What is the HRS4R (Human Resources Strategy for Researchers)?

HRS4R is a voluntary process where universities, research institutions and organizations can contribute to the development of an attractive European labor market for researchers.

‘HR Excellence in Research’ Award, the first step of the process, gives public recognition to research institutions that have made progress in aligning their human resource policies with the principles set out in the ‘Charter & Code’ (C&C). C&C contains 40 principles within the scope of rights and responsibilities of researchers and research institutions.

An Overview of the Process

Koç University(KU) first officially endorsed this process in October 2018. As a high-capacity research university, aiming to improve its attractiveness for top researchers around the world, KU completed its first application to the European Commission’s “HR Excellence in Research Award” in November 2019. In March 2020, following the Commission’s evaluation, a new and broader Working Group was assigned to complete the revisions requested by the review. At the end of October 2020, KU updated its basic documents that can be downloaded below (GAP Analysis, OTM-R Checklist and Initial Action Plan) and submitted a second application.

The documents to implement the initial phase of the process:

  • Gap Analysis, which determines KU’s level of compliance with C&C principles
  • OTM-R Checklist, indicators of a self-assessment checklist for open, transparent and merit-based recruitment procedure
  • Initial Action Plan, which establishes the measures to be taken by KU to improve its HR state-of-the-art

If the assessment of submission is positive, a starting confirmation by the European Commission, of KU’s compliance with C&C principles, will be achieved.

KU aims to successfully implement the “HR Excellence in Research Award” and is committed to improve HR practices for researchers from all levels (R1-R4) in the following pillars:

  • Ethical and professional aspects
  • Recruitment and selection
  • Working conditions and social security
  • Training and development

Within Koç University, the HRS4R process will be conducted by Working Group, representing all related administrative units: Office of VPRD, Office of VPAA, RPDTTD, HR Directorate and academic units. The mandate of the Working Group is determined by the basic strategy documents shared in this page. These documents were in turn prepared with the feedback received from the community of researchers at KU between June-October 2020. The Working Group reported its progress to the Steering Committee until now and will continue to do so as in the future.

Steering Committee:

  • Umran S. İnan (Leader of SC, President)
  • M. İrşadi Aksun (Vice President for Research and Development)
  • Barış Tan (Vice President for Academic Affairs)
  • Mahide Sondikme (Director, Human Resources Directorate)
  • Zeynep Gürhan Canlı (Dean, College of Administrative Sciences and Economics & Director, Graduate School of Business)
  • Özgür Barış Akan (Dean, College of Engineering & Director, Graduate School of Sciences and Engineering)
  • Levent Demirel (Dean, College of Sciences)
  • Aylin Küntay (Dean, College of Social Sciences and Humanities & Director, Graduate School of Social Sciences and Humanities)
  • Bertil Emrah Oder (Dean, Law School)
  • Şükrü Dilege (Dean, School of Medicine)
  • Ayişe Karadağ (Dean, School of Nursing)
  • Yasemin Gürsoy Özdemir (Director, Graduate School of Health Sciences)

Working Group:

  • Emrah Göker (Leader of WG, Project Development Manager, RPDTTD)
  • Oya Gül (Project Specialist, RPDTTD)
  • Yael Yahya Bali (Academic Planning and Development Director, VPAA)
  • Aytül Yılmaz (HR Operations and Payroll Manager, HR Directorate)
  • Şuhnaz Yılmaz (Associate Dean, College of Administrative Sciences and Economics)
  • Seda Keskin (Associate Dean, College of Engineering)
  • Alper Kiraz (Associate Dean, College of Science)
  • Inge Uytterhoeven (Associate Dean, College of Social Sciences and Humanities)
  • Ayşegül Buğra (Associate Dean, Law School)
  • Kemal Baysal (Associate Dean, School of Medicine)
  • Gülcan Bağçivan (Associate Dean, School of Nursing)
  • Özlem Altan (Associate Director, Graduate School of Social Sciences and Humanities)

For queries: egoker@ku.edu.tr , ogul@ku.edu.tr