HRS4R labelling

Since 4 December 2020, the University of Angers has been awarded the HRS4R (Human Resources Strategy for Researchers) delivered by Euraxessa body linked to the European Commission designed to facilitate the mobility of researchers in Europe.

A Quality Strategy for the University

The University of Angers has joined the process of setting up the European Research Area and its philosophy since the very beginning by signing the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers of the European Union, published in 2005 and approved in 2007 by the UA. It has been committed for years to improving the recruitment and life of its staff, researchers and research associates. HRS4R labelling HRS4Rgained in December 2020 is a recognition of the UA’s continuous improvement project. The University of Angers aims to change gears and go further by creating a collective dynamic around the actions to be taken. It is therefore an opportunity to reassert its principles and values.

HRS4R Commitments

The label sets out the overall quality strategy in four main areas:

• ethics and professional responsibility,
• recruitment and career development,
• working conditions and the quality of the working environment,
• training and professional development.

These four areas of reflection and action defined by the EU are largely shared by the UA, which did not await the HRS4R process to consider how to move towards excellence in all areas.

Ethics and Professional Responsibility

The UA fully respects ethical and professional operating principles, starting with academic freedom. It is strongly committed to equality and non-discrimination, gender balance, respect for intellectual property, etc. Training is systematically exempted for doctoral students, and an integrity referent and an ethics committee are set up. This system has been supplemented by the appointment of an equality officer, and will be reinforced by systematic training for staff on all these issues in order to track down prejudices.

Recruitment and Career Development

The UA pays particular attention to recruitment in order to guarantee the principles of merit, transparency and openness, and to ensure fair treatment of applicants for all jobs. Improving the way commissions, committees and juries operate is an ongoing process. It requires ongoing training, particularly for chairpersons, in order to disseminate best practice, but also more comprehensive information for applicants and a harmonisation of practices. Harmonisation does not mean standardisation, however. The work in progress must therefore integrate the specificities of each position, discipline and category.

Working Conditions and Quality of the Working Environment

Working conditions is an ongoing task. Within a framework that is severely compelled by a twofold deficit in financial and human resources, the university manages to offer a quality working framework that is recognised as such. It is also very much committed in a concrete way in terms of equality among staff, and therefore of non-discrimination. The aim is to better identify difficulties encountered in the job and in the professional environment, and to guide staff by developing mentoring or referral systems.

Training and Professional Development

The training of staff is a strong feature of the UA, which can be further enhanced by combining several research opportunities provided by various entities. The changing nature of skills and needs - as the health crisis has highlighted - requires an ongoing effort to identify needs and provide adequate training, whether in pedagogy or in the responsibilities of project management and administrative structure.