Phases of the implementation process of the HRS4R strategy 
Initial phase (2015-2017)
What does this phase consist of?
- The institution communicates to the European Commission its intention to adhere to the principles of the European Charter and Code of the Researcher (C&C) and that it is committed to implement them.
- An internal analysis of the institution is carried out, in order to know the degree of alignment with the C&C, and a gap analysis and action plan is established to analyze its HR policies, detect possible shortcomings and establish the necessary actions to improve them and align them with the C&C.
- The European Commission reviews this Action Plan and awards the "HR Excellence in Research" award to the institution, including it in the public list of institutions that have obtained the HR Excellence in Research recognition.
Initial phase at the UGR
For the first stage, the UGR formed a Working Group composed of members belonging to three different Vice-rectorates: Research and Transfer, Teaching and Research Staff and Internationalization. Its mission was to elaborate the internal analysis described in the first stage, leading to an Action Plan. The analysis was based on the template defining the 40 Principles of the Charter and the Code.
The group was formed in November 2015 and began with the design of the survey that was the basis for developing the Action Plan. The survey was sent to the university community (researchers and faculty) in December 2015. The responses were then analyzed by the Working Group and used as the basis for a draft of the Action Plan, which was finalized in May 2016. The draft was presented to our stakeholders for feedback with further results that would form the final Action Plan document, a desire shared by the entire university community.
In 2017, the University of Granada was awarded the "HR Excellence in Research Award" seal in recognition of its ongoing commitment to implementing the guidelines of the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers.
Documentation:
Action Plan | Implementation Phase (2017-2019)
What does this phase consist of?
- Two years after obtaining recognition, the entity performs a mid-term evaluation where new actions are reviewed and proposed and a revised action plan is established to be implemented within three years.
- The European Commission reviews the documentation and proposes possible improvements.
Implementation Phase at the UGR
In this phase the Working Group implemented a number of key proposals in the University of Granada Strategy and Action Plan, including the Code of Good Practice in Research, the OTM-R Policy (Open, Transparent and Merit-based Recruitment of Researchers) and the Guide for International Researchers. These valuable resources, available in English and Spanish, provide comprehensive information on recruitment procedures, ethical issues and career development at the University of Granada. In addition, they provide researchers with an overview of the working conditions, support services and training opportunities at our University. These actions, together with the self-assessment procedure, allow us to elaborate an updated and improved version of our Strategy and Action Plan for the next stages.
Documentation:
Implementation Phase | Revised Action Plan (2020-2023).
Documentation:
Award Renewal Phase (2025-2028)
What does this phase consist of?
- The entity undergoes an external evaluation every three years, in which the European Commission studies whether it is complying with the plan and whether the "HR Excellence in Research" award is maintained.
Renewal Phase at the UGR
Finally, the Renewal Phase ("Award Renewal") implies that, every three years, the entity undergoes an external evaluation by the European Commission. The objective of this evaluation is to determine whether the planned objectives are being met and whether the "HR Excellence in Research" award is being maintained. Currently, the UGR is in this third phase of the process, carrying out a renewal to assess its compliance with the HRS4R Strategy and to elaborate an improved and updated version of its Strategy and Action Plan, specifically for the period 2025-2028. This process is crucial to secure international funding, attract talent to the University, and comply with the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers. To this end, a Working Group at the UGR is actively involved in updating the status and proposing actions to cover the needs detected in the HRS4R Seal assessment and will be responsible for the periodic monitoring of the Action Plan 2025-2028 so that the planned actions are fulfilled within the established deadlines.