On March 11th, 2005, the European Commission adopted a Recommendation on the European Charter for Researchers and on the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers.

The European Charter for Researchers, along with the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers, are the documents seeking to ensure that the nature of the relation between researchers and funders or research employers boosts the generation, transfer, distribution and dissemination of knowledge and technological advance, as well as the professional development of researchers. Furthermore, the Charter acknowledges the value of all forms of mobility as a means to widen researchers’ professional career. These documents state the guidelines for Universities and European Research Institutions to improve working and employment conditions, making the research career in Europe more attractive. The Charter is addressed to all researchers in the European Union at any stage of their careers and encompasses all research fields within the public and private sectors.

The University of Cadiz has formally adhered this European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers at the beginning of 2018.  In this way the process for improving University’s own structures and processes to gain Human Resource Excellence in Research Award begins. This is an award granted by the European Commission to publicly distinguish research institutions having made progress towards conforming their human resources policies to the 40 principles outlined on the European Charter for Researchers and on the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers.

Thus, the process to get this seal was launched by signing the adherence to the Charter and the Code of Conduct on behalf of the UCA. This implies accepting a preliminary improvement commitment in the matters of recruiting research staff, particularly, in terms of working conditions and development of research career. For this, a Strategic Group for improving human resources policies for research staff has been created. This group is made up by officers and technicians from the Deputy Vice-chancellor Offices for Research and Transfer and Technology Innovation, Vice-chancellor Unit for Strategic Development, Staff department and researchers and external agents. This process will end when gaining the “Human Resource Excellence in Research Award”, the HRS4R Seal of Excellence granted by the European Union to institutions which set up an action plan to implement the guidelines from the Charter and Code for Researchers. This will contribute to increase visibility and trustworthiness of the University of Cadiz as a talent attraction pole.

Furthermore, the process we are developing is something essential to comply with article 32 of the Grant Agreement signed with every Horizon 2020 project which sets forth the obligation to take measures seeking to implement the “European Charter for Researchers” and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers; and if failing to comply so, measures stated on article 6 of the Grant Agreement can be implemented regulating the eligibility or not of the documented costs.

To get to know our stakeholders’ insights on the weaknesses of our institution on this matter, a survey was drafted and the results of which will be essential to set out this Action Plan. On this survey those principles which are not currently stated on any of our both internal and external regulations have been included.

We intend this effort to harmonise our situation with the European guidelines and to have maximum participation and consensus among the university community. For this purpose, we have enabled a suggestion box for any person or group wishing to make any suggestions for upgrading the document if they are deemed suitable.