Care for employees under the Fair University initiative, a university ombudsman and established recruitment and selection procedures for new staff. Regular breakfasts with female scientists, holiday programmes for the children of UP employees, a dedicated portal for doctoral students, or a university fund for open access publishing. For five years, Palacký University has proudly held the European HR Award; in the spirit of the motto „Excellence starts with people“, it cares for its staff, improves their working conditions, provides further education, and supports them in the fields of science and research.
Palacký University Olomouc obtained the prestigious HR Excellence in Research Award from the European Commission in 2021. This confirmed its adherence to European standards in staff care, the openness and transparency of recruitment procedures, and the quality of the working environment.
„In our HR strategy for researchers (HRS4R), we focus primarily on ethics, recruitment and selection, fair working conditions, and education and career development. In each of these areas, we have recently achieved several significant results or launched new processes,“ confirms Markéta Šupplerová, Head of the HR Department of the Rector’s Office, which is responsible for the HR Award agenda.
Open and Responsible Science
Over the past year, UP has significantly strengthened its commitment to open and responsible science. Following the adoption of internal norm for research data management, the university revitalised and updated the website of the Olomouc Open Science Community (OSCO). As the first of its kind in the Czech Republic, it guides students and researchers through the principles of open science and organises events such as the inspiring „OSCO Talks“. Simultaneously, the university supported open access publishing by establishing the Open Access Fund, which covers fees for high-quality articles.
Fair University and the Ombudsperson
The university continues to implement its Gender Equality Plan, fulfilling the vision of a „Fair University“. The protection of employees' rights has been further bolstered by a key milestone – the establishment of the university Ombudsperson position.
„Jaroslav Šotola has held this position since February this year. A dedicated website was also created to make it easier to submit inquiries and navigate the subsequent procedures,“ Šupplerová explains.
Supporting Diversity and Inclusion
Twice a year, the university hosts „Breakfasts with Science“ – in the spring to mark International Day of Women and Girls in Science, and in the autumn for International Inclusion Day.
„These meetings provide a safe platform for both early-career and experienced female scientists to share their experiences on the path to scientific success within an often unequal academic environment,“ describes Ms Veronika Fousková from the HR Department.
Work-Life Balance
Last year, UP adopted the Declaration of Support for Work-Life Balance, expressing a commitment to flexible working conditions, respect for individual needs, and an inclusive environment. In line with this, the HR Department organised several events for employees' children. For the second year running, the „Children Allowed!“ event was held during the Easter holidays, offering sports and educational activities directly on campus.
„The event has received very positive feedback, with around a hundred children attending each time. We are pleased to help our staff manage childcare on days when schools are closed,“ adds Fousková.
Education as a Key to Career Development
Education is a central activity across all areas of building high-quality, fair working conditions at UP, targeting both researchers and their supervisors. Over the past year, more than a dozen courses focused on professional and managerial competencies were held.
„These included workshops on the gender dimension in research, leadership without bias in diverse teams, and topics of inclusion and equality in academia,“ says Šupplerová. She adds that training also focuses on the Open, Transparent, and Merit-based Recruitment (OTM-R) system.
Portals for Senior Staff and Doctoral Students
The HR Department has launched a dedicated website for senior staff, offering comprehensive information and methodological support for essential processes such as recruitment, onboarding, and performance evaluation.
For doctoral students, the university created a shared „Doctoral Space“. „With the appointment of the new university leadership, the Vice-Rectorate for Doctoral Studies and Junior Science was reinstated. Supporting the education and career growth of junior researchers has once again become a top priority for the university,“ notes Šupplerová.