On 18 December 2023 the Council Adopted the “Council Recommendation on a European framework to attract and retain research, innovation and entrepreneurial talents in Europe”.
Since the new Charter for Researchers (Annex 2 to the Council Recommendation) will substitute the old 2005 Charter & Code, many institutions in the HRS4R process or considering entering it are wondering whether they shall use the 2005 version of the Charter & Code, or the newly adopted Charter for Researchers.
Please, find hereafter the information on the transition from the 2005 Charter & Code that was already provided at the Conference on Research Careers (21-22 November 2023).
As the Council recommendation clarifies, “The revision [of the Charter & Code] should not prejudice the institutions that have endorsed the principles of the existing Charter and Code for Researchers. They should be considered as continuing to endorse the Charter and Code for Researchers in the new version. This should apply notably to the institutions that have entered the HRS4R process, of which the endorsement of the Charter and Code for Researchers constitutes the first step.” [COM/2023/436, recital 41, p.22].
According to the same rationale, the transition from the 2005 Charter & Code to the new Charter for Researchers, will be as smooth as possible.
Therefore, the institutions having already started to work on their internal review in the context of a HRS4R phase, shall continue to refer to the 2005 Charter & Code until the end of the ongoing phase. After the successful completion of the said phase, the Institution will undertake the work for the following HRS4R phase under the new Charter.”
In addition, no transition to the newly adopted Charter for Researchers can be done before the full implementation of the renewed HRS4R Module (the e-Tool) in the upcoming Talent platform. This is expected in the course of 2024, and, in due time, ample information will be disseminated to the HRS4R and Euraxess community.
In a nutshell:
- Until the launch of the new HR Excellence in Research module (e-tool) under the Talent Platform in mid-2024, all institutions shall continue their work under the 2005 Charter & Code.
- After that moment, any Institution that submitted its internal review under the 2005 Charter & Code will be assessed under that same document.
- Once the new HRS4R module ( e-tool) will be launched under the Talent Platform, it will implement the HRS4R process under the newly adopted Charter for Researchers.
- To guarantee a smooth transition to the New Charter for Researchers, after that moment:
- the institutions starting their work for a new HR phase (Initial, implementation, or renewal) after the introduction of the HRS4R module of the Talent Platform, shall do this so solely under the newly adopted Charter for Researchers.
- the institutions having already started to work on their internal review under the 2005 Charter & Code, shall continue to do so until the end of the ongoing phase.
After the successful completion of that phase, the Institution will undertake the work for the following HRS4R phase under the new Charter for Researchers. - In case an institution, having already started to work on their internal review under the 2005 Charter & Code, wishes to do an early transition and submit its internal review in the new HRS4R module under the Charter for Researchers, it is free to do so. This is done under the responsibility of the Institution, as any eventual encoding done under the old e-Tool will not be transferred to the new e-Tool.
- The latter case will not be considered valid ground for requesting an extension of the deadline.
- The phase out/phase in period will continue for three years (the duration of a full HRS4R renewal phase) from the launch of the new HRS4R module under the talent platform.
- After 2026, no new internal review under the 2005 Charter & Code will be possible anymore, and the old HRS4R e-Too will not be accessible anymore (eventual exceptions will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis).