HR Excellence in Research

In 2005, the European Commission adopted the Recommendation on the European Charter for Researchers and Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers.

It is a set of general principles and requirements covering the roles, responsibilities and rights of researchers and those who recruit or fund them.

The Charter ensures that the relationship facilitates researchers' professional career development and is conducive to successful generation, transfer and dissemination of knowledge and technological development.

The contents mainly concern the following macro areas:

  • research ethical and professional aspects
  • researchers recruitment and selection
  • working conditions and social security
  • training, development and mobility

The "HR Strategy for Researchers" (HRS4R), has been established in 2008. This fosters the full implementation of the Charter and Code across Europe. Adherence to the process means that institutions starting this process are permitted to use the HRS4R logo.

The award recognises the progress made in aligning the University's HR policies with the principles set out in the Charter and Code. It is periodically reconfirmed by the European Commission to create an increasingly favourable and high-level academic environment for researchers worldwide.

In 2014 Politecnico di Milano started the process to adhere to the HRS4R principles and methodology, following all the foreseen steps. In 2015, the European Commission granted the "HR Excellence in Research" award to the University. Politecnico di Milano works daily to follow the European Charter for Researchers founding principles. It integrates and aligns its path to create a better working environment and successfully generates, transfers, shares and disseminates knowledge and technological development, and develops the researchers' career.

To start the work related to the Researchers' Charter at University level, a Working Group has been set up - representative of the entire research community and renewable every three years - which includes a representative for each of the following categories: PhD students, fixed-term researchers, associate professors, full professors and an institutional representative. In order to reach all the recipients of the actions in an extensive manner, following a consultation with the Heads of the 12 Departments, the Working Group outlines a draft of actions to be implemented at University level for the next two years. The document is therefore shared with the Polimi Research Committee for an evaluation, followed by the sharing of the document with the Academic Senate for approval and, finally, by its publication on the Polimi website.

 

The process for the renewal of the award’s recognition at Polimi started in 2021 and in 2022 Polimi has received the Site Visit of the Assessors. Following the Site Visit we have received and adopted some recommendations for the work to be implemented in the coming years.

In particular, a Steering Committee was appointed composed of: Prof. Donatella Sciuto, Prof. Daniele Rocchi, Prof. Alberto Guadagnini, Prof. Cristina Rossi Lamastra, Prof. Franco Bernelli-Zazzera, Prof. Barbara Pernici, Prof.ssa Carolina Pacchi, Prof. Francesca Rizzo, Dr. Alessandra Moroni, Dr. Stefania Elisabeth Grotti. The Committee will have the task of supporting strategically the action carried out within the HRS4R process, providing opinions and recommendations to the Working Group. It will also have the task of hinging the actions, carried out within the HRS4R Process, in the University's Strategic Plan.

In August 2022 the renewal assessment of the HRS4R process received a positive evaluation and Polimi acknowledgment 'HR excellence in Research' is confirmed.