NEWS RELEASE: The GSA achieves HR Excellence in Research Award

The Glasgow School of Art has achieved the European Commission HR Excellence in Research Award,
bringing the UK total with the Award to 100 it has been announced.

Full text of Vitae press release announcing the news below.

News Release

UK reaches 100 universities to achieve HR Excellence in Research Award
recognition

We are pleased to announce that a further UK institution, Glasgow
School of Art, has now achieved the European Commission HR Excellence in
Research Award, bringing the UK total with the Award to 100.

We can also confirm retention of the Award by University of Essex following
their two-year self-assessment and Bangor University, Oxford Brookes
University, SOAS University of London, Scottish Funding Council, University of
Southampton, University of St Andrews and University of Wolverhampton following
their four-year reviews.

The HR Excellence in Research Award is an important mechanism for
implementing the Concordat principles.

Clare Viney, CEO of CRAC (Vitae’s parent organisation) said:

“Having 100 institutions with the Award demonstrates the progress that
the UK has made in implementing the Concordat principles and being a world
leader in supporting the career and professional development of researchers.
This has so far impacted tens of thousands of researchers in the UK.”

The last chance for UK organisations to submit for the Award in 2016 is
Friday 28 October 2016. There will be two submission deadlines in 2017 in March
and October.

More information about the Award can be found here: www.vitae.ac.uk/hrexcellenceaward >>>
-ends-

Further information

Beata Pedziwiatr Communications Manager T: 01223 460 277 E:
beata.pedziwiatr@vitae.ac.uk

Notes to editors

1 A UK-wide process enables UK higher education
institutions to gain the European Commission’s HR Excellence in Research Award,
which acknowledges their alignment with the principles of the European Charter
for Researchers and Code of Conduct for their Recruitment. The UK process
incorporates both the ‘QAA Quality Code for Higher Education – Chapter B11:
Research Degrees’ and the ‘Concordat to Support the Career Development of
Researchers’ to enable institutions that have published Concordat
implementation plans to gain the HR Excellence in Research Award. The UK
approach includes ongoing national evaluation and benchmarking.

2 Vitae and its membership programme are managed by the
Careers Research and Advisory Centre (CRAC) Limited, an independent registered
charity

3 There are 303 institutions in total with the Award
(100 UK and 203 other European). Institutions who have gained the recognition
are listed on the EURAXESS website http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/index.cfm/rights/index

4 The UK HR Excellence in Research Panel includes:

 Dr Irmela Brach, Policy Officer, European Commission

 Dr Fay Couciero, member of the UK Research Staff
Association

 Dr Rob Daley, Academic Programme Leader, Heriot Watt
University

 Dr Andy Dixon, Director of Research, University of
Chichester and member of the  Concordat Strategy Group

 Mr Guy Gregory, HR Director, University of Bristol and
member of the Concordat  Strategy Group

 Professor Trevor McMillan, Deputy Vice Chancellor and
Provost, Keele University  and member of the Concordat Strategy Group

 Dr Janet Metcalfe, Chair and Head, Vitae and on behalf
of the Concordat  Strategy Group

5 The award acknowledges that institutions have
completed a gap analysis of their existing policies and practice against the
Concordat, developed a robust action plan for implementation, and taken into
account the views of researchers.

6 UK institutions wishing to gain the EC recognition
should contact Jen Reynolds, jen.reynolds@vitae.ac.uk or
Janet Metcalfe, janet.metcalfe@vitae.ac.uk in
the first instance. More information about the submission process can be found
at: www.vitae.ac.uk/hrexcellenceaward

7 Vitae has just published ‘Concordat discussion paper
2016’

About Vitae www.vitae.ac.uk

We are an international programme led and managed by
CRAC, a not-for-profit registered UK charity dedicated to active career
learning and development. Working since 1968, when we ran our first project to
support transitions of doctoral researchers to industry, Vitae has great
expertise at enhancing the skills and career impact of researchers locally,
within a global context.

We have launched our membership programme in January 2015. We now work all over the world in
partnership with researchers, higher education institutions, research
organisations, research funders and other organisations with a stake in
realising the potential of researchers. Vitae member organisations are listed
at: https://www.vitae.ac.uk/membership/vitae-members

The Concordat Strategy Group is responsible for
promoting the implementation of the principles of the Concordat to Support the
Career Development of Researchers in universities and research institutions
across the UK.  www.vitae.ac.uk/concordat