The European Commission has developed a Human Resources strategy for Research based on 40 principles set out in the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers to contribute to the development of a more attractive European labour market for research staff.

The award is a recognition given to those institutions that align themselves with this strategy, enabling them to highlight their commitment to fair and transparent recruitment and evaluation procedures in the field of research.

It is a voluntary process that requires a long-term commitment from the institutions, involving joint and coordinated efforts between various internal and external stakeholders.

In this context, CIC bioGUNE, aware of the importance of implementing these good practices in the field of Human Resources, has begun the process of obtaining this HR Excellence in Research distinction with the aim of continuing to improve and grow as a Centre. The aim is to obtain accreditation in the first half of 2025.

Driven and promoted by the Centre's Direction together with the Human Resources area, the process began with the constitution of the bodies that were to ensure that the project was carried out in a participative and collaborative way, including the opinions and general needs of the involved parties.

• C&C Committee to supervise, guide and promote the entire HR Excellence in Research process, guaranteeing that it is carried out in accordance with the needs of CIC bioGUNE, as well as with the requirements of the European Commission.
• Two Working Groups with the aim of collaborating and contributing to the development of the HR Excellence in Research process.

This sample of employees who were invited to participate in these bodies, constituted as a space for cooperation, participation, dialogue and respect, is heterogeneous, as it includes different profiles aimed at enriching the process.

The methodology approved to undertake the project consisted of:

• A quantitative analysis carried out by means of a formal questionnaire that would be sent to all staff.
• A qualitative analysis in which the Working Groups would work, deepen and reflect on the results obtained in the mentioned questionnaire, prioritising the actions to be tackled in the short/medium term under the direction and control of the C&C Committee.

All the above process has resulted in the presentation of the following documentation:

• Already started the process internally at the beginning of the year, on April 25th, 2024 the Commitment Letter was submitted to the European Commission expressing CIC bioGUNE's engagement to implement the HR Excellence in Research process, with all that this implies.
• Once the document had been checked, on May 14th, 2024 the European Commission confirmed CIC bioGUNE's accession through the Confirmation Letter.
• After a year of internal work by the Centre, on May 13th, 2025 the Gap Analysis, the OTM-R Checklist and the Action Plan, together with the process description, were submitted for initial assessment by the European Commission.

CIC bioGUNE is currently awaiting administrative verification of the application and subsequent initial assessment report to receive this HR Excellence in Research recognition from the European Commission.