With the 'HRS4R' seal, the European Commission recognises the University of Cantabria as a University that develops a strategy focused on achieving excellence in the recruitment of researchers.

The process of implementing our specific strategy required an exhaustive analysis of the Human Resources in Research policies and the definition of an Action Plan of improvements to be implemented in the period 2020-2022.

The steps taken to implement the quality label under the conditions established by the European Commission were:

1. Internal analysis in order to know the degree of alignment with the charter and the code, and to detect gaps between the institutional strategy and the principles of the C&C.
2. Action plan: Once this analysis had been carried out, the UC developed its own human resources strategy for researchers, drawing up an Action Plan.
3. Review by the European Commission: The European Commission reviewed the Action Plan and awarded the HRS4R quality label to UC on 08 June 2020.
4. Use of the HRS4R Quality Mark by the UC: From that date, the UC is authorised to use the HRS4R mark or logo-symbol.
   
   UC ACTION PLAN FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE HUMAN RESOURCES STRATEGY FOR RESEARCHERS
   
   The UC Action Plan was based on an internal analysis carried out by a multidisciplinary team composed of members from different departments and units. The description of the activities carried out and the members appointed as part of the "UC- HRS4R Steering Committee" and the "UC- HRS4R Working Group" can be found here.

INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL INTERIM REVIEW PHASE

Two years after the award of the HRS4R seal by the European Commission, on 8th July 2022, the University must carry out an internal interim review of its Human Resources in Research Strategy and an external interim review by experts from the European Commission in order to obtain the renewal of the quality label, by means of a favorable report.

The internal review has been carried out by two working groups: the UC-HRS4R Working Group created in the initial phase of the process - HRS4R Implementation Working Group (IWG) and the specific working group for the design of the UC OTMR policy (OTM-R WG), responsible for analysing the Action Plan with the aim of updating it, identifying areas for improvement and new actions to be undertaken in the coming years. The actions are supervised by the UC-HRS4R Steering Committee (SC) as the highest representative body, made up of Vice chancellors (VR) with competences in the field of HRS4R.

After the internal review, the "Internal Review" is prepared and submitted to the European Commission for a report in July 2022.

The "Internal Review" document is a real revision of the Action Plan, as it includes new actions to be carried out by the University of Cantabria in order to further develop a better human resources strategy for research staff.

The specific Working Group for the design of the UC OTMR policy (OTM-R WG) has been focused during this first phase of implementation on carrying out the actions of the Action Plan aimed at improving access to and information on job vacancies for research staff published through the UC Employment Agency, guaranteeing, among other things, their publication in English.

COMMISSIONS RESPONSIBLE FOR MONITORING THE HUMAN RESOURCES STRATEGY FOR RESEARCH STAFF

Currently, there are two Working Groups and a Steering Committee responsible for the development, implementation and monitoring of the activities that set up the Action Plan and its revision. Its members have been validated by the Rector through the University of Cantabria's Board of directors, as the highest authority competent to promote the establishment of a strategy for the selection and recruitment of the university's research staff, thus ensuring the commitment of the Governing Team to the European Charter for Research Staff and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Research Staff.

Steering Committee UC‐HRS4R

It is the decision-making body responsible for the internal review of the actions specified in the Action Plan, the boost and decision on the implementation of new actions, the updating of these actions.

Members:

The members of the Committee were:

• Rector: Pazos Carro, Ángel
• Vice chancellors:
• Anabitarte Cano, Ernesto: Vice chancellor for Academic Organisation and Teaching Staff
• Mantecón Movellán, Tomás: Vice chancellor for Culture, Social Outreach and Institutional Relations
• Mañana Canteli, Mario: Vice chancellor for Campus, Sustainability and Digital Transformation
• Dell’Olio, Luigi: Vice chancellor for Research and Science Policy
• García Lastra, Marta: Vice chancellor for Students and Employment
• Llosa Blas, Matxalen: Vice chancellor for Internationalisation and Global Engagement
• González López, María José: Vice chancellor for Own Degrees and Distance Learning
• Pérez González, Daniel: Vice chancellor for Knowledge Transfer and Entrepreneurship
• Manager: Alonso Díaz, Enrique.

Working Group UC- HRS4R

It is the body with functions for the execution of the actions specified in the Action Plan and with initiative for the proposal of measures to be developed to the Supervisory Committee.

It is composed of the following members, belonging to the areas of research management, human resources and quality of services, as well as two researchers from the University:

• Vice chancellor for Research and Science Policy and Lead Researcher (R4) (Dell’Olio, Luigi, R4)
• Vicemanager (Angel Javier Garcia Sahagún)
• Director of the European Projects Office (OPE) (Juan José San Miguel)
• Deputy director of the European Projects Office (OPE) (Rim Bouzgarrou Cotera)
• Director of the Employment Information and Guidance Centre (COIE) (Vicente Fernández Navarro)
• Director of the International Relations Office (Gemma Castro)
• Director of the Research Management Service (Ana Alonso)
• Director of the Research and Training Staff, Remuneration and Social Security Department (Ángel Carral)
• Director of the PAS, Training and Social Action Service (Nuria González Ruiz)
• Director of the Research and Organisation Area and Lead Researcher (R4) (Elena Cabezón)
• Director of the Equality and Social Responsibility Area and Lead Researcher (R4) (Marina Torres)
• Director of the Doctoral School and Lead Researcher (R4) (Mar Marcos)
• Head of the Department of Historical Sciences and Lead Researcher (R4) (Juana María Torres Prieto)
• Director of the REUNICE Project área and Lead Researcher (R4) (Lidia Sanchez)
• Consolidated Researcher (R3): Javier Montoya
• Consolidated Researcher (R3): Pablo Albella
• Consolidated Researcher (R3): Carlota Ruiz de Velasco
• Recognised Researcher (R2): Carlos Thomas
• Recognised Researcher (R2): María Emilia Maza
• Recognised Researcher (R2): Magdalena Maria Foltman
• First research stage (R1): Fernando Valenzuela
• First research stage (R1): Valentina Dipse
• First research stage (R1): Andrea García

OTM-R Policy Implementation Working Group

It is the body that coordinates the deployment of the specific OTM-R related actions of the HRS4R Action Plan and also controls the quality and monitoring of the indicators.

During the first phase of HRS4R implementation, the specific Working Group for the design of the UC's OTMR policy (OTM-R WG) has focused on carrying out the actions of the Action Plan aimed at improving access to and information on job vacancies for research staff published through the UC's Employment Agency, guaranteeing, among other things, their publication in English through international media in the fields of research, such as EURAXESS.

The members for the first phase of implementation are:

• Director of the Employment Information and Guidance Centre (COIE) (Vicente Fernández Navarro)
• Director of the Digital Transformation Area of the Vice-Chancellor for Campus, Sustainability and Digital Transformation (Ramón Agüero Calvo)
• Head of the Area for Development and Management Applications of the IT Service (Gonzalo Echevarria Martinez)
• Director of the European Projects Office (OPE) (Juan José San Miguel)
• Deputy director of the European Projects Office (OPE) (Rim Bouzgarrou Cotera)