Benefits of the HR Excellence in Research Award

IMPORTANT - The HR Excellence in Research Award UK process is changing

The HR Excellence in Research logo tells researchers that an institution is committed to supporting their careers and can give them confidence about moving to a new institution, perhaps in a new country. A main driver for the initiative is to ensure that Europe is an attractive place for researchers from all over the globe.

There are a range of benefits for organisations that have the Award. For example, it can add value to funding applications to demonstrate a commitment to good working conditions and career development for researchers. It can also be used to promote this commitment to researchers who might be considering moving to your institution. If you advertise on EURAXESS jobs and have the HR Excellence in Research Award the logo is automatically profiled next to the job advert.

Vitae asked organisations with the Award to contribute to a Vitae review of benefits. Colleagues in universities particularly highlighted the value of the HR Excellence in Research Award as:

  • Contribution to strategic goals: including improving the quality and impact of research, contributing to institutional strategies to appoint, develop and retain the best staff to pursue excellence, and the preparation of researchers for wide employability and economic contribution
  • Impetus for change: supporting culture change internally
  • Support for internal processes: the focus on developing an action plan led to useful conversations about implementation and evaluation, also to recognise, refine and develop good practice
  • Raising the status of researcher development: including a perception that this marked out the institution as 'being one of the best'
  • Meeting researchers' needs: including improving managing bids and research groups
  • Attracting funding: the Award was perceived as useful particularly for European funding

Organisations have also valued the opportunities it brings to share practice with other award-holders and organisations working towards the Award.

‘We are pleased to have received this recognition and will continue to support Europe-wide initiatives through involvement in policy development and its local implementation here in Cambridge."

Professor Lynn Gladden, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research, University of Cambridge

"Our research staff are crucial to the success of the University. We have been working hard to ensure our researchers are supported in developing their skills and careers as well as engaging with cutting edge research. We are thrilled that this has been recognised by the European Commission."

Professor Mary Bownes, Vice Principal, Research Training, University of Edinburgh

"The existence of the European Commission HR Excellence in Research Award has helped to provide a focus and indeed a driver for this cross University activity."

Paul Roberts, Assistant Director, University of Sussex

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