HR Excellence in Research
Since 2020, the Santiago de Compostela Institute for Health Research and the Galician Public Foundation IDIS, as its managing body, have held the HR Excellence in Research label awarded by the European Commission.
This award recognises institutions committed to the principles of the European Charter for Researchers, which ensure that their research staff are provided with the best working conditions and a suitable framework for their professional development. The label is a tool that helps organisations improve the efficiency, effectiveness and impact of the actions they undertake to create an attractive working environment and promote scientific excellence, whilst ensuring compliance with fundamental ethical principles and the integrity of research.
Accredited organisations apply the 20 principles of the European Charter for Researchers, which are organised into four pillars covering all aspects of a research career.
IDIS and its managing foundation have internal policies, procedures and mechanisms in place that are aligned with these principles; these define the framework for its research team and support the development of their scientific careers, as detailed in the various sections of this chapter.
Accreditation process
Ethics, Integrity, Gender and Open Science
The first pillar encompasses a series of cross-cutting values that underpin the spirit of the entire European Charter for Researchers and aim to foster the best possible research teams and projects—free from gender bias or any other form of bias, and characterised by diversity and inclusivity. This pillar reaffirms values embraced by the scientific community, such as freedom, equity, sustainability and the sharing of knowledge. [Read more]
Researchers’ Assessment, Recruitment and Progression
The second pillar emphasises the need to introduce qualitative evaluation systems that are open to a diverse range of profiles, taking into account not only scientific quality but also the social impact and innovation generated by the research. Recruitment procedures must be open, transparent and merit-based, and selection processes must be fair, non-discriminatory and sensitive to the range of candidates’ experiences. [Read more]
Working Conditions and Practices
The third pillar emphasises the importance of providing working environments that promote the mental health and physical wellbeing of research, technical and management staff, fair and attractive remuneration, and job security, with a particular focus on preventing and addressing precarious working conditions, especially in the early stages of a research career (R1 / R2). [Read more]
Research Careers and Talent Development
Finally, the fourth pillar includes recommendations for employers to recognise and value the growing diversity of scientific careers, taking into account factors such as interdisciplinarity, diverse career paths, knowledge transfer and entrepreneurship. Employers must create the right conditions and provide the necessary support to ensure that research careers can develop as a process of continuous improvement. [Read more]
