Human Resources Strategy for Researchers Action Plan

Transcription

1 Human Resources Strategy for Researchers Action Plan LUT University Version history Action plan version Validity Approved by LUT S4R label granted Action plan I Oct 2013 Nov 2013 Action plan II Seb 2015 Nov 2015 Action plan III Nov 2018 LUT-yliopisto LUT University PL 20/P.O. Box 20 FI Lappeenranta tel Y-tunnus ALV/VAT FI

2 2 Contents Introduction... 2 Implementation of S4R Strategy... 3 Action Plan III Action Plan II Action plan I Introduction Lappeenranta University of Technology (LUT) applied the Human Resources Strategy for Researchers (S4R) Label in the 4th cohort in The label was granted on the 6th of November 2013 based on the university s Action Plan to improve researchers employment relationship, working conditions and research environment. Since then, LUT has actively and systematically monitored the development and defined new targets to improve its functions, as documented in this paper. This paper compiles all the actions, targets and their implementation of all three action plans made during the S4R process at LUT since Although, LUT policy is in accordance with the Charter and Code in many respects, and similarly, the Finnish national legislation and collective agreement for universities set high criteria to university employers, the strategy for Researchers has highlighted some aspects in the researchers employment relationship which to take better into account at LUT. Since receiving the label, developing human resource issues at LUT has become more important at the university level. The development work is an on-going process, and it is not limited only to the work done within the S4R, but in general, improving the performance and well-being of all employees. European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers give a justified framework to monitor the status of university s policy and procedures and reveal the development targets. During the years LUT has committed to the S4R process, the university has increasingly benefited from the support the process provides to continuous development of institutions policy and procedures. This is proven by the risen ambition level of LUT s Action Plans and increased internal co-operation between different units contributing to researchers working conditions at the university. LUT expects the S4R external review and site visit in to give new insights to continuous improvement of the university as a high-quality working environment for researchers.

3 3 Implementation of S4R Strategy The implementation of the Excellence principles at the university and the university specific S4R Action Plans are managed by the steering committee of quality and environmental management system of LUT. The responsibility of implementation of planned actions are shared to the units or persons in charge of these processes in the university. In the operational level the S4R working group coordinates the whole process, monitors the progress of actions and reports on the proceedings to the steering group and university administration. Action Plan III The S4R Action Plan III for -21 is approved by LUT administration in November 13 th It includes eleven actions in eight different gap principles: dissemination, professional responsibility, evaluation/ appraisal systems, transparency, career development, value of mobility, access to re-search training and continuous development, and supervision (see the table below). The actions are integral with LUT s strategic management, thus they are included in developing the university s basic processes. The strong connection between LUT strategic action plans, which were under the mid-term evaluation and update in the spring 2018, and S4R action plan ensures the resource allocation and commitment in implementation. Responsibilities of implementation of actions are distributed to several organizational units at LUT working together with the relevant internal and external stakeholders. The S4R Action Plan for -21 is summarized in the table below defining action, action specific targets, responsibilities, timing and the respective principle in Charter & Code for Researchers. Table 1. Action plan III PROPOSED ACTIONS GAP PRINCI- PLE(S) TIMING RESPONSIBLE UNIT INDICATOR(S) / TARGET(S) Supporting science communication of researchers Autumn Communication & Marketing, researchers Increased visibility of LUT s researchers activities in traditional and social media Strengthening the implementation of Open Science procedures by informing, guidance and support Professional responsibility Academic library, research services, researchers The highest maturity level (5) referred to the Evaluation of Openness in the Activities of Research Organisations by the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture by the year Further development of research data management: tools, procedures and instructions on managing and opening research data Academic library, ICT-services, researchers Increased number of stored datasets and openly published research data Further development of open publishing research : tools, procedures and instructions Academic library, ICT-services, researchers More automated process on parallel publishing

4 4 Number of open access research (gold OA and parallel publishing) Especially dissemination and exploitation of done by public funding Exit interview of leaving staff Evaluation/ appraisal systems Management services New type of feedback received and utilized for development of working conditions Improving transparency of LUT employer brand and recruitment policy Transparency (Code) Autumn unit and Media services Revision of LUT website of recruitment LUT Brand development, marketing and communication Mentoring programme for doctoral students Career development LUT Doctoral School Number of active mentor-actor pairs starting per year, stakeholder feedback, programme activities Career and employability skills - online course for doctoral students Career development Study services Find Your Career self-study platform for doctoral students in use (in addition to currently available Job hunting hints for doctoral students module ) Action plans for international strategic partnerships to promote staff mobility Value of mobility Management services plans for supporting the creation and undertaking activities with strategic or potential strategic partners More support for the most suitable researchers to apply highly valued competed research funding Access to research training and continuous development Research services Evidence on systematic support delivered (trained personnel, funding applied, funding received) Personalised orientation and coaching of supervisors Supervision Dean/Head of department, services, Management services Supervisor procedure in use Action Plan II The S4R Action Plan II for -2018, summarized in the table below, was written in autumn The actions selected for the second action plan derived from the university level strategic action plans which were just renewed before the internal assessment and revision of the S4R Action Plan. The action plan included 12 actions concentrating in six gap principles: good practice in science, dissemination,, funding and salaries, supervision and managerial duties, evaluation/appraisal systems, and teaching. Most of the actions were completed by the internal assessment executed in autumn 2018, but there were some actions still in progress, and one action which the university management decided to postpone till. Some of the actions still in progress has been extended to the next S4R Action Plan III. All the actions in progress will be monitored as part of continuing S4R process.

