News

People are Charles University’s true treasure, resonated at the HR Excellence in Research Conference

Sharing experiences and transferring good practices among Czech universities and research organisations – these were the main goals of the two-day HR Excellence in Research 2025 Conference, organised by Charles University on 4–5 November in Prague.

The HR Excellence in Research Award (HR Award) is a distinction granted by the European Commission to universities and research institutions that implement the principles of the European Charter for Researchers within the framework of the Human Resources Strategy for Researchers (HRS4R). The Charter is based on four pillars: ethics, integrity, gender, and open science; researchers’ assessment, recruitment, and progression; working conditions and practices; and research careers and talent development. Charles University endorsed the principles of the Charter in 2017 and obtained the HR Award two years later. This year, it became the first Czech university to successfully renew the distinction. Through the conference, the university was able to share its experience with other institutions, as Tereza Smužová, HR Award Manager at Charles University, emphasised.

HR Award manager at UK Tereza Smužová guided the audience through the entire conference.

“When we became the first Czech university to renew the HR Award this summer, it became clear how much demand there is for sharing experiences related to the site visit by external assessors. Moreover, thanks to the Operational Programme JAK, almost twenty other Czech institutions are now joining the process. I’m delighted that we managed to organise a conference that offered space for mutual inspiration, motivation, sharing experiences and informal networking over coffee. The high level of interest only shows how many institutions care about improving working conditions – not only for researchers – and how many are working to align with the European standards set out in the European Charter for Researchers,” said Smužová.

The two-day programme included a workshop for newcomers, informal networking and exchange of experience, presentations of concrete activities from the action plans of the institutions, and a final panel discussion on the renewal process and on-site visits by evaluators. The conference featured representatives of universities, research organisations and experts in implementing the European Charter for Researchers.

“The Czech HR Award community is unique. The number of Czech institutions holding this prestigious distinction is disproportionately high, and we are also very open to sharing our experience. Many of us have known each other for years and help one another, because we face similar challenges,” added Smužová.

The conference participants were welcomed by Věra Jourová, Vice-Rector of Charles University for Human Resources Development and New Technologies, currently entrusted with the agenda of external relations.

“We decided to organise this conference to share our experience from the HR Award renewal, which took place in spring this year and concluded with a full day of evaluation. The expert panel visited us on 29 May. It was intense, not trivial, and certainly not automatic that we would succeed. I am pleased to say that Charles University successfully renewed the certificate without any reservations. However, we also received valuable non-mandatory recommendations that we will continue to work on,” Jourová explained in her video message to participants.

“I have only been in academia for a short time, but one thing I’ve learned is that while buildings, laboratories, equipment, dormitories and canteens are important, our true treasure lies in people. That is why I am so glad that the HR Award focuses on career development, appraisal, and the creation of good working conditions for our colleagues and doctoral candidates – all those who are part of Charles University and contribute to its success. I hope this conference will be beneficial for all of you,” she added.

Her remarks were followed by Ladislav Krištoufek, Vice-Rector of Charles University for Research and Creative Activities.“The Czech academic sector has made tremendous progress in this area. Today, 61 institutions hold the HR Award, 17 more are in the process of applying, and 7 have already undergone international on-site assessments. This is not something to take for granted – it is the result of systematic work, support from national programmes, and the strong community that has formed around it. For Charles University, this is a long-term strategic priority,” Krištoufek noted.

Ladislav Krištoufek, Vice-Rector for Scientific and Creative Activities at Charles University.

He further highlighted the tangible changes that the HR Award process has brought to the university: “We have established a Staff Welcome Centre, which helps international researchers with relocation and integration. We actively support open science, research data management, and the development of doctoral candidates and postdoctoral researchers, as well as new forms of learning. We have introduced flexible working arrangements, personal development days, and well-being activities. All these are concrete outcomes that are gradually transforming the university from within.”

Vojtěch Tomášek, representative of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, also spoke at the conference.

The conference also featured Vojtěch Tomášek, Acting Director-General for Higher Education, Science, and Research at the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports, who highlighted several national projects dedicated to human resources management in research, currently being implemented across Czech research and higher education institutions.

TEXT: Helena Zdráhalová

TRANSLATION: Tereza Smužová

PHOTO: Veronika Vachule Nehasilová