A2 - Exploring the common strengths and gaps in implementation plans: sharing practice and identifying solutions
Day 1 at 14:00 - This session explored in detail the key themes from the new Vitae review ‘HR strategies for researchers: A review of the HR Excellence in Research Award implementation activities across Europe', with an illustrative institutional perspective.
The review has sought to surface the strategies that UK institutions have used to develop their practice in the light of the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers and to compare these with the approach taken by equivalent non-UK European institutions which were guided by the European Charter and Code. The review is based on the documentation available for 61 institutions in the UK that had gained the award and 48 non-UK European institutions at October 2012. Strand - All Researchers (practice).
The review has sought to surface the strategies that UK institutions have used to develop their practice in the light of the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers and to compare these with the approach taken by equivalent non-UK European institutions which were guided by the European Charter and Code. The review is based on the documentation available for 61 institutions in the UK that had gained the award and 48 non-UK European institutions at October 2012. Strand - All Researchers (practice).
The review sets out a range of recommendations which include:
- relevant organisations should reflect further on the areas where there was less consistent evidence of implementation and identify any further actions needed, these include: establishing research staff associations, developing an institutional policy on researchers' responsibilities, seeking external recognition for equality and diversity, informal benchmarking and sharing good practice
- Vitae should undertake further work with the European Commission, member states and relevant organisations to explore whether the evidence-based framework set out in the review could be developed into a framework to underpin the internal and external review process
This interactive session enabled participants to:
- deepen their understanding of the themes highlighted in Vitae's latest review of the common strengths and gaps in practice across Europe
- hear an institutional perspective on the strengths and gaps highlighted in the review
- consider the proposed evidence-based framework to underpin the HR Excellence review process
- explore with other participants key strengths and challenges in implementation and identify potential solutions.
