The aim of the Human Resource Strategy for Researchers (“HRS4R”) of the Institute of Thermomechanics of the CAS is to align its policies and practices for research staff with the principles of the European Charter for Researchers & the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers (“Charter & Code”). The principles of the Charter & Code ensure that the relationship between researchers and employers is conducive to successful research performance and to the career development of researchers.
1. Endorsement of the Charter & Code (2020)
On January 29, 2020 the Institute endorsed the Charter & Code principles to begin its commitment to implement its principles throughout the organization. For the period 2020-2022, the Institute secured funding for its HRS4R activities from the project “Strategic Management Development of the Institute of Thermomechanics of the CAS (HR Award)” (2020-2022) of the Operational Programme Research, Development and Education of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, reg. no. CZ.02.2.69/0.0/0.0/18_054/0014697.
2. Establishment of the HRS4R Implementation Team (2020)
In January 2020, the HRS4R Implementation Team was established and tasked with developing the Institute’s Human Resource Strategy for Researchers. The team’s mission is to continuously identify gaps against the principles of the Charter & Code and update the Institute’s action plan and HRS4R strategy. The team represents all stakeholders involved in the HRS4R process – the researchers at different levels, the management and the administrative and support staff:
| Name | Position | Management line/ Department | Note |
| Patrik Zima | HRS4R implementation manager / Head of Office of Research Support | Administrative support | |
| Miroslav Chomát (R4) | Director | Institute management | |
| Michal Blaháček | Vice Director for Financial Affairs & Operations | Institute management | |
| Klára Jurčáková (R3) | Researcher, Vice-chairman of the Supervisory Board, Secretary of the Committee for PhD Students | Institute management + Research Department D1 | |
| Marie Kajprová | PR & HR specialist | Administrative support | |
| Luděk Pešek (R4) | Head of Research Department | Research Department D3 | |
| Radka Kellnerová (R3) | Researcher | Research Department D1 | |
| Olga Prokopová (R3) | Researcher | Research Department D2 | |
| Tomáš Němec (R3) | Researcher | Research Department D6 | |
| Chandra S. Prasad (R3) | Researcher | Research Department D3 | |
| Miroslav Frost (R3) | Researcher | Research Department D5 | since January 2023 |
| Mohammed L. Mekhalfia (R1) | PhD student | Research Department D3 | since June 2023 |
Previous members (thank you!)
| Name | Position | Management line/ Department | Note |
| Václav Vinš (R4) | Vice Director for R&D | Institute management, Research Department D2 | till 05/2023 |
| Viktor Kratochvíl | External HRS4R Consultant | Institute of Physiology of the CAS | till 03/2021 |
| Hanuš Seiner (R4) | Head of Research Department and Chairman of the Committee for PhD Students | Research Department D5 | till 12/2022 |
| Jan Kozánek (R3) | Chairman of the trade union | Research Department D3 | till 12/2021 |
Administrative Support
| Name | Position | Management line/ Department | Note |
| Růžena Černická | HR & payroll manager | Administrative support | involved indirectly |
| Jana Peroutková | HR & payroll assistant | Administrative support | involved indirectly |
| Pavel Formánek | IT manager | Technical support | involved indirectly |
Steering Committee and Workgroups
The development and implementation of the HRS4R strategy is carried out by 4 working groups and overseen by the Steering Committee:
SC – Steering Committee: M. Chomát, M. Blaháček, K. Jurčáková, Ch. S. Prasad, M. Kajprová, P. Zima
WG1 – Working Group on Ethical Aspects: L. Pešek, R. Kellnerová, T. Němec
WG2 – Working Group on Recruitment and Selection: P. Zima, M. Kajprová, M. Chomát
WG3 – Working Group on Working Conditions: M. Blaháček, M. Frost, O. Propoková
WG4 – Working Group on Training and Supervision: K. Jurčáková, Ch. S. Prasad, M. L. Mekhalfia
3. Gap Analysis (2021)
The aim of the Gap Analysis was to identify the Institute’s current practice deviates from the principles of the Charter & Code. The GAP Analysis process involved all HRS4R stakeholders including researchers at all levels (R1-R4), through one-on-one meetings/discussions and an online survey conducted in August-September 2020.
4. Action Plan (2021-2023)
The core of the Institute’s HRS4R strategy is the Action Plan 2021-2023 and the Open, Transparent and Merit-Based Recruitment (“OTM-R”) policy. The Action Plan is a set of actions and indicators to address the gaps identified in the Gap Analysis and to implement the principles of the Charter & Code. The OTM-R Policy is a set of guidelines and procedures that aligns the Institute’s recruitment and selection process of the Institute with the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers. The OTM-R Policy was developed based on the based on the OTM-R Checklist.
5. HR Excellence in Research Award (2021)
On July 14, 2021, the European Commission awarded the Institute of Thermomechanics of the CAS with the HR Excellence in Research Award. Our action plan was accepted by the assessors of the European Commission and the Institute was awarded the HR Excellence in Research Award logo for a period of two years.
6. Action Plan Implementation Progress
Action A1: ✔ | Internal regulations published in English (essential parts of the regulations summarized in the Career section, the full texts available in the intranet)
Action A2: ✔ | Ombudsman
Action A3: ✔ | Mission Statement approved by the Institute Board on 9 December 20221
Action A4: ✔ | Institute-wide seminar: see Events
Action A5: ✔ | Working Conditions
Action A6: ✔ | Secure data backup tool/guidelines (available in the intranet)
Action A7: ✔ | Translation of selected regulations/guidelines (available in the intranet)
Action A8: ✔ | Commercialization Guideline adopted on 16 December 2022 (available in the intranet)
Action A9: ✔ | Collective Agreement updated (available in the intranet)
Action A10: ✔ | Statutes of the Evaluation Committee updated (available in the intranet)
Action A11: ✔ | Onboarding kit
Action A12: ✔ | Gender Equality Plan 2022-2024
Action A13: ✔ | Career Development Rules (available in the intranet)
Action A14: ✔ | Training and Supervision Plans (available in the intranet)
Action A15: ✔ | Training & Career Development site (available in the intranet)
Action A16: Project management/team coordination tool (available in the intranet from 7/2023)
Action A17: ✔ | Contact person for Training and Development
Action A18: ✔ | OTM-R Guideline (availabile in the intranet)
Action A19: ✔ | Evaluation template for selection committee
Links:
European Charter for Researchers & the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers
Human Resource Strategy for Researchers (HRS4R)
Endorsement Letter (29/01/2020)
GAP analysis – process (29/03/2021)