HR Excellence in Research award

Halmstad University received the award HR Excellence in Research from the European Commission in 2020. The award is given to employers who have a stimulating work environment, good conditions for researchers, merit-based and open recruitment processes – and continuously work to develop these areas. At the moment Halmstad University is one of 19 higher education institutes in Sweden that has the award.

Purpose of the HR Excellence in Research framework
Key principles of the European Charter for Researchers
Commitment linked to the award
HR Excellence in Research at Halmstad University
Prioritised actions at Halmstad University
Open transparent and merit-based recruitment (OTM-R)
Activities carried out
Timeline at Halmstad University
The process
More information

Purpose of the HR Excellence in Research framework

The HR Excellence in Research Award, granted by the European Commission, recognises organisations that implement the European Charter for Researchers—a set of principles guiding working conditions, recruitment and career development in research.

The Charter aims to:

Contribute to attractive and sustainable research careers
Support excellence and quality in research
Enable mobility and a well-functioning European labour market for researchers

The Charter is aimed at researchers at all different stages of their careers – from doctoral students to professors – and covers all research areas.

Key principles of the European Charter for Researchers

The Charter consists of 20 key principles grouped into four areas:

Ethics, integrity, gender and open science
Researchers’ assessment, recruitment and progression
Working conditions and practices
Research careers and talent development

Adopted by the Council of the European Union in December 2023, the Charter replaces the earlier Charter and Code introduced in 2005.

Commitment linked to the award

If you are a researcher at Halmstad University, or considering a research career here, you can be confident that the University meets the principles of the European Charter for Researchers to a high standard and continuously works to further improve its practices.

In dialogue with researchers, areas for development are regularly identified and translated into targeted action plans for continuous improvement.

HR Excellence in Research at Halmstad University

Halmstad University received the HR Excellence in Research Award in 2020. Initial gap analyses identified development areas in career development, career support, merit assessment and gender balance. These areas are still in focus.

An internal review was conducted in autumn 2025, resulting in a revised action plan. The plan has been confirmed to meet formal requirements, and external assessment, including a site visit, is pending. In the meantime, the University continues to implement planned actions.

A new action plan, aligned with the updated Charter, will be developed following the site visit.

Prioritised actions at Halmstad University

The University’s action plan for 2026–2028 focuses on the following areas:

GDPR, data storage, ethical regulations, IPR – reach out to researchers with information and find forms for training

Continued focus on reception/introduction for doctoral students
Career support for junior researchers – Based on conducted benchmarking, review the need for improvement and cooperation with others in this issue.
Competence development – Identify needs and develop and run courses.

Gender equality in recruitment and career development – Review the gender mainstreaming plan and strengthen processes for equal opportunities in accordance with the Discrimination Act.

Merit assessment – review and revise the current merit assessment system in accordance with the new swedish national framework for merit assessment and the principle in CoARA.

More information

CoARA External link.

Open transparent and merit-based recruitment (OTM-R)

Open, transparent and merit-based recruitment (OTM‑R) is a key part of the HRS4R process, supporting the implementation of the Charter’s principles on fair and transparent recruitment.

Halmstad University’s OTM‑R policy is reflected in two key documents incorporating the OTM‑R checklist:

The Appointments Procedure governs appointments and qualifications.
Guidelines for Recruitment and Promotion primarily describe the recruitment and promotion processes and, to some extent, specify the assessment criteria.

Instructions for OTM-R

EURAXESS about OTM-R External link.

Halmstad University Appointments Procedure pdf, 300.6 kB, opens in new window.

Halmstad University Guidelines for Recruitment and Promotion pdf, 604.9 kB, opens in new window.

Activities carried out

Examples from action plan, 2022–2025:

Swedish Language Instruction

Beginner courses in Swedish have been offered and continue to be available to the university’s international staff. Approximately 30 employees participated between 2022 and 2024.

Mentorship

The faculties have developed various forms of mentorship, such as support in writing applications for associate professorships and for doctoral students. A postdoctoral mentorship program has been completed.

Reception of Doctoral Students

Introduction and onboarding have been addressed across all faculties. One of the aims has been to increase the sense of coherence. The Doctoral Student Barometer confirms that the introduction has improved, but the measure remains a priority.

Collaboration on Career Support Initiatives

Opportunities for collaboration with other universities on career-supporting activities have been explored, resulting in lunch seminars, mentorship programs for postdocs, and a doctoral course focused on research funding.

Perception of Development Opportunities

Through focus groups, dialogue has been conducted on how women and men perceive their career opportunities and development in research and teaching. A report has been compiled showing some differences.

Competency-Based Recruitment

In dialogue with managers, the use of the competency-based and gender-integrated recruitment process has been followed up. A structure for training new managers in recruitment is also in place.

Examples of completed actions, 2020–2022

Information and routines were developed for improved reception of international employees.
Internal competence development opportunities, career paths and courses has been packaged and visualised.
An annual dialogue has been introduced within the management team regarding the need for joint skills development initiatives, based on insights from, for example, employee performance reviews.

Timeline at Halmstad University

Pending external review, including a site visit, and decision on renewal of the award
October 2025: internal review with revised action plan sent in.
October 2023: continued work with action plan
2022: interim assessment
2020–2025: implementation phase
2020: Halmstad University was granted the HR Excellence in Research Award
2019: Application was submitted
2017: Letter of endorsement