Congratulations to GuildHE and GuildHE Research members Bath Spa University, the University of Worcester, and Wrexham University who have all retained their longstanding HR Excellence in Research Awards. The HR Excellence in Research Award enables institutions to implement the principles of the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers.

The HR Excellence in Research Award is a prestigious, internationally recognised award managed by Vitae, as part of a membership programme for higher education and research institutes. The award is part of a broader initiative to improve working conditions, career development, and research environments for researchers across Europe and beyond.

This European Commission award, HR Strategy for Researchers (HRS4R), is aligned to the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers for European institutions, and it has been mapped by Vitae to the Principles of the Researcher Development Concordat for UK institutions. It is the only peer-reviewed recognition process for implementation of the Concordat Principles in the UK, building the evidence base for the policy and practice of researcher employment and development.

Institutions that achieve the award demonstrate a long-term commitment to:

  • Creating supportive working conditions for researchers
  • Enhancing researcher professional and career development
  • Promoting inclusive research environments
  • Fostering open, transparent recruitment, promotion and progression processes