What is HRS4R?
The Human Resources Strategy for Researchers (HRS4R) is an institutional tool for developing a culture of quality and successful research.
Through HRS4R, research institutions and research funding organizations develop a quality management in research human resources policy based on open, transparent and merit-based recruitment (OTM-R).
HRS4R is the framework for applying the 40 principles of the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers (C&C) in institutional policies and practices. The 40 principles define the rights and obligations of researchers, employers and funders of researchers in European Union (EU) Member States.
When was it initiated?
In March 2005, the European Commission (EC) adopted the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers (C&C) and recommended Member States to implement them in order to make research an attractive career in the European Union.
The European Charter for Researchers is a set of general principles and requirements specifying the roles, responsibilities and rights of researchers as well as those of employers and/or funders.
The Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers consists of a set of general principles and requirements that employers should respect when recruiting researchers in an open, transparent and merit-based manner (OTM-R).
What it the HRS4R alignment process?
It is a process of self-assessment and evaluation of the EC through which the institution develops an appropriate action plan to improve its human resources (HR) policies and align them with the C&C.
The process is mediated by Euraxess – a portal through which the EC offers a wide range of information and support services to researchers who wish to pursue their research career in Europe or who wish to be further involved in research activities in Europe.
Institutions aligned to HRS4R are recognized by the European Commission with the Human Resources in Research Excellence Award.
What is the Human Resources Excellence in Research Award?
It is not actually an award, but a recognition of the institution for its efforts to continuously improve its HR policies in research.
The institution is included in the public list (https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/hrs4r/awarded) of institutions running HRS4R programs implementing C&C and gets the right to use the specific logo (https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/hrs4r), including in the publication of vacancies.
What are the benefits of the HRS4R award for the institution?
- Certification of the employer/funding body as trustworthy and attractive to researchers, because it promotes and supports a culture of quality and successful research based on open, transparent and meritorious recruitment
- An opportunity for the employer to attract, recruit and stimulate more talented and passionate researchers, including foreign researchers
- A guarantee for researchers that they can develop their own research careers
- An opportunity to access European grants and establish European collaborations
What are the steps of the HRS4R procedure?
Links of interest
