HRS4R | Action plan
The new HRS4R action plan is part of a continuous improvement process. It responds to the weaknesses identified during the internal analysis carried out with researchers.
HRS4R action plan: a commitment integrated into ULiège's strategy
- An action plan aligned with institutional priorities
The University of Liège recently revised its governance and adopted a new Strategic Plan 2022-2026, which now serves as the guiding framework for the HRS4R action plan. This articulation guarantees perfect coherence with the University's ambitions and reinforces the integration of the principles of the European Charter for Researchers at the heart of our values and policies.
- Inclusive, shared governance
Implementing the HRS4R strategy is a collective endeavour, coordinated by the Academinc and university Authorities and supported by the entire university community: academic, scientific and administrative staff.
A wide range of interdisciplinary working groups enrich this dynamic, contributing ideas, expertise and feedback from all sectors of the University. This participatory approach fosters strong mobilization and ensures that the HRS4R action plan reflects both institutional ambitions and realities on the ground.
- From vision to action
The Strategic Plan generates and structures concrete operational plans in key areas: ethics, gender equality, open science, sustainability or research support. These plans translate strategic ambitions into tangible actions, and transparently identify priorities, milestones and responsible actors.
The HRS4R process acts as a transversal catalyst, ensuring coherence and visibility of these actions, in full compliance with European principles.
The 4 pillars of our action plan
The action plan is structured around 4 key areas of work, which reflect our priority commitments to the University's researchers :
Implementing and monitoring the HRS4R action plan
The HRS4R strategy is fully integrated into the governance of the University of Liège. It is part of the institutional DNA, in line with the 2022-2026 Strategic Plan. Its implementation is based on a structured and participative organization:
- Regular monitoring of the strategic plan;
- Thematic working groups (WG) aligned with the four HRS4R pillars, composed of academic, scientific and administrative profiles;
- A network of integrators, responsible for ensuring consistency between actions and the departments concerned;
- A steering committee, chaired by the Vice-Rector for Education and Student Life, which ensures the link between the Rectorate's strategic vision and the concrete actions of the thematic WGs. The committee meets three times a year.
Concrete tools are used to monitor implementation:
- A dashboard, updated three times a year, to track the progress of actions;
- Collaborative tools (Office 365, MyGouvernance) to facilitate real-time coordination;
- Regular surveys of the research community, to measure satisfaction, assess impact and adjust priorities.
At ULiège, HRS4R is not an isolated project: it is present everywhere, at every level. It structures our actions, fuels our thinking and improves the working conditions and careers of our researchers.
Our concrete actions since 2011
Since receiving the HRS4R award, the University of Liège has taken numerous actions to promote ethical, inclusive working conditions that are conducive to the development of scientific careers. Of particular note are:
- Strengthening recruitment policies and placing greater emphasis on research assessment: The University has developed more transparent, open, merit-based and inclusive recruitment procedures, guaranteeing equal opportunities in the selection process. It is also a signatory of the DORA declaration in 2017 and then of COARA in 2023, aimed at promoting the culture of qualitative research assessment, recognizing the intrinsic quality of researchers' work and the impact of research results.
- Improving the well-being and working conditions of researchers: In 2019, ULiège is committed to an institutional policy of improving the well-being of everyone who attends the university. Specifically for researchers, measures have been adopted to improve their working environment. Take, for example, the Doctoral Charter, which guides professional relations between doctoral students and their supervisors, and the Doctoral Partnership Guide, which encourages fluid, clear communication between supervisors. The Euraxess center also offers support for mobility, an essential element in a researcher's career.
- Promoting diversity and inclusion: Since 2019, the university has placed particular emphasis on promoting diversity, whether in terms of gender equality, cultural diversity or the inclusion of researchers with disabilities. In 2021, ULiège adopted a "Gender Equality" Plan, which aims to contribute to gender balance in leadership and decision-making, recruitment and career progression, as well as taking concrete action against violence of all kinds.
- Support for researchers' career development: ULiège offers a series of training courses designed to help researchers acquire cross-disciplinary skills to better prepare for the challenges of research, at all career stages. The training catalog is constantly evolving to meet the challenges of today's world.
Successive action plans :
2011-2015 | 2015-2018 | 2018-2020 | 2021-2024
Successive self-evaluation reports :
2011-2013 | 2011-2015 | 2015-2018 | 2019–2021 (intégré au Plan 2021–2024)
