Human Resources Strategy for Researchers incorporating the Charter and Code (C&C)

The European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers (C&C)

The European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers (C&C) are two European Commission reports, published as Recommendations in 2005, incorporating a set of general principles and requirements which specifies either the roles, responsibilities and entitlements of researchers (according to OECD definition) as well as of employers and/or funders of researchers and that should be followed by employers and/or funders when appointing or recruiting researchers.
The final purpose is the improvement of European research competitiveness at international level through a gradual and slow process of cultural change, discussion and comparison among all the stakeholders (public and private research institutions and politicians). This is will be possible by the adoption of a Human Resources Strategy (HRS) for researchers incorporating the C&C; this is a support tool light to apply and flexible in its validation and verification approach and easily made available to the public at large.

University of Foggia commitment

The University of Foggia (Italy), recognizing itself in the inspiring principles of these important documents, on 17th November 2008, along with others seven Italian universities, signed a declaration commitment for the implementation of a HRS for The European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers, according to the European Commission Recommendation of 11 March 2005; the same declaration was subsequently signed by each institutions and notified to the European Commission on 18th June 2009.

University of Foggia purpose

The University of Foggia, with the implementation of an HRS for researchers incorporating the C&C, aims to receive the acknowledgement of HR excellence in research in order to:
improve its visibility in the European Research Area (ERA) and at international level;
obtain more credibility internally and externally, towards researchers, national authorities, funders, etc…
become part of a growing group of institutions, many of very high international standing, adding to its institution’s status.
Furthermore, this strategy is going to be an integrated part of the general wider strategy of the Foggia institution which is addressed to a substantial repositioning of research activity at international and national level. It, also, represents an adaptation to the new European and national directives in this field (i.e. Italian proposed law by the present Education Ministry).

Work methodology

The main steps of the process for defining and adopting a HRS are summarised as follows:

1. an Internal Analysis (IA), through the distributing of a questionnaire to all researchers, to assess the state of adoption of C&C principles;
2. the main results of this analysis will be made public and translated into a strategy (HRS) for the sustainable career of researchers;
3. the HRS will receive an “acknowledgment” by the European Commission;
4. the HRS will be implemented by the institution, and self-assessed by its internal quality assurance mechanism, every 2 years, at least;
5. an external evaluation will take place every 4 years.

In this context:

1. in February 2009, a Technical Working Group (TWG) was formed, chaired by Prof. Lorenzo Lo Muzio and coordinated by Dr. Mariarosaria Lombardi. It is composed of some researchers, administrative staff (experts in recruitment, social security, internationalization and training) and vice-president of ADI (Association of Italian PhD students). The TWG have had to draw up a draft proposal of HRS according to the IA results;
2. in April 2009, the IA, for a wider possible diffusion, was matched with the “research quota 2009” (provided by the institution after the monitoring of each researcher activities) and so diffused to 164 researchers, 93 associated professors and 93 full professors. For early stage researchers (postgraduate students or researchers) the vice-president of ADI was delegated;
3. in June 2009, a draft proposal of HRS was drawn up according to the data analysis of IA and the recommendations of TWG. In this way the main gaps were identified and were allocated their priority importance in the institutional/national context. Actions were planned to address the issues;
4. in September 2009, the University of Foggia organized the “Service Conference on Research” where the University of Camerino (coordinator of Italian C&C network) presented the state of art and the working in progress of the involved. Institutions;
5. in October 2009, according to the indications suggested by University of Camerino and by the 1st Meeting of Institutional Human Resources Strategy Group, held in Warwick (UK) on 7th September 2009, a final proposal of HRS was sent to all Departments of Foggia University to receive their approbations or eventual integrations/modifications;
6. on 10th February, the final proposal HRS was discussed in Senate;
7. on 25th February, the TWG met again to indicate who/which department is responsible for and what is the timeline for HRS as suggested by Dr. Dagmar Meyer in occasion of the 2nd Meeting of Institutional Human Resources Strategy Group, held in Heidelberg (Germany) on 9th February 2010;
8. on 9 March 2010, the HR Strategy was published on the UNIFG website;
9. on 10 March 2010, there was the acknowledgement by European Commission and the use of logo HR.
10. On the 3rd of August 2012, the European Commission approved the UNIFG's self assessment and confirmed the use of HR logo.
    
     

The Human Resources Strategy

The following table shows the ten actions planned to address the identified issues and who/which and when they will be implemented.

• Table summarizing the principles of C&C

Staff coordination:

Area Ricerca e Relazioni Internazionali - Chief dott. Giovanni Lovallo

Trasferimento Tecnologico - Chief dott.ssa Viviana Di Cosmo