Newsletter 6 HRS4R-UMU

Newsletter HRS4R-UMU nº6 

UMU Human Resources Strategy for Researchers

What is the Human Resources Strategy for Researchers - HRS4R?

The “Human Resources Strategy for Researchers” (HRS4R) is a tool launched by the European Commission to support universities and research institutions in the implementation of the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for hiring Researchers. The aim of these is to contribute to the development of an attractive European labour market for researchers.

The University of Murcia signed the adhesion to the principles described in the "European Charter for Researchers" and the "Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers" in 2013.

Since 2018 UMU has been working to define the "Human Resources Strategy for Researchers" (HRS4R), which highlighted the institutional engagement to promote and improve recruitment, working conditions and research careers, contributing in this way to the development of the European Research Area.

The process culminated with the award of the "HR Excellence in Research" seal of quality by the European Commission on 2 June 2020, identifying the University of Murcia as an institution that generates and supports the existence of a stimulating and favourable environment for researchers. More information

What phase are we at?

UMU is currently in the mid of the Implementation Phase

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What have we done at UMU since obtaining the HRS4R Seal?

The implementation of the initial Action Plan has been worked on and a second HRS4R survey has been carried out for UMU researchers, similar to the survey conducted in 2018.

This second survey was carried out between 17 February and 10 March 2022. The survey focused on questions related to the 40 principles of the charter and the code, which are divided in four thematic sections

- Ethical and Professional Aspects
- Recruitment and Selection
- Working Conditions and Social Security
- Training and Development

In order to contact as many researchers as possible, a video was recorded in which the Vice-Rector for Research, Mª Senena Corbalán explains the HRS4R process at UMU, the actions implemented to date and actions in progress. The Coordinator of International and Strategic Research Projects and Director of Operum Antonio Skarmeta explains the survey and the instructions for its completion.

The explanatory videos of the actions implemented at UMU and of the second HRS4R survey are available at the following links:

• Implemented actions

• HRS4R UMU survey 2022

The survey results and main conclusions are available at the following documents:

• Summary of the second survey results (17/02-10/03/2022)
   
• Main conclusions of the second survey HRS4R-UMU 

Interim Assessment: Report and Documents submitted

On 1 June 2022, UMU submitted the mid-term evaluation report to the European Commission..

The most important part of the report is the updating of the Action Plan, with the inclusion of new measures to be implemented in the period 2022-2025. The update of the plan has taken into account the results of the researcher survey, the work carried out by the UMU HRS4R Management and Steering Committees and the requirements of the EC for this second implementation period.

The Updated Action Plan (2022-2055) is available here

It is important to highlight that 8 new actions have been defined (actions 16-23); actions 6 and 11 have been marked as "in progress", in order to adapt the documents to "Royal Decree Law 32/2021, of 28 December, on urgent measures for labour reform, guaranteeing employment stability and the transformation of the labour market"; and action 15 has been marked as "extended", as although progress has been made in extending the training offer for doctoral students, both in research and complementary skills courses, and the online offer has been extended, work will be done to extend the training offer in English.

Another important action is Action 4: "Define a unified, open, transparent and merit-based recruitment policy document for the UMU". An "OTMR logbook document" has been drawn up, which sets out in chronological order the different steps in the selection and recruitment process at UMU, based on the principles of the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers

The document includes the actions of the initial Action Plan that have contributed to progress in UMU's OTM-R policy, and also the actions of the Updated Action Plan (2022-2025) that are aimed at ensuring that the OTM-R principles are present in all UMU policies, which is the ultimate goal to be achieved and the mandatory requirement to be able to maintain the HR seal. The document can be consulted at the following link

Results of Interim Assessment

First of all the submitted documentation must be checked for eligibility by the administrative control. The European Commission will inform UMU of the results of this check in approximately 4 weeks.

Next step would be the evaluation of the submitted report and the actions implemented by UMU.

The result of the evaluation is expected in the last quarter of 2022.

Thank you very much to everyone for the involvement and participation in this process, without which it would not be possible to continue moving forward to consolidate the HR "Excellence in Research" seal at UMU!

Date: June 2022