CVC has successfully renewed the accreditation “Excellence in Human Resources” of the European Commission

CVC has successfully fulfilled the HRS4R accreditation renewal process. The “Excellence in Human Resources” seal is an accreditation awarded by the European Commission to institutions and research centres that excel in implementing good human resources practices. 

The Human Resources Strategy for Researchers (HRS4R) supports institutions and research centers in implementing the European Charter & Code for Researchers in their policies and practices. The European Charter & Code for Researchers describe the rights and responsibilities of researchers and their employers and contribute to the creation of a labour market that is transparent, attractive and open at an international level.  

In this regard, the European Commission recognizes with the HR Excellence in Research award the institutions which make progress in aligning their human resources policies to the 40 principles of the Charter & Code, based on a customized action plan and Human Resources strategy. 

The Computer Vision Center was distinguished for the first time with the HR Excellence in Research seal on May 2015 and was renewed on April 2018. Since then, many improvement actions have been undertaken to benefit the entire CVC research community and embed the HRS4R within our personnel. 

An Improved Action Plan 2021-2024 for the Human Resources Strategy for Researchers has been developed to implement human resources policies following the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for Recruitment. The definition of this action plan involved an internal working group, meetings with representatives from different research professional categories and a staff meeting with all CVC researchers.   

Furthermore, CVC has also implemented the OTM-R checklist, which aligns the institution’s recruitment process to the Open, Transparent and Merit-based Recruitment (OTM-R) standards, guaranteeing transparency, accessibility, equity and the search for excellence in the recruitment of researchers. The general guidelines are stated in the CVC-OTM-R Recruitment Process webpage and document.  

Another relevant improvement in the last years was the creation of the Equality Committee on November 2021, which led to the development and approval of the CVC’s Equality Plan (2021-2025). In addition, CVC developed and approved a Protocol for dealing with, preventing and eradicating workplace harassment.   

With this new accreditation renewal, the Computer Vision Center reaffirms its commitment to implementing and sustaining the ethical and professional aspects of HRS4R for the research community and consolidates its position as an inclusive and people-centred institution. The HRS4R acknowledgement has been renewed for three years until 2025. 

Accreditation Renewal and final report  

The evaluation of the accreditation renewal was carried out through a site visit of a group of international experts in the field of human resources in research, which was held on October 13th. The experts were introduced to the main strategic lines of the HR Action Plan by the members of the CVC’s HRS4R working group and the CVC’s direction. After that, the experts interviewed CVC research staff at different stages of their careers, as well as management and technical staff and representatives of the Equality Committee. These interviews aimed to measure the success of action implementation and how HRS4R is embedded within the institution. 

The experts gave their feedback on a final report of the European Commission that specifies some good practices and strengths of the CVC in performing excellence in human resources actions. Among these good practices are a positive atmosphere and working culture, research freedom and career development, transparency in the operation of policies and protocols, open-door policies and the institution’s commitment to equality.  

Furthermore, the final report included several suggestions and recommendations in which CVC will work to progressively implement from now on. Some of these recommendations are to involve representatives of the research community in the HRS4R working group, to organise and make a training programme accessible to staff and researchers, to improve the visibility of the HRS4R process or to develop a mentorship programme to support early-stage researchers. 

The importance of HRS4R accreditation for CVC 

The Human Resources Strategy for Research (HRS4R) is a tool launched by the European Commission that aims to attract and retain scientific talent in Europe, promote the mobility of researchers, ensure a good working environment and promote the development of their professional careers. In addition, it also boosts employment and economic growth by establishing a competitive, transparent and open scientific labour market. 

The "HR Excellence in Research" quality seal awarded by the European Commission identifies those universities and research centres that generate and support the existence of a stimulating and encouraging research environment. Until now, 697 organisations, 159 of them from Spain, have received this accreditation.   

The Computer Vision Center's commitment to the HRS4R is aligned with its Strategic Plan and internal policies, focused on promoting an attractive, inclusive and people-centred workplace. The renewal of the "HR Excellence in Research" seal is an opportunity to keep and enhance the institution's excellence and to continue in line with the EU research principles.