Veterinary Associations | Veterinary Education

10 years running: The RVC retains its HR Excellence in Research Award

vetreportApril 19, 2023

The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) is pleased to announce that following a ten-year review, its HR Excellence in Research Award (HREiR) has been renewed. In particular, the RVC was commended for upholding the highest recruitment standards and practices. This award recognises the excellent continued professional development opportunities the RVC provides for its researchers, which is a key commitment for the institution.

The HREiR Award is bestowed to institutions that meet its internationally agreed criteria. These have been endorsed by the European Commission, Vitae and the UK HR Excellence in Research Panel. Importantly, the award provides a mechanism for implementing the principles of the ‘Concordat to Support the Career Development of Early Career Researchers’ and offers an internationally agreed framework to underpin and support the long-term career development of researchers.

As part of the awarding process, the RVC submitted an internal gap analysis of how its existing policies and practices align with the Concordat. The RVC also shared its robust action plan, developed in collaboration with RVC researchers, outlining the institution’s next steps for implementing the principles of the award.

Speaking on the reaccreditation, Professor Oliver Pybus, Vice-Principal (Research and Innovation) at the RVC, said:

“I am delighted that despite the challenges posed by the pandemic and its aftermath, we were able to demonstrate our continued commitment to supporting the development of our researchers, at all stages of their careers.”

Professor Dirk Werling, Chair of the Research Concordat Working Groups at the RVC, said:

“Close collaboration of our HR Department, Principal Investigators, early career researchers, and specifically the Research Association was central to this success, providing us with the perspectives which have shaped our strategy and objectives for the years to come.

“Researchers form a fundamental part of the RVC, and I am gratified that our hard work and commitment to their career development has again been recognised by the EU/Vitae with the HR Excellence in Research Award.

“Development of Early Career Researchers encompasses so much more these days, as job opportunities have widened, and therefore we are trying to ensure that our Early Career Researchers have the appropriate training in work-specific as well as soft skills. We pride ourselves on being an internationally competitive research-led institution and I am confident that the successful integration of the Concordat’s principles will help us to continue to attract and retain some of the most innovative and talented researchers in veterinary and biological science, and on both, basic research and applied levels.”

For more information about how the RVC supports the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Early Career Researchers, visit: www.rvc.ac.uk/research/about/developing-our-researchers/concordat-implementation-strategy.

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