc.edu. Further details can be found on our UOC R&I page.