.
CEITEC MU
OTM-R Checklist
Updated (March 2024)
2
CEITEC MU has made significant improvements in the OTM-R checklist, as demonstrated in Table 1 below, through comparative analysis across key
milestones including the HR Award application year (2018), the year of preparation of the Interim Assessment Report (2020), and the renewal year (2024).
The notable enhancements are largely credited to the adoption of the CEITEC MU recruitment policy, meticulously crafted to align with OTM-R principles, and
the effective implementation of policy-driven initiatives into practice.
Table 1: Comparison of OTM-R checklist in 2018, 2020 and 2024
2018 2020 2024 Difference
Yes, completely 4 10 18 +4
Yes, substantially 5 6 3 -3
Yes, partially 9 6 2 -4
No 5 1 0 -1
Open, transparent and merit-based recruitment checklist
Open Trans-
parent
Merit-
based
Answer:
++ Yes,
completely
+/-Yes,
substantially
-/+ Yes, partially
-- No
Suggested indicators (or form of
measurement)
OTM-R system
1. Have we published a version of our OTM-R policy
online (in the national language and in English)?
x x x ++ Yes,
completely
https://www.ceitec.eu/hr-strategy-hrs4r/t10811
(see "Recruitment Policy" box heading to the
document server)
2. Do we have an internal guide setting out clear
OTM-R procedures and practices for all types of
positions?
x x x ++ Yes,
completely
In 2020, the Institute successfully adopted the
recruitment policy (OTM-R policy). As a next
step, the internal binding norm (Director’s
Measure 2/2023 Rules of Selection Procedure
and Recruitment Process was adopted to
incorporate the policy, specifying particular
responsibilities, procedures, quality standards,
etc.
Link:
https://is.muni.cz/do/ceitec/uredni_deska/opatre
3
ni_reditele/opatreni_reditele_2023_02_-
_pravidla_vyberovych_rizeni_a_naboroveho_pro
cesu/
3. Is everyone involved in the process sufficiently
trained in the area of OTM-R?
x x x ++ Yes,
completely
In 2020, 21 hiring managers (group leaders,
core facility heads, and heads of departments)
were trained in the area of OTM-R. The training
was obligatory for all heads of worksites (hiring
managers).
In 2023, Masaryk university launched e-learning,
which is mandatory for committee members and
is traceable in the system.
Indicators:
- Share/number of hiring managers that
participated in OTM-R training = 100 %
- The existence of a training programme for
OTM-R = Completed
4. Do we make (sufficient) use of e-recruitment
tools?
x x ++ Yes,
completely
Online call interviews are used as a standard
tool in the case of applicants from abroad. One
of the positive aspects of the coronavirus crisis
was an overall increase in the usage of online
meeting tools and the ability of employees and
candidates to use them effectively.
A new e-tool for the collection of applications
was developed by the University.
Indicator:
- Web-based e-tool for the collection of
applications = Completed
5. Do we have a quality control system for OTM-R in
place?
x x x ++ Yes,
completely
The official recruitment policy was approved in
December 2020. The internal norm
implementing the policy principles was adopted
in 2023. In 2024, we assessed the
implementation of the Recruitment Policy and
related norm whose results were used for
formulation of new HRS4R action plan. HR
Department collects feedback from hiring
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managers (group leaders and other heads of
worksites). HR Department regularly reports
data about the recruitment practice to the
management. Gathering feedback from new
employees is a part of our standardized
onboarding procedure.
Indicators:
- Quality control system for OTM-R is defined
and adopted
- Regular reporting of recruitment data to the
management
6. Does our current OTM-R policy encourage
external candidates to apply?
x x x ++ Yes,
completely
The share of international research staff is
continuously growing at CEITEC MU (33 % in
2017, 39 % in 2019, 40 % in 2023). Specifically,
23 % of group leaders, 78 % of postdocs, and
65 % of CEITEC PhD students are from abroad
(as of 2023).
Indicators:
- An increasing trend in the share of applicants
from abroad – the HR monitoring includes
disaggregation per nationality (Czech applicants
/ applicants from abroad)
- An increasing trend in the share of applicants
from outside the organisation
7. Is our current OTM-R policy in line with policies to
attract researchers from abroad?
x x x ++ Yes,
completely
See point no. 6.