5 5 Table 2. Action plan II ACTIONS GAP PRINCI- PLE(S) TIMING RESPONSIBLE UNIT INDICATOR(S) / TARGET CURRENT STATUS Commitment to Open Science Good practice in research Performance Guidance unit and Information Services, Academic library, researchers Open access to research, data and publications Extended Action continues in the next Action Plan Visibility of research in social media Autumn 2015 Media Services, researchers Increased visibility in e.g. LinkedIn, Twitter, ResearchGate, Google Scholar Extended Action continues in the next Action Plan Remuneration of active publishers Funding and salaries LUT Management Consistent remuneration policy of LUT Support for innovations and commercialization Green Campus Open, School of Engineering Science(Entrepreneurial university) To be the first university in Finland to qualify the OECD criteria for entrepreneurial university. Implementation of EU s HEInnovative tool and criteria of OECD; Courses/training on entrepreneurship arranged Action continues further Improving managerial and leadership skills; induction, mentoring Supervision and managerial duties Structured feedback processes; Reports of Great Place to Work -surveys Mentoring available by request from 2018, orientation of new supervisors under development Renewal of leadership training Supervision and managerial duties Autumn Good feedback on the supervisors training program; Coaching programme for supervisors Leadership training replaced by coaching programme for supervisors Guidance training for doctoral students supervisors Supervision and managerial duties Autumn LUT Doctoral School, Research services, Guidance training arranged regularly; Improved feedback from doctoral students on guidance New evaluation matrix for assessment of performance of teaching staff Evaluation / appraisal systems Autumn 2015, Heads of academic units, supervisors of academic staff New instructions published and applied; Feedback on development discussions Evaluation of LUT research activities (RAE) Evaluation / appraisal systems Autumn 2017 Vice president of research Research assessment exercise reports RAE postponed till

6 6 Systematized utilization of the feedback on external funding applications Renewal of university pedagogy training Implementing product management to all degree programs Evaluation / appraisal systems Teaching Teaching Autumn 2015 Research Services (previously Pre-grant Services) Vice president of education, student services Vice president of education Complied reports on feedback from external funding applications Feedback on the training program for teachers Product management in use; The tool for management and support of degree programmes has been systemized Action plan I The actions selected to the first S4R Action Plan were based on the findings of thorough GAP analysis done in the initial phase in Three most critical development targets were selected in to the action plan: 1) recruitment in order to develop the transparency and openness of recruitment practices, 2) orientation of new employees (induction) in order to improve the new employees understanding of institutional regulations, practices and employee benefits concerning working conditions and 3) complaints/appeals in order to provide better feedback mechanism tools for employees to influence their work and working conditions. The implementation of the actions were assessed internally at the end of 2015, when the first internal review was submitted. The responsibilities, scheduling, indicators, measures and current status by each action are summarized in the table below. All the actions were finalized by the internal assessment in the autumn Table 3. Action plan I ACTION RESPONSIBLE UNIT SCHEDULE INDICATORS ACTIONS DONE CURRENT STATUS Recruitment Internal instructions Recruitment criteria Recruitment process and communications, Quality System Manager Tenure Track Committee, Quality System Manager Autumn Autumn 2013 New instructions for recruitment published and delivered to units New criteria published in internal instructions Recruitment communications renewed and implemented Instructions for recruitment published in intranet Tenure Track implementation since Jan 2015 Renewed guidelines for teaching portfolios Jun 2015 Tenure Track recruitment and advancement criteria published Feb 2015 Research & teaching positions are published internationally (i.e. in Euraxess) Electronic recruitment system in use (Laura) May 2015 Renewal of LUT www-site Open jobs Aug 2015

7 7 Orientation (Working conditions) Orientation (initiation / induction) of new employees Starting from autumn 2013 New orientation routines and schedules implemented Feedback mechanisms (Evaluation/appraisal systems, Complains/appeals) Development discussions Work safety trustee Development Director, Work Safety Trustee, Quality System Manager, Intra Team Year Autumn Increase in the amount of development discussions and constructive feedback Information available in intranet Changes made to Welcome to LUT events Campus tours More material available New Personnel Guide published Supervisor s guidebook published Orientation involved in LUT s Leadership Excellence training Checklist for orientation published Supervisor info -events (orientation is one event) Special orientation material for doctoral students coming Training for orientation contact persons Instructions for development discussions Aug 2015 Electronic tool for documentation of discussions Aug 2015 Leadership Excellence training developed Trainings for development discussions starting Aug 2015 Coherent information collected and published in intranet Sep Feedback channel, Quality System Manager, Intra Team Autumn A working feedback channel available in intranet Open feedback channel and process in use from Sep