In July 2023, URN was awarded the HRS4R label, ‘HR Excellence in Research’, by the European Commission. This distinction marks the first stage of an initiative that began in September 2020. It demonstrates the university’s commitment to becoming an integral part of the European Research Area. The aim of this initiative is to encourage continuous improvement in recruitment practices and working conditions, particularly for researchers within the institution.

The fundamental principles to be respected are set out in the European Charter for Researchers, which recommends recruiting researchers based on open and transparent criteria. Applications should be assessed on the basis of individual skills, rather than on the basis of the laboratory of origin, in line with the OTM-R recruitment policy. It is also essential that job advertisements are widely publicised.

To draw up the action plan (for the next five years), URN, in collaboration with its departments and in consultation with staff, took stock of its recruitment practices and working conditions within the institution (staff surveys, ad hoc working groups). As a result, the university was able to measure any deviations from European principles. The measures taken to implement the HRS4R plan will benefit all staff at the university.

In 2025, according to the rules governing the Label, an internal assessment of the progress of the programme must be carried out at the end of a two-year period. This is an opportunity to evaluate and revise the action plan in the light of any difficulties encountered or new elements that emerge during its implementation. The revised action plan must be validated by the European Commission.

The university will be audited by the European Commission at the end of the five-year period, after which the Label will be renewed (or not) in 2028.

Thereafter, the university will be assessed every 3 years

• EURAXESS – HRS4R
• Open Science – Institutional Research Data Depository
• Social reports, RSU
• Scientific integrity

• Monitoring committee
• Steering committee

Details of the composition of the committees

Sylvain Chambreland, HRS4R project manager for university of Rouen Normandy