HR Strategy for Researchers

The Human Resources Strategy for Researchers (HRS4R) is the tool for the implementation of the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers (Charter & Code) in their policies and practices. It is a voluntary, structured and monitored auditing mechanism, centred on a continuous assessment in three-year cycles based on gap analysis and action plans for the grant of the “HR Excellence in Research Award”. The implementation of the Charter & Code principles by research institutions allows research institutions like INL to be more attractive to researchers looking for a new employer or for a host for their research project.

The European Commission recognises with the ‘HR Excellence in Research Award’ the institutions which make progress in aligning their human resources policies to the 40 principles of the Charter & Code, based on a customized action plan/HR strategy.

In this context, INL identified the need to design its own human resources strategy that includes the requirements set forth in the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers, beginning the process on 10 December 2021, by sending the endorsement letter.

The European Charter

The European Charter is a set of general principles and requirements that specifies the roles, responsibilities, and entitlements of researchers, as well as those of employers and/or funders of researchers such as ourselves. It seeks to ensure that the relationship between such parties contributes to successful performance in the generation, transfer, and sharing of knowledge, and to the career development of researchers. 

Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers

The Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers consists of a set of general principles and requirements to be followed by employers and/or funders such as ourselves when appointing or recruiting researchers. It aims to improve recruitment and to make selection procedures fairer and more transparent, and it proposes various means of judging merit: Merit should not be measured merely on the basis of the number of publications but on a wider range of evaluation criteria, such as teaching, supervision, teamwork, knowledge transfer, management and public awareness activities.

SETU aims to be an attractive, supportive and stimulating environment in which to carry out research and recognises the importance of providing its researchers with the necessary training and support environment to develop their careers and become more competitive and mobile.

SETU Waterford is pleased to announce that in July of 2020, the University has retained its HR Excellence in Research award for its long-term commitment to the career development of its researchers. The Institute of Technology Waterford, now SETU Waterford, was the first institute in Ireland to be successful at the award renewal phase, following a virtual review by three European Commission external assessors. 

The HR Excellence in Research award recognises the progress that has been made in support of researchers in the University, including the introduction of the Broaden Your Horizons Researcher Development Programme, the OTM-R policy for Researchers; the Code of Conduct for Research; the Research Integrity agenda and our on-going commitment to supporting the principles of the European Charter and Code for Researchers. The HR Excellence in Research Award will support our researchers in their proposals to attract international funding and researchers to SETU Waterford and endorse SETU Waterford as providing a favourable working environment for researchers, in addition to increasing the international profile of SETU Waterford.