November 12th, 2021, the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CZU) was granted the prestigious HR Excellence in Research award, also known as the HR Award. This achievement places CZU among a community of institutions recognized as upholding the European standard in employee care, and confirms its status as a transparent educational and research institution of the 21st century.
The HR Award is granted by the European Commission through the Euraxess initiative for excellence in human resources management in the research environment. For CZU, the award is a confirmation that it adheres to the principles outlined in the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers, not only in the recruitment and employment of academic and research staff, but also in its internal process settings. It also serves as proof that CZU is a high-quality employer for potential candidates from around the world.
The process of obtaining the HR Excellence in Research Award
Basic Information about the HR Excellence in Research Award at CZU
- CZU received the award on November 12, 2021.
- February 15th, 2024, the updated Action Plan was approved by the European Commission evaluators.
- CZU is currently in the Implementation Phase of the HR Award process (lasting 36 months), during which the individual steps of the updated Action Plan are being implemented.
- April 13th, 2027, a new version of the Action Plan will be submitted to the European Commission evaluators.
- In 2027, an on-site evaluation will be conducted by European Commission evaluators.
- The process of obtaining the HR Award and implementing the activities outlined in the Action Plan has been funded by the project "Strategic Development of Human Resources at CZU"
- Responsible person for coordinating activities related to the HR Award process: Ilona Dita (dita@rektorat.czu.cz)
- More information about the HR Award process is available here: HR Excellence in Research | EURAXESS
Fulfillment of the Phases by CZU
- Initial Phase October 3rd, 2019, CZU committed by letter to endorsing the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers, and pledged to establish a working environment that would enable it to obtain the prestigious HR Award. December 3rd, 2020, the project team submitted the required documents to the European Commission evaluators for assessment: the GAP Analysis, Action Plan, and OTM-R Policy. The documents were published in Czech and English on the CZU website.
- Award Granting – HR Excellence in Research Award
November 12th, 2021, CZU was granted the HR Excellence in Research Award (HR Award) by the European Commission, joining the ranks of other prestigious institutions across Europe. By receiving this award, CZU confirms that in the area of recruitment and employment of (not only) academic and research staff, it adheres to the principles established in the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct. Furthermore, through its internally defined processes, CZU demonstrates that it is a high-quality employer for potential candidates from around the world.
The HR Award was granted to CZU for a period of 24 months. - Implementation Phase (24 months) During the period from November 12, 2021 to November 12, 2023, the activities defined in the Action Plan and OTM-R Policy were gradually implemented through the collaboration of the project team members and focus groups. These activities were carried out and funded by the project "Strategic Development of Human Resources at CZU.
- Implementation Phase (36 months) In December 2023, the Action Plan for the period 2023–2026 was updated and submitted to the European Commission evaluators. On February 15th, 2024, the evaluators issued a positive assessment of the submitted documents, and the prestigious award was granted for an additional three-year period.
Between February 15, 2024 and February 15, 2027, CZU will gradually implement the individual steps outlined in the updated Action Plan.
