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Loula Sigala Administrative Director NHRF

Head of International Relations NHRF

National Contact Point PEOPLE FP7

EURAXESS Services’ Centre

The National Hellenic Research Foundation

48, Vas. Constantinou Ave. 116 35 Athens, Greece

http://www.eie.gr, e-mail: lsigala@eie.gr

The European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for their Recruitment : the EC institutional tool for the enchancement of the human resources potential in European research

Launching Event of the University of Ioannina EURAXESS Services Centre

University of Ioannina, 23 February 2011

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Outline of the presentation

A. The EU policy background on the enhancement of the European Research Era (ERA)

B. The Recommendation on the Charter and Code (C&C)

C. The implementation of the C & C at European level

D. The implementation of the C & C at National level

E. The benefits from the C & C endorsement and implementation

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Human Resources and Mobility at the heart of the EU policy and Strategy

The HRM Steering Group The OMC The National Implementation Reports The Reporting to CREST The Competitiveness Council of the EU The implementation by the Member States The Institutional and Financial tools

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Researchers: the key players

For the advancement of knowledge For the achievement of economic growth through innovation

Career development policy and actions

Enhancement of mobility in its triple form (geographical, intersectoral, interdisciplinary)

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The definition of researcher according to the Frascati Manual (OECD 2002)

“Professionals engaged in the conception or creation of new knowledge, products, processes, methods and systems

and in the management of the projects concerned”

More specifically

the above relates to all persons professionally engaged in R&D at any career stage and in any activities related to “basic research”, “strategic research”, “applied research”, “experimental development”, “transfer of

knowledge” etc

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Legal

Career development and mobility at the heart of the Charter & Code (C&C)

A ‘bill of rights and duties’ for all researchers working in the EU

To recognise researchers as professionals

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The Commission Recommendation, the parties involved, the structure and the aim

The nature of the institutional tool and its implementation by member states on a voluntary basis

The Recommendation addresses the funders, the employers and the researchers

The Structure of the Recommendation:

The European Charter for Researchers A set of general principles and requirements which specifies the roles and

responsibilities of researchers, employers/funders and

The Code of Conduct for the recruitment of researchers A set of general principles and requirements to be followed by employers

and/or funders when appointing or recruiting researchers (transparency in the selection, equal treatment etc)

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The Commission Recommendation, the parties involved, the structure and the aim

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The sub goals

The researchers’ own responsibility as regards their career development

The recognition of researcher as a professional (The recognition should begin from the very beginning of the researcher's career and extend towards all stages and professional categories, independently of classification at national level )

Promotion, approval και implementation of the Recommendation by the member states on a voluntary basis

Follow up mechanisms of the implementation (monitoring)

Adoption of a HR Strategy for Researchers by the parties involved (employers and funders)

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From the publication of the Recommendation (2005) until today

The EU institutional tools

The Green Paper “European Research Area: New Perspectives”

3.1 “Realizing a single labor market for researchers” (4/4/2007)

The Commission's Communication on better careers and more mobility: A European Partnership for Researchers (23/5/2008)

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Partnership for Researchers

Framework for MS to direct their efforts at national level in 4 key areas: recruitment, social security & supplementary pension rights, working conditions, training.

Most actions are routed in the Charter & Code, which is the institutional side of the Partnership process.

Partnership: “Coordinated action in these areas, alongside renewed efforts on existing initiatives such as increasing the take-up of the principles of the Charter and Code, would provide better job opportunities and more rewarding careers for researchers…”

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The Charter & Code endorsement

Successful results• Around 220 signed declarations representing more than 1000

research organisations from 30 countries from Europe and beyond• C&C recognised policy tool: national initiatives in line with the C&C,

Working groups; etc.

Difficulties• Lack of awareness• Fear of administrative burden• Lack of institutional strategies, legal problems

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After the endorsement of the C & C: How the principles are implemented?

