Concordat and HR Excellence in Research

The HR Excellence in Research Award

The University of Hertfordshire has been awarded the European Commission HR Excellence in Research Badge.

The University has held the badge since December 2010. The award is in recognition of the University's commitment and achievements in implementing the Concordat for the Career Development of Researchers and the QAA Code of Practice for Research Degree Programmes. On receiving confirmation of our continued success in retaining the award for four more years, Prof Grace Lees-Maffei, out-going Chair of the University of Hertfordshire Researcher Development Working Group said: 'This is an excellent result for the University. Vitae and the European Commission have recognised our very good work in supporting our researchers.'

In 2019 the new concordat to support the Career Development of Researchers was launched by Vitae. The University recognises the benefits of the Concordat:

• Demonstrating our continuing commitment to the professional and career development of researchers in a healthy and supportive environment, in a way recognised by major funders, alongside other major research centres and institutions.
• Recognising and valuing the contributions of researchers in research and beyond.
• Providing feedback from our early career researchers on researcher development.
• Recognising a lot of what we are doing already, with an emphasis on equality, diversity and inclusion throughout and on caring for those who are research active.

At the end of 2020 the University signed up to the new concordat, in line with their reporting to Vitae for the HREiR award. The new action plan for researcher development aligns with the three Concordat principles of Environment and culture; Employment; and Professional and career development.

Read the University of Hertfordshire's Concordat letter of commitment

12-year assessment

• 2022 review report (PDF - 0.18 Mb), updated 2021-2022 action plan (PDF - 0.31 Mb) and 2023-2025 action plan (PDF - 0.26 Mb)

11-year report and updated action plan

• 2021 report (PDF - 0.12 Mb) and 2021-22 action plan updated with actions from 2021 (PDF - 0.27 Mb)

10-year assessment

• 2020 review report (DOCX - 0.06 Mb), updated 2019-2020 action plan (DOCX - 0.08 Mb) and 2021-2022 action plan (XLSX - 0.08 Mb)

8-year assessment

• 2018 review report (PDF - 0.1 Mb), updated 2016-18 action plan (PDF - 0.13 Mb) and 2019-20 action plan (PDF - 0.21 Mb)

6-year assessment

• 2016 review report (PDF - 0.13 Mb), updated 2014-18 action plan (PDF - 0.11 Mb) and 2016 action plan (PDF - 0.1 Mb)

4-year assessment

• 2014 review report (PDF - 0.33 Mb) and 2014-18 action plan (PDF - 0.25 Mb)

2-year assessment

• 2012 review   (PDF - 0.28 Mb) of researcher development with action plan and 2014 update of action plan (PDF - 0.14 Mb)

Original assessment: 2010

• Gap analysis (PDF - 0.04 Mb) and action plan (PDF - 0.08 Mb)
• Valuing Research Staff – Implementing the Concordat (PDF - 0.26 Mb)
• University's Concordat launch event presentation on implementation (PDF - 0.44 Mb) and Implementation timeline (PDF - 0.08 Mb)

Prior to HR Excellence in Research Award

• Policy on Management of fixed term contracts (PDF - 0.15 Mb), June 2007
• Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers (PDF - 2.27 Mb)