8. Is our current OTM-R policy in line with policies to
attract underrepresented groups?
x x x +/-Yes,
substantially
CEITEC MU pays attention to the support of
gender equality and women in research. The
Institute issued and implemented its first Gender
Equality Plan in 2016 as a part of the LIBRA
project (H2020, 2016-2019, https://www.eulibra.eu/).
Currently, we concluded
implementation of GEP 2021-2023. New GEP
for 2024-2027 will be formulated as a part of the
HRS4R action plan implementation.
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The recruitment policy was prepared based on
recommendations on how to ensure an open,
transparent recruitment procedure with specific
attention to gender equality and equal
opportunities as formulated by the LIBRA
Recruitment Handbook (available at
https://www.eu-libra.eu/work-packages/recruit-
without-gender-bias).
Regarding the leaky pipeline monitoring, we are
still struggling with reaching gender balance –
particularly in the group of research group
leaders: 58 % of women PhD candidates, 38 %
of women postdoctoral researchers, 57 %
women junior staff scientists, 48 % women staff
scientists, 19 % women research group leaders.
Indicator:
- An increasing trend in the share of applicants
among underrepresented groups (frequently
women)
9. Is our current OTM-R policy in line with policies to
provide attractive working conditions for
researchers?
x x x ++ Yes,
completely
Trend shows slightly increasing average number
of candidates for research positions, as well as
for admin and technical ones. On average, we
received 26 applications for 1 opened research
position in 2023 (compared to 21 in 2022).
Even though our OTM-R policy is in line with
policies to provide attractive working conditions
for researchers, the policy is not the only and
major factor influencing attractiveness of our
institute for researchers. That is why we are
strengthening our action in the area of employer
branding and marketing.
Indicator:
- An increasing trend in the share of applicants
10. Do we have means to monitor whether the most
suitable researchers apply?
-/+ Yes, partially After issuing the recruitment policy, we decided
to include as a part of each particular
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recruitment procedure an inquiry on how
satisfied hiring managers were with the quality of
candidates – how suitable the researchers
applying for a job seemed to them.
In 2024, we organised a feedback collection
from the hiring managers. Outcomes from these
meetings were used to formulate new HRS4R
actions for 2024-2027.
Indicators:
- Regular monitoring, quality control
- As part of the recruitment procedure, all hiring
managers will be asked to evaluate the quality of
applicants
Advertising and application phase
11. Do we have clear guidelines or templates (e.g.,
EURAXESS) for advertising positions?
x x ++ Yes,
completely
Universal templates for advertising various
positions (according to the career system
categories) were reviewed and updated in both
Czech and English and include a frame of
advertising with all the stylistic and informational
requirements. The head of the workplace only
fills in the part that informs the applicant about
the scope of work and the requirements that the
candidate should meet. The templates were
reviewed for compliance with gender-sensitive
language.
Indicator:
- Approved templates for all career system
categories (e. g. group leader, postdoc, core
facility manager)
12. Do we include in the job advertisement
references/links to all the elements foreseen in the
x x -/+ Yes,
substantially
Aspects currently not being implemented:
• selection criteria (and possibly their respective
'weight'), including knowledge and professional
experience (distinguishing the 'required' and
'desirable')
• type of contract, salary
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relevant section of the toolkit? [see Chapter 4.4.1 a)
of the OTM-R expert report1]
• career development prospects
• a reference to the institution's equal
opportunities policy (e.g., positive discrimination,
dual careers, etc.) – this will be solved with the
next planned update of the templates of job
adverts in 2Q 2024
Indicator:
- Templates of job advertisements implementing
the relevant section of the toolkit – chapter 4.4.1
a) of the OTM-R expert report
13. Do we make full use of EURAXESS to ensure
our research vacancies reach a wider audience?
x x ++ Yes,
completely
The EURAXESS jobs database is used for the
promotion of all research positions.
Indicators:
- The share of job adverts posted on
EURAXESS
- An increasing trend in the share of applicants
recruited from outside the organisation/abroad
14. Do we make use of other job advertising tools? x x ++ Yes,
completely
We do use all possible job advertising tools.
Indicators:
- List of used job advertising tools
15. Do we keep the administrative burden to a
minimum for the candidate? [see Chapter 4.4.1 b) 45]
"The request for supporting documents should be
strictly limited to those which are really needed in
order to make a fair, transparent and merit-based
selection of the applicants. Moreover, in cases where
certain documents are legally required, applicants
should be allowed to make a declaration in which
they engage to provide the proof after the selection
process is concluded. For example, applicants
should not have to provide original or translated
x ++ Yes,
completely
All steps of the recruitment procedure were
reviewed regarding the minimisation of the
administrative burden and a new e-tool for the
collection of applications was developed by the
University.
