Round table held: “Current practices of hiring researchers in relation to OTM-R policy”

The round table entitled “Current practices of hiring researchers in relation to OTM-R policy” was held on 28  April 2021 and was realized within the project “Contribution of Euraxess Centers in BiH to improving open, transparent and excellence-based employment policy ( Open, Transparent and Merit-based Recruitment of Researchers - OTM-R) in BH research institutions “supported by the Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH within the” Program for preparation of projects and potential candidates for funds from the H2020 fund. “

Project activities are implemented in cooperation with the University of Banja Luka and the University of East Sarajevo, which together with the University of Sarajevo are the only research institutions in BiH that have the recognition of the European Commission “Excellence in Research”.

The meeting was opened by Prof. Dr. Dženana Husremović, Vice-Rector for Teaching and Student Affairs, Chair of the HRS4R Commission, UNSA, Prof. Dr. Mirza Dautbašić, Vice-Rector for NIR, UNSA, and Davor Bošnjak, Head of the Cabinet of Ministers, Ministry of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Vice-Rector Husremović emphasized the importance of the HRS4R process, which currently includes the University of Banja Luka, the University of East Sarajevo and the University of Sarajevo. She reminded that the recognition “Excellence in Research” received by the three universities in Bosnia and Herzegovina is awarded by the European Commission for research institutions that make additional efforts to improve the position of researchers in accordance with the European Charter for Researchers and the Researchers' Employment Code. The award ceremony was preceded by the development of the Human Resources Strategy for Researchers (HRS4R) with an Action Plan and these two documents were adopted by the highest academic bodies of the university and thus became binding on our institutions, said Vice-Rector Husremović.

Vice-Rector Dautbašić emphasized that the University of Sarajevo, since receiving the recognition of the European Commission “Excellence in Research” in January 2019, as well as during the implementation of the HRS4R Strategy, seeks to harmonize with the European Charter for Researchers and Principles for Employment of Researchers. European Charter for Researchers and Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers).
“This is an obligation to keep the HR logo, but also an opportunity to implement efforts to define the conditions for researchers by implementing the targeted activities that we defined in the Action Plan.” The Department for Research and Development is actively monitoring the implementation of the HRS4R Strategy and its Action Plan, and I am personally very glad that we are cooperating in the implementation of certain activities with colleagues from the University of Banja Luka and the University of East Sarajevo who are also in the same process. and expressed his gratitude to the Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH, which recognized our project and decided to support our cooperation within the “Program for the preparation of projects and potential candidates for funds from the H2020 fund” for 2020.

Jasmina Gradaščević-Pleh, EURAXESS project coordinator for the University of Sarajevo, spoke about the goals of the round table.
In most cases, the employment of researchers is linked to the legal framework, and in this regard, Berina Smajlović, Head of the Legal Affairs Service of UNSA, presented a comparative analysis of the legislation on the employment or selection of researchers.

The program of addresses and presentations was followed by a discussion on thematic areas:
- Publishing open positions and applications
- Evaluation and selection of candidates
- Recruitment