HR Excellence in Research
HR Excellence in Research @ AIT
In July 2015, the EU Commission awarded Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT) the prestigious award of “HR Excellence in Research”.
The award recognises AIT’s commitment to providing a stimulating and favourable working environment for researchers. It reflects the Institute’s commitment to continuously improve its human resource policies in line with the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers.
Over 1,200 institutions from 40 different countries have expressed their explicit support for the Charter and Code, with 233 having obtained the Commission’s “HR Excellence in Research” badge.
AIT is the second institute of technology in Ireland to achieve the award, and joins WIT, NUI Galway, UCC, DCU, RCSI, UCD and UL as award holders.
The Charter and Code include 40 principles and requirements which specify the roles, responsibilities and entitlements of researchers, as well as that of employers and/or funders of research. To achieve the Code, AIT underwent an audit of its policies and procedures.
Background
In 2012, Athlone Institute of Technology was accepted to join the fourth and final cohort in the HR Strategy for Researchers (HRS4R) group by the European Commission to carry out a gap analysis on AIT’s HR & research policies and procedures. The HR Excellence in Research Logo by the European Commission gives recognition of the Institute’s commitment in implementing the principles of the Charter & Code for Researchers.
Achieving the award of the HR Excellence In Research Logo included carrying out a Gap Analysis of AIT’s policies and practices against the principles of the Charter & Code and the development of a Strategy and Action Plan to identify areas for improvements.
Following the Gap Analysis process, an Action Plan and Strategy was completed identifying a number of key areas for change and further development.
Interim Assessment 2017
In November 2017, Athlone Institute of Technology submitted our Self-Evaluation Report and Open, Transparent and Merit-based Recruitment (OTM-R) Policy and Checklist to the European Commission for review to retain the HR Excellence in Research Award for a further two years.