Indicators:
- All steps of the recruitment procedure reviewed
from the perspective of minimisation of the
administrative burden
- Web-based e-tool for the collection of
applications
1
https://cdn1.euraxess.org/sites/default/files/policy_library/otm-r-finaldoc_0.pdf
8
certificates related to qualifications with their initial
application. It is strongly recommended to allow the
transmission of supporting documents by electronic
means and possibly to develop an e-recruitment
tool."
Selection and evaluation phase
16. Do we have clear rules governing the
appointment of selection committees? [see Chapter
4.4.2 a) 45]
x x ++ Yes,
completely
Standards for the recruitment committees'
appointment is defined by the Director’s
Measure 2/2023 Rules of Selection Procedure
and Recruitment Process.
Indicator:
- Issued amendment to the Director's Measure
on recruitment procedure rules
17. Do we have clear rules concerning the
composition of selection committees?
x x ++ Yes,
completely
Standards for the recruitment committees'
composition is defined by the Director’s Measure
2/2023 Rules of Selection Procedure and
Recruitment Process.
Indicators:
- Statistics on the composition of panels
(internal/external, gender)
- Issued amendment to the Director's Measure
on recruitment procedure rules
18. Are the committees sufficiently gender-
balanced?
x x -/+ Yes, partially HR Department included composition of
selection committee members into the annual
report for the management in 2024. In 2024, we
organised 53 selection procedures. In case of
selection committees for research positions,
women established 65 % of members.
Indicators:
- Statistics on the composition of panels
(internal/external, gender)
- Issued amendment to the Director's Measure
on recruitment procedure rules
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19. Do we have clear guidelines for selection
committees which help to judge 'merit' in a way that
leads to the best candidate being selected?
X +/-Yes,
substantially
CEITEC MU benefited from its participation in
the LIBRA project (H2020) that focused inter alia
on the recruitment practices. One of the
essential outcomes of the LIBRA project was the
LIBRA Recruitment Handbook. The handbook
pays explicit attention to recruiting people in line
with gender equality principles, and in line with
recruiting people without any bias – therefore
based on the merit-based approach. The LIBRA
Recruitment Handbook was used for the
formulation of the CEITEC MU recruitment
policy in 2021. We believe its principles are
helping to fulfil the aim of point no. 19 of the
OTM-R checklist. CEITEC also offered
unconscious bias training to group leaders
repeatedly (and plans to repeat it again on
regular basis).
Indicators:
- Issued CEITEC MU recruitment policy
(completed)
- Provided training for members of selection
committees (completed)
- Number of participants of training for selection
committee members (monitored)
Appointment phase
20. Do we inform all applicants at the end of the
selection process?
x ++ Yes,
completely
The HR department informs all applicants at the
end of each selection procedure. It is also
embedded in the recruitment policy.
Indicator:
- The fulfilment of this point will be under regular
quality control
21. Do we provide adequate feedback to
interviewees?
x ++ Yes,
completely
Adequate feedback regarding the interview is
provided upon a candidate's request. In such a
case, the HR department ensures it is in
cooperation with the chair of the selection
committee.
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Indicator:
- The right to feedback is set up in the
recruitment policy (completed)
22. Do we have an appropriate complaints
mechanism in place?
x ++ Yes,
completely
There is a clear system of submitting and
processing complaints at Masaryk University,
which applies to and is used by CEITEC MU too.
Rector's Directive No. 3/2008, Submitting and
processing complaints at MU:
https://www.muni.cz/en/about-us/official-notice-
board/submitting-and-processing-complaints
CEITEC MU has not yet received any complaint
regarding the recruitment process during its
existence.
Indicator:
- Statistics on complaints
- Rector's Directive No. 3/2008, Submitting and
processing complaints at MU, in force
Overall assessment
23. Do we have a system in place to assess whether
OTM-R delivers on its objectives?
++ Yes,
completely
See action no. 5.
Indicators:
- Quality control system for OTM-R is defined
and adopted
- Regular reporting of recruitment data to the
management
Prepared by: E. Handlířová (HRS4R Coordinator, Head of Director’s Office), A. Dvořáková (Head of HR Department)
Approved by: P. Plevka (Director)