HRS4R - "HR Excellence in Research" label

Since March 2015, by becoming the 1st French university to receive the"HR Excellence in Research" label from the European Commission, the University of Montpellier has been deploying aHuman Resources Strategyfor Researchers (HRS4R) that reflects its commitment to evolving its practices and moving closer to the recommendations of theEuropean Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers(C&C). These two documents, adopted in 2005 by the European Commission (EC), aim to promote research careers in Europe.  

INITIAL PROJECT 

For several years now, the UM has been implementing its human resources strategy for research, also known as HRS4R, an acronym for Human Resources Strategy for Researchers. Part of the institutional strategy, HRS4R aims to support research and promote excellence in human resources for research by fostering good working conditions, open, transparent and merit-based recruitment (OTM-R), and career support. 

MID-TERM EVALUATION 

HRS4R is a quality approach, based on the principle of continuous improvement, for which UM has set up regular monitoring (with self-assessment and updating of the action plan at mid-term and at the end of the cycle). Awarded for an initial period of 5 years, the label is renewable in 3-year cycles. Carried out in March 2017, amid-term self-assessmentwas positively evaluated by the European Commission and led to the revision of theaction planfor 2017-2019.A real asset for obtaining funding, particularly European funding, this certification helps secure European funding received by the UM (Article 18 in Horizon Europe) and gives the establishment greater visibility and attractiveness nationally and internationally. 

LABEL RENEWAL

In 2024 

During the 2023-2024 academic year, UM carried out an end-of-cycle self-assessment, based on a survey of the UM research community and cross-directorate work. The result was a new action plan for the period 2024-2027. The elements of the renewal dossier, approved by the Board of Directors on November 18, 2024, have been submitted to the European Commission for validation. They include: 

1. The HRS4R 2024 report 
2. HRS4R 2020-2023 completion status 
3. The updated UM OTM-R Charter 
4. The revised HRS4R action plan for 2024-2027 
5. Results of the HRS4R 2024 survey

This new label renewal application will not be subject to an on-site audit by European Commission experts.

Previous renewal (2021)

During 2020, the UM carried out an end-of-cycle self-evaluation, based on collective reflection and cross-directional work, which led to the emergence of a new action plan for the 2020-2023 period. The elements of the renewal dossier, approved by the Board of Directors on December 14, 2020 and validated in June 2021 by three experts from the European Commission, include:

1. The HRS4R 2020 report 
2. HRS4R 2017-2019 completion status 
3. The UM OTM-R Charter 
4. The revised HRS4R action plan for 2020-2023 

Following an evaluation and on-site audit in June 2021, the European Commission's rapporteurs have given a favorable opinion on the University of Montpellier's application for renewal of its European "HR Excellence in Research" label. The UM has thus renewed its label of excellence for a three-year cycle (until 2024). 

This decision reinforces the Human Resources for Research strategy(HRS4R) deployed by UM since 2015, which aims to support research professions by improving support for researchers in their careers, promoting their working conditions and mobility in the European area while strengthening the attractiveness of the University.