HR Excellence in Research - Developing researcher career and working conditions
In line with our values, our international scientific community creates new knowledge, takes responsibility, and succeeds together. Our goal is that each member of our community thrives and feels welcome and equal. Solving global challenges requires creativity, which can be achieved in a safe and inspiring atmosphere and environment.
We put our hearts into the development of our HR practices and work towards building a skilful, adaptable, diverse and international community. We are committed to fostering and developing a sustainable and attractive research environment.
HR Excellence in Research is an initiative by the European Commission, supporting research institutions in developing the working conditions and recruitment of researchers.
The process focuses on embedding the European Charter for Researchers and Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers (Charter and Code) in the HR policies and practices of the participating institutions. The HR Excellence in Research award is granted to research performing organisations that are progressing in the implementation of the principles in their own practices. The European Union's policy is to make research an attractive career, which is a vital feature of its strategy to stimulate economic and employment growth.
HR Excellence in Research development work at University of Oulu
University of Oulu joined the initiative in 2013 and received the HR Excellence in Research quality label in 2014.
In line with the five steps of the process, the work is regularly evaluated through both internal self-assessments and external reviews to maintain the quality label. These steps are part of the continuous monitoring and improvement process, ensuring that the principles of the Charter & Code remain firmly embedded in the university’s operations.
In the internal self‑assessment, the university’s practices are compared with the European Commission’s European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers. Identified development needs are documented in the Action Plan, which is updated every three years. The HRS4R process also includes regular external assessments executed by the European Commission. An external assessment by peer review team making a site visit takes place every six years. You can familiarize yourself with the action plans from previous years in the section: Action Plan 2023
An internal assessment of the process was made in 2016, an external review with a site visit is conducted in 2020, and the latest internal assessment was made again in 2023. In February 2024, the university successfully passed the renewal phase without site visit, and the HR Excellence in Research recognition is valid for three years.
During 2026, the action plan will be updated, and an internal evaluation will also be carried out. This time, the renewal phase will include a site visit, which is expected to take place in 2027.
The Action Plan describes the key actions we work on in the process. The initial Action Plan was drafted based on a gap analysis in 2013 and has been reviewed and updated regularly to reflect the progress of the actions and new development areas. Our Action Plan is based on and fully integrated into our organisational strategy.
Find out more about the actions in the current plan or our previous documents.
The University of Oulu is committed to the European Commission’s recruitment principles, which emphasize openness, transparency and merit-based selection (OTM‑R) as the foundation of all recruitment processes. Open, transparent and merit-based recruitment (OTM-R) is also a cornerstone of our HR Excellence in Research process. Supporting our strategy, recruitment is active and aims at building a top-level staff.
Get to know our OTM-R policy: