Appreciation and Support for Researchers
In June 2013, the European Commission awarded the University of Turku the right to use the HR Excellence in Research logo. The logo is a token of the university's commitment to continuous development of the position and working conditions of researchers along the guidelines set forth in the European Charter for Researchers.
Continuous Development of Research Environment and Working Conditions
The HR Excellence in Research quality label is a recognition awarded by the European Commission for the development of researchers’ working conditions and careers. By implementing the Charter, we aim at consolidating the attraction of the University as a stimulating working environment for researchers, and align our strategic goals with the transnational initiative of the European Commission to enhance the quality of research and innovation in Europe.
The Human Resources Strategy for Researchers (HRS4R) is based on the values of the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers. The European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers (Charter & Code) provide recommendations and good practice guidelines for the employment and recruitment of researchers. At the University of Turku the project is titled Appreciation and Support for Researchers.
In 2012, the University of Turku joined the 3rd cohort of the project, as one of the first 4 universities from Finland. In June 2013, the European Commission acknowledged the UTU implementation process and Action Plan, and gave the right to use the HR Excellence in Research logo. After that the right to use the logo has renewed every three years based on the assessment rounds.
Summary of our previous assessments
The HR Excellence in Research quality label is a recognition awarded by the European Commission for the development of researchers’ working conditions and careers. By implementing the Charter, we aim at consolidating the attraction of the University as a stimulating working environment for researchers, and align our strategic goals with the transnational initiative of the European Commission to enhance the quality of research and innovation in Europe.
For example, the following achievements and good practices have been put forward:
- development of the tenure track system to improve international recruitment and researchers’ evaluation
- increased and versatile support for researchers' career planning
- wider access to services, such as staff training and sports services, also to non-employed members of the research staff
- compulsory training in research ethics for the doctoral candidates
- well-being survey also for non-employed researchers
- regular training for doctoral dissertation supervisors
- better access to grant support services
The right to use the HR Excellence in Research logo was ending in August 2023, and with that in mind, an internal assessment was carried out during the spring of 2023 along with drawing up a new Action Plan for the years 2023-2026. The application for the renewal of the right to use the logo was submitted to the European Commission in August 2023. The favorable decision was received in May 2024. For example, the following achievements were recognized by the European Commission's assessors:
- Ethics, equality, diversity and accessibility work has gone forward as well as Scholars at Risk (SAR) work. This includes University of Turku's own Accessibility Policy, Equality Plan and Policy for Responsible Assessment of Research and Researcher being created.
- Development and update of the Open, Transparent and Merit-Based Recruitment (OTM-R policy) including also a new recruitment system.
- Improving the family-work balance and the possibilities for remote working even from abroad.
- Focus on leadership and supervision support in training and career development.
