Open, Transparent and Merit-based Recruitment (OTM-R)
August 29, 2024 2024-09-03 15:18Open, Transparent and Merit-based Recruitment (OTM-R)
HR Excellence in Research
University of Crete gained the HR Excellence in Research Award in 2012 in recognition of the UoC’s commitment to implementing the principles of the European Charter for Researchers and Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers through the HRS4R process. These principles have been progressively integrated into the UoC’s overall strategy in terms of improving the research environment and UoC’s reputation, so as to attract, train and keep a critical mass of research talent.
Open, Transparent and Merit-based Recruitment (OTM-R) is a central pillar of the Charter & Code. The focus of an OTM-R system is attracting the best person for the job with recruitment procedures based on the principles of equal opportunities for all candidates. This includes improving available sources of information on existing career opportunities and ensuring equal and merit-based selection procedures.
The EC Working Group issued a comprehensive package for assisting Research Organisations to implement OTM-R practices. It allows them to review their current recruitment policy and improve it. The package includes principles and guidelines on what an OTM-R System should look like, a checklist for institutions as a self-assessment tool to benchmark their current practices on the principles and the toolkit: a step-by-step guide to improve the organisation‘s OTM-R practices.
OTM-R policy, practices and procedures at UoC
Recruitment and selection procedures for faculty [ΔΕΠ] and for research support staff [ΕΔΙΠ] are subject to detailed regulations set by the Ministry of Education and implemented by the University HR Department (Academic). For faculty, each stage of the recruitment and selection process, from job advertising/application through to the appointment phase, are clearly detailed in the Ministry’s APELLA website. The qualifications required of candidates for faculty positions are specified by law (s.9 N.4521/2018). Proficiency in Greek is a requirement for these positions as this is the language of instruction.
This process for the appointment of faculty members in Greece, and analogous procedures for research support staff (ΕΔΙΠ), is summarized in English on the EC’s EYRIDICE website Greece: Conditions of service for academic staff working in higher education.
Research fund management and associated policy are overseen by the University Research Committee and administered by the Financial & Administrative Support Unit (Μ.Ο.Δ.Υ.) of the University’s Special Account for Research Funds (ELKE). Policy and regulations concerning the operation of ELKE and the management of research projects are codified in the Funding & Management Guide, which is periodically updated and endorsed by the University Senate. This guide includes the University’s recruitment and selection policy for fixed-term and freelance contracts, which is available in English here. The derogations permitted for positions without open calls are defined [sA.2.(a-d)] and the process from the advertising/application stage through to the appointment phase are clearly specified, together with the appeals procedure. This includes the mandatory requirement to use the EURAXESS website for calls addressed to researchers (defined as doctoral candidates and holders of a doctoral degree).
In addition to the rules governing the appointment and composition of selection committees of all researcher categories, the Gender Equality Action Plan recently endorsed by the University Senate (476η/20.01.2022) makes provision for gender balance on all selection committees, proportional to the gender balance in the respective registers of evaluators.
Part of the 2022 HRS4R evaluation process involved a review of current OTM-R policy, practices and procedures at UoC. We concluded that the University has a fairly robust OTM-R system. Even so, the results of our recent HRS4R survey point to a discrepancy between this conclusion and the perceptions of researchers, which indicate scope for improvement.
In April 2024, the evaluation for the OTM-R policy was conducted, by the Quality Assurance Unit (QAU) Committee.
