Join us for an exclusive webinar: 10 April 2026 | HR Excellence in Research after the Update: Practical Institutional Pathways from 40 to 20 Principles | Webinar ERA TALENT

About the Webinar
The EURAXESS – ERA Talent Community of Practice on Recruitment invites you to the final webinar in its current series on HR Excellence in Research. This session focuses on the updated European Charter for Researchers and the transition from the former 40 principles to the new set of 20—a change often described as a simplification, but which in practice represents a significant structural shift for institutions holding, or preparing for, the HR Excellence in Research award.

The webinar supports institutions that are implementing the new principles or preparing to do so. The emphasis is on practical, institutional-level approaches, helping participants understand what the update means in everyday practice.

Participants will:

• Gain a clear overview of the intent and expectations behind the updated Charter
• Hear a keynote perspective on strategic approaches to the transition
• Learn from an institutional case example sharing experiences, challenges, and solutions
• Join a Q&A focused on practical next steps

The discussion will cover:

• Governance of the transition
• Mapping and restructuring processes
• Internal communication strategies
• Maintaining compliance throughout institutional change

Who Should Attend

This webinar is particularly relevant for:

• HR professionals and research managers implementing HR Excellence in Research
• Institutional leaders and decision-makers responsible for governance and strategy
• Organisations preparing to begin the HR Excellence in Research process

The session targets institutional actors rather than individual researchers.

Registration is open: Please register here (Zoom webinar)

The Community of Practice on recruitment towards academia and the non-academic public sector consists of the following members:

ETH Zürich, University of Siegen, Young Academy of Norway, Foundation of the Adam Mickiewicz University, University of Pula, EURAXESS Worldwide, EURODOC, Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT), Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA), Agency for Mobility and EU Programmes (AMPEU), Research Council of Norway (RCN).

Programme

10:00 – 10:10:  Welcome and introduction
10:10 – 10:30:  Keynote: The 40→20 Transition (Michele Rosa-Clot, EC/DG RTD)
10:30 – 10:40:   European Commission Perspective (Michele Rosa-Clot)
10:40 – 11:00:  Institutional Case Study: Kiel University (Fenja Hörcher, Adviser Personnel Development, Kiel University)
11:00–11:30 – Q&A and Closing Remarks

Note: Changes in the agenda might happen. Please stay updated.

Plenary speakers:

Michele Rosa-Clot, European Commission, DG R&I
Michele Rosa-Clot has been working since 2019 as the HR Excellence in Research Portfolio owner at EC/DG RTD in the Unit for ERA, Spreading Excellence, and Research Careers. He is responsible for the HR Excellence in Research initiative, supporting the implementation of the European Charter for Researchers, and contributes to EU policy development on research careers and human resources in research.

Fenja Hörcher, University of Kiel, Germany
Fenja Hörcher is an advisor in personnel development at Kiel University, where she has coordinated the Human Resources Strategy for Researchers within the framework of the HR Excellence in Research award since 2023. As a psychologist by profession, she supports the strategic development and implementation of processes that foster attractive working conditions and sustainable research careers. Before joining Kiel University, Fenja gained experience at Deutsche Bahn and at the University of Greifswald, strengthening her expertise in organizational consulting and people-focused HR practices.

Kiel University has held the HR Excellence in Research Award since 2017. Its latest internal review (November 2025) involved surveys with over 800 researchers. The university is currently awaiting feedback and preparing for the next site visit. In this webinar, Fenja will share insights into Kiel University’s ongoing process and their planned approach to implementing the new Charter principles.

Moderator:

The webinar will be moderated by Dr. Daniel Müller, Head of the postgraduate centre "House of Young Talents" (HYT) at the University of Siegen, Germany

Dr Daniel Müller has been the head of the University of Siegen’s postgraduate centre “House of Young Talents” (HYT) since its inception in 2016. This 8-person centre supports (some 1,000) doctoral and (some 300) postdoctoral researchers as well as (currently 26) term-limited professors in their respective careers. He is also the head of the university's tenure-track programme, and the project manager for the university's EU-certified "Human Resources Strategy for Researchers" (HRS4R). 2009-2015 he was the head of the Joint PhD Programme at TU Dortmund University; before that, he worked as a researcher (1996-2009). He has also taught some 500 workshops in German and English in Dortmund, Siegen and elsewhere on a wide range of transversal/transferable skills since 2009, still adding some 15-20 each year to stay close to the needs of the HYT's "target populations".