This initiative is aimed at raising the University’s competitiveness on a global scale through transitioning from a personnel accounting system to an HR management system and establishing partnerships with staff and other stakeholders. This can be achieved through the effective use of HR instruments used to motivate, involve, inform about, strategic goals, and assess and inform the activities of the stakeholders.

The transition is carried out through by the systematic modernization of the HR management system and is subdivided into three stages.

Stage 1:  2013- 2014: cementing the foundation for the modernization of the HR management system, including the transformation of staff support mechanisms; the popularization of academic mobility and ideas exchanges between Russians and foreign colleagues; collaboration with employers as the main consumers of university services; establishing an effective system of collaboration with students and alumni as a necessary element of the partnership.

Key results of the first stage:

·        Development of key performance indicators (KPI) for research units at ITMO University;

·        Initiating the process of transferring staff onto effective contracts;

·        Development and launch of the staff audit program;

·        Launch of  the “Educational Calendar” project;

·        Establishment of the “International Recruitment Council”;

·        Launch of a centralized system for recruitment/applications;

·        Launch of the Alumni Association and the Endowment Fund;

Stage 2 – 2015-2016: Fine-tuning the system; implementing recruitment mechanisms for specialists with experience in Russian and foreign research and learning centers and businesses; involvement of staff into meeting university-wide objectives; promoting a corporate culture and supporting a comfortable on-campus environment, involving all stakeholders in the University’s development; establishing the alumni network and involving it in partnership with the University.

Stage 3: 2017-2020: Expanding the restructuring outlined in the stages one and two, supporting the internal and external competitiveness by increased openness.

Strategic Initiative 3 addresses the following tasks:

Objective 3.1 “ITMO – Challenge to Change” the transition from personnel accounting to HR management and the establishment of the University as a competitive employer through the systematic strengthening of its HR brand and open international recruitment. This objective has the following parts:

·        Improving the system of staff motivation through various methods, including increased openness.

·        Development of professional competencies with an emphasis on international standards through implementation of common core educational programs, which include “soft skills”, project management skills, research ethics, etc.

·        National and international staff mobility through internships including cooperation with the Russian researchers currently living and working abroad. It is a useful instrument both for the exchange of professional opinions and the attraction of leading specialists to work at the University

·        Establishment of an open system of international recruitment including the program of invitation of  TRS from leading Russian and foreign universities and scientific research organizations (“ITMO Fellowship and Professorship”)

·        Developing the mechanism for the effective integration of foreign staff and faculty into the university environment and achieving effective cross-cultural communication

·        Shaping and strengthening   ITMO University’s HR-brand as of a sought-after excellent employer. Development and articulation of the caption “Challenge to Change” as the main aspect of the employee value proposition.

·        Development of a system of investment in people that views a person as a University’s fundamental asset with a high long-term return on investment.

·        Forming a system of regular and effective assessments of University departments and staff/faculty, including feedback analysis and talent management; and a step-by-step transition from a system of “effective contracts” to “unified contract”.

Objective 3.2 “ITMO – Partnerships and Relationships” – development of partner relationships with the University’s stakeholders and diversification of communication channels with target audiences. This objective includes the following:

·        Developing a system for career-long support of students and alumni, collaboration with key employers, and involvement of the leading experts in professional events, workshops and open schools for students and alumni.

·        Developing the communication skills of students and staff and increasing their knowledge about the current job market, career opportunities and the state of relevant industries.

·        Establishing a system of collaboration with alumni, involving the “ITMO University Alumni Association”; relying on