Direction de la recherche, de la valorisation et des études doctorales (DiRVED)
The HRS4R certification
Updated on: 04/09/2026In July 2024, the European Commission awarded the ‘HR Excellence in Research’ (HRS4R) label of excellence to Université Le Havre Normandie (ULHN). This award recognises the institution’s commitment to a human resources policy that meets European standards for research staff.
The ‘HR Excellence in Research’ label recognises the strategy of Université Le Havre Normandie, which is committed to a process of continuous improvement in its practices relating to recruitment, career support and working conditions for researchers. In particular, it recognises the self-assessment work carried out by the institution, as well as the action plan drawn up for the next five years, in consultation with the academic community and the administrative departments.
The HRS4R initiative is based on the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers, which are founded on four key areas: ethical and professional aspects, recruitment, working conditions and safety, and training and skills development. Université Le Havre Normandie has therefore assessed its practices against the 40 European principles in order to define a strategy that promotes the attractiveness of research, the harmonisation of its procedures and the development of scientific careers.
This certification is a mark of excellence that enhances the institution’s international visibility, its integration into the European Research Area, and its ability to attract talent and access European funding.
What is the HR Excellence in Research label?
The HRS4R (Human Resources Strategy for Researchers) label, now known as HR Excellence in Research, comes from the desire to build the European Research Area by:
- attracting and retaining the best scientific talent in Europe,
- promoting the international mobility of researchers and ensuring this is taken into account in their careers,
- guaranteeing European researchers a working environment conducive to scientific work.
To this end, a European strategy aimed at improving recruitment practices and the working conditions of researchers in organisations and institutions active in the field of research, has been put in place. It is based on the European Charter for Researchers, which was adopted in December 2023. It now incorporates aspects of sustainable research and is supplemented by a European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity (itself revised in 2023).
The label recognises institutions that are committed to continuously improving their practices (particularly in relation to their human resources policy and securing European funding for research projects) and is a major asset in terms of attractiveness.
What is the approach adopted by Université Le Havre Normandie?
In order to consolidate its position within the European Research Area (notably through the EUNICoast European alliance project, which was then in preparation, spearheaded by the university, and which was officially launched in November 2024) and strengthened by a proactive and well-established policy on quality of life at work and the development of an inclusive and attractive campus life, Université Le Havre Normandie committed itself as early as 2021 to a process of continuous improvement, which culminated in the submission of an application for HRS4R certification.
The process was carried out in several steps:
June 2021 to March 2022:
A dedicated project team was set up, along with five thematic working groups to inform the discussions.
An initial ‘engagement’ phase prepared the ground for the operational roll-out of the initiative: governance structure, reverse scheduling of actions, and the design of an internal evaluation survey.
March 2022 to June 2022:
Consultation with the university community as part of a major survey launched in March 2022, which took the form of an online questionnaire supplemented by a series of interviews. This wide-ranging consultation enabled ULHN to carry out a self-assessment of its practices, guiding the development of a short-, medium- and long-term action plan.
June 2022 to July 2023:
Finalisation of the gap analysis, development of the action plan and identification of indicators for monitoring the roadmap.
Following a phase dedicated to the self-assessment of our practices and the development of a specific action plan, the award of the HRS4R label marked a new phase in the process.
September 2023 to February 2024 :
Presentation to university authorities and approval of the project, translation and submission of the application on the dedicated website.
The action plan, composed of 40 actions, is organised around the following themes:
- Recruitment (in accordance with the institution’s OTM-R policy)
- Human resources management
- Intellectual property
- Research data
- Personal data
- Freedom of research, ethics and professional conduct
- Laboratories and research projects
- General organisation
- Non-discrimination
The initiative is led politically by the First Vice-President, Jean-Noël CASTORIO, and the Chief of Staff, Juliette LE LUYER, and managed from an operational perspective by the Director-General of Services, Yann CHEVALLEREAU, and the Project Manager for Creation and Innovation (HRS4R Coordinator), Françoise GUYOT.
A dedicated project officer, Nathalie NORMAND, was recruited in December 2025 and works in collaboration with Louis SAUTREL, a member of the initial operational steering committee.
An interim review was carried out in 2026. A further consultation with the academic community was conducted on this occasion in the form of an online survey which led to a report. The roadmap was then revised accordingly and approved by the Executive Board before being submitted to the European Union in July 2026.