Tomas Bata University in Zlín

OTM-R at FaME: what we found out and what it means

12. December 2025

In November, a questionnaire survey focused on OTM-R – Open, Transparent and Merit-Based Recruitment, i.e. open, transparent and merit-based recruitment and selection of researchers, was conducted at the Faculty of Management and Economics.

This concept is based on the European Charter and Code for Researchers and is one of the key areas evaluated when awarding the HR Excellence in Research Award.

What does OTM-R mean in practice?

OTM-R focuses on ensuring that the recruitment and selection of researchers is fair, predictable, and professional. It includes, for example:

• clearly described selection procedures and criteria,
• transparent and comprehensible job advertisements,
• gender-balanced and competent selection committees,
• providing feedback to applicants,
• using international recruitment tools (e.g., EURAXESS),
• regular evaluation of recruitment effectiveness.

Why a questionnaire survey?

The survey was part of a GAP analysis that maps the current state of the faculty in areas related to personnel processes and the research environment. The aim was to determine how colleagues perceive individual aspects of the OTM-R and identify areas for improvement.

A total of 29 employees (the dean’s office, HR staff, and new academic staff) participated in the survey.

What did we find out? – Key findings

The results show that many elements of OTM-R already exist at the faculty, but awareness and consistency across the faculty is still uneven (a detailed report is available here).

Strengths:

• Clearly defined rules for the appointment and composition of selection committees.
• Good practice in informing applicants of the results of the selection process.
• Perception of gender balance in committees as standard.

Areas requiring development:

• Low awareness of the existence of OTM-R policies and internal procedures.
• Need for more systematic training of committee members and managers.
• Inconsistent use of international recruitment tools, especially EURAXESS.
• Lack of regular evaluation of the quality and impact of recruitment processes.

What will happen next?

The HR Award working group is now actively working with the results. The suggestions from the questionnaire serve as one of the key inputs for preparing an action plan, which the faculty will gradually implement in 2026.

We would like to thank all our colleagues who participated in the survey.

Your experiences and opinions help us establish processes that are transparent, fair, and in line with European standards.