HR Excellence in Research

On December 4, 2017 the European Commission awarded the HR Excellence in Research logo to the W. Szafer Institute of Botany, acknowledging that the Institute provides a stimulating and favourable working environment for researchers. The Institute owes its place among the elite European research institutions with this prestigious award to its human resources policy based on the rules and procedures of the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers. The HR Excellence in Research logo certifies that the Institute endeavours to be a friendly workplace for researchers, allowing them to function freely within the European Research Area. The Award is perceived as useful for European funding. It is a competitive advantage in international grant competitions of the EC (such as Horizon 2020), national grant competitions of the National Science Centre and the National Centre for Research and Development, competitions and funding programs of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. Other benefits for research institutions that have the HR Excellence in Research Award are:

prestige and recognition of the Institute as an institution creating the best working conditions for research in accordance with European standards;
increased attractiveness of the institution as an employer providing a friendly environment for research activity and respecting transparent rules in the recruitment process;
additional points at the parametric assessment of research units by the Committee for Evaluation of Scientific Research Institutions.

Granting the logo is an initiative of the European Commission within the framework of the Human Resources Strategy for Researchers, aimed to enhance working conditions for researchers across the EU. This activity is to attract researchers to work in European institutions. The EC supports institutions which implement principles of the European Charter and Code and promotes them among the international organizations and scientists as such which provide the best conditions for research and career development. To gain permission to use the HR Excellence in Research logo an institution must fulfil stringent conditions and go through the standardized assessment procedure. The institution must express its support for the principles set out in the Charter and the Code, and carry out an internal gap analysis to find out whether its human resource policy is consistent with these principles. Next, following conclusions from the internal analysis it has to prepare the HR strategy and action plan in the indicated areas. These documents are sent for assessment to the European Commission. Once the strategy is approved by the Commission, an institution can use the HR Excellence in Research logo. After two years the institution has to carry out a self-assessment to assess the progress in implementing the Chart and Code principles and update their action plan. After four years an external evaluation by the EU reviewers takes place. Retaining the right to use the logo depends on the evaluation results.

Committee appointed to implement the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for Recruitment of Researchers at the W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences

Magdalena Moskal-del Hoyo, PhD – President of the Committee
Paweł Kapusta, DSc. – Representative of Research Fellows
Grażyna Szarek-Łukaszewska, DSc. – Representative of Research Fellows
Magda Kapcia, MSc. – Representative of PhD Students
Bogumiła Kurzydło, MSc. – Administration and Economics Director
Agnieszka Urbaniak, MSc. – Administration Specialist

Documents

Initial phase (2015–2019)

Interim assessment (2016–2019)

Award Renewal (2019–2023)

Action plan

Director's orders introduced in response to the HR logo evaluation

Order of the Director of IB PAS No. 22/2017 – A job posting template for the competition for a research position was introduced (Action Pan No. IX)
Order of the Director of IB PAS No. 4/2018 – A new form for research activity financed from specified-user subsidy for maintaining research potential was implemented (Action Plan No. XX)
Order of the Director of IB PAS No. 7/2018 – Internal regulations on awarding bonuses to employees at IB PAS. As a result, researchers will receive bonuses for the most outstanding research achievements (publications) (Action Plan No. IV)
Order of the Director of IB PAS No. 22/2018 – Internal regulations on appointing researchers’ representatives for the purpose of participating in works undertaken by information, consultation, and decision-making bodies (Action Plan No. VI)
Order of the Director of IB PAS No. 30/2018 – Implementation of the Internal regulations on laboratory operation at IB PAS on 28.12.2018 (Action Plan No. I)
Order of the Director of IB PAS No. 20/2019 – The Institute implemented the Procedure on preparing and running projects at IB PAS financed from external sources (Action Plan No. XI)
Order of the Director of IB PAS No. 21/2019 – Internal regulations on undertaking commissioned works at IB PAS were introduced (Action Plan No. V)
Order of the Director of IB PAS No. 21/2023 – The Institute implemented the Data management and information security policy at IB PAS (Action Pan No. XIV)

Regulations approved by the Scientific Council of the IB PAN

Resolution of the Scientific Council of the IB PAN No. 20/21.06.2017 on Internal regulations on research staff appraisal at IB PAS were implemented (Action Plan No. XVI).
Resolution of the Scientific Council of the IB PAN No. 13/25.06.2018 on Recruitment package promoting procedures related to recruitment at IB PAS was implemented (Action Plan No. VII).