The EC Institutional Human Resources Strategy Group (2009)

(all members have undersigned the C & C principles)

monitors the flexible mechanism:

“HR Strategy for Researchers incorporating the principles of the Charter and Code”

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A HR Strategy for Researchers articulated in five steps

1) An internal analysis by the research institution to compare institutional practices against the C&C principles, which should involve all key institutional players;

2)The publication of a "Human Resources Strategy for Researchers incorporating the Charter & Code "

3) The acknowledgement of the HR Strategy by the European Commission (logo “HR Excellence in Research”)

4) A self-assessment based implementation every 2 years

5) An external evaluation every 4 years

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HR Strategy for Researchers (2)

An example of a possible standard template for the internal analysis and implementation of the HR Strategy for Researchers

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HR Strategy for Researchers (3)

A Charter & Code implementation mechanism that :

- Is based on institutional self-assessment and respects the autonomy of the institutions

- Is as light as possible, avoiding cumbersome procedures and recognizing the variety of situations across institutions

- Is a transparent approach that provides easily accessible public information on the HR policies of undersigning institutions

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The landscape in Greece after 2005

HRST Policy and Strategy focuses on:

a. Highly skilled researchers (Greek Universities and public Research Centres)

b. Attracting talents from abroad, enhancing geographical mobility of researchers.

c. Enhancing employment of highly skilled personnel in the business enterprise sector, enhancing inter-sectoral mobility of researchers, improving the skills of the business personnel.

d. Support of entrepreneurship of researchers.

e. Mobilization of social groups not fully integrated in the RTD system (women, immigrants, repatriates)

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The EC institutional tools and the Greek paradigm. From legal texts to practice

A good example of interministerial and related bodies’ cooperation

The leading role of the Ministry of Development An active consultation process with the stakeholders triggered by the General

Secretariat for Research and Development (GSRT) / Ministry of Development The cooperation with the Conference of Directors of the Research Centres

under the umbrella of the GSRT The Recommendation on the C & C and the Mixed National Committee on

Research and Education The cooperation with the Conference of Rectors of Greek Universities The channels of communication with the Ministry of Education and Religious

Affairs/ EU Directorate The role of the Greek network of EURAXESS Services’ Centres in the

promotion and the implementation of the C & C

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Aim: To gain valuable information regarding the realistic chances of the implementation of the principles laid down in the C & C

Addressees:

52 Research Institutes under the umbrella of the GSRT

Presidents

Directors of the Institutes

Researchers

Personnel Departments

Participation rate: 70%

Brief analysis:An overall estimation of the answers received by the participants is

that there is a general tendency to agree with all the principles laid down in the C & C (with only a very few exemptions). Almost all of the participants find the C & C as “a good attempt” and a well thought document addressing most of the aspects related to the researchers’ professional life and expectations

The conduction of a survey among the Research Centres with the help of theGreek network of EURAXESS Services Centres

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The endorsement of the C&C by the Greek ResearchOrganizations

EUROSCIENCE – Hellas (January 2006)

National Hellenic Research Foundation (July 2008)

Centre for Research and Technology – Hellas (September 2008)

Marie Curie Fellows Association – Hellas (October 2008)

University of Crete (January 2010)

University of Ioannina (May 2010)

The Greek Rectors’ Conference (September 2010)

University of Thessaly (October 2010)

University of Patras (January 2011)

With the help and support of

the GREEK EURAXESS

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Which are the benefits after the endorsement and implementation of the Charter and Code?

Individual research organizations: -become more attractive to researchers looking for a new employer or for a host for their research project

-Increase their visibility as organisations actively promoting their national research system and/or the European Research Area 

The logo "HR Excellence in Research" identifies the institutions and organisations as providers and supporters of a stimulating and favourable working environment.

ERA is developing as an attractive, open and sustainable labour market for researchers.

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Resumé

What is the “Charter & Code”?A set of principles on HR in research…

Why to sign them?Increase research institutions’ attractiveness

Who can sign?Any researchers’ employer or funder

How to implement them? Through the “HR Strategy for Researchers”!

What the benefits will be?Attractive research organization, favourable working environment, open and sustainable European labour market

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Useful Link: EURAXESS Rights: http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/rights

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Thank you for your attention!

Loula Sigala

Administrative Director NHRF Head of International Relations NHRFNational Contact Point PEOPLE FP7

EURAXESS Services’ Centre

The National Hellenic Research Foundation48, Vas. Constantinou Ave. 116 35 Athens, Greece

http://www.eie.gr, e-mail: lsigala@eie.gr