HR Excellence in Research AwardBritish Council, 9 March 2012

Ellen Pearce ellen.pearce@vitae.ac.uk

Aims

This presentation will cover:

how the ‘HR Excellence in Research’ award fits within EURAXESS

the aims and benefits of the process

gaining the ‘HR Excellence in Research' badge

Vitae support for implementation

Two-year internal review

next steps

Background

September 2005: European Charter and Code launched as part of UK Presidency

May 2007: EC survey of EC&C awareness among researchers

November 2008: EC HR Strategy of Researchers launched by European Commission

2009: European Charter and Code implementation brought into the EURAXESS site

September 2009: Vitae formally joins ‘HR Strategy for Researchers Group’ on behalf of the British Council, RCUK, UUK and UK HEIs

March 2010 first European HEIs receive ‘HR Excellence in Research’ award

Background

European Commission’s ‘Partnership for Researchers’

Open recruitment and portability of grants

Social security and supplementary benefits for mobile researchers

Attractive employment and working conditions

Improving training, skills and experience

Innovation Union: more jobs, improved lives, better society

Ensuring our best researchers and innovators are in Europe

Promoting excellence in education and skills development– Strategies for training enough researchers to meet national R&D

targets, attractive working conditions

www.bis.gov.uk/nap

HR Excellence in Research Award

Acknowledges a commitment to good management of researchers and the principles of the Charter and Code

Formal recognition and profile– EURAXESS site– Jobs listings– Funding applications

Become part of pan-European network

UK has 50 institutions with the award

The UK approachQAA Code covers doctoral programmes

Concordat implementation covers research staff

Aims to streamline processes for UK HEIs; Concordat progress review and HR Excellence in Research process work together

Concordat Strategy Group oversees implementation

A sub-group reporting to the Concordat Strategy Group assesses UK submissions

Vitae provides support for HEIs who want to gain the badge

Submission deadlines for 2012: 16 March, 22 June and 26 October

Agreed wording and use of logo for UK HEIs

The process: HR Strategy for Researchers

Five step process

Institutional conducts an internal analysis to compare practice against the Concordat principles

Institutions publish an Action Plan for how they will address the gaps identified in the gap analysis

Commission acknowledge the strategy

Through their own internal quality assurance mechanism, institutions will carry out a self-assessment at least every two years to test and update their Action Plans

At least every four years an external evaluation will take place.

Meeting the criteriaThe action plan should make explicit reference to the gap analysis and findings. Demonstrate wide stakeholder engagement in the gap analysis

The action plan needs to be robust and include actions, people/committees/roles responsible and timeframes

Make visible researcher engagement

Write for external audience

Useful to include reference to activities that are already in place to meet the Concordat principles

Other informationInstitutional profile draws data from the survey of HEI responses to the Concordat:

– Number of research staff– Concordat responsibility– Monitoring mechanisms in place– Activities undertaken– Links to DoP practices related to the Concordat– IPR, rights and authorship

For all 2012 submissions, HEIs will have the opportunity to update their institutional profile

Benefits

Strategic level

Impetus to change

Consolidated internal processes

External recognition

Meeting researchers needs

Added value for funding applications

Next steps for UK HEIs with the award [internal review]

Institutions will be asked to undertake their internal review and publish the outcomes within two years of them gaining the award

Institutions will need to publish a short report (up to 3 pages) for review by the UK panel (this includes European Commission representation) which covers:

– An outline of how the institution undertook their internal review (including, how researchers’ views were taken into account during the review and, where relevant, how the review linked with existing QA and other implementation/monitoring mechanisms)

– Key achievements and progress against the strategy, indicators and actions identified in the original action plan

– Next steps and focus of future strategy for the next two years, including success measures

Ask institutions to publish an updated action plan for the next two years with deliverables and accountabilities

Next steps for UK HEIs with the award [external review]

The researcher surveys are run on a two-yearly basis, ie in 2011, 2013, 2015 thereby providing longitudinal comparison data in advance of 2014/5.

In 2014/5 there is a major external evaluation of progress which enables institutions to meet the requirements of the ‘HR Excellence in Research’ process– Demonstrate progress towards the fulfilment of the Concordat

principles and action plan– Externally evaluated either through external reviewers or

national QA mechanisms– Renewal or withdrawal of the acknowledgement

Vitae work that supports implementation

Enhancing professional and career development for researchers – Researcher Development Framework www.vitae.ac.uk/rdf – Resources www.vitae.ac.uk – Courses www.vitae.ac.uk/programmes

Understanding the views of researchers: management of CROS and PIRLS www.vitae.ac.uk/cros

Practice sharing – Vitae Hubs www.vitae.ac.uk/hubs– Database of practice www.vitae.ac.uk/dop

Evidencing the impact of training and development www.vitae.ac.uk/impact

Next stepsLet us know if/when you intend to submit

Use web section and FAQs www.vitae.ac.uk/hrexcellencebadge

Send us a copy of your Concordat implementation plan for review in advance of the submission dates

We will send you the additional information about your HEI and Concordat implementation from the HEI Concordat survey – confirm or update the data

jen.reynolds@vitae.ac.uk

ellen.pearce@vitae.ac.uk

"I am delighted to announce that thirteen UK institutions have been awarded the ‘HR Excellence in Research’ badge by the European Commission for their work to implement the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers.

It is right that as we put research at the heart of our plans for future prosperity, we prioritise the development of excellent researchers able to capitalise on the impact of that research."

David Willetts, Minister of State for Universities and Science, December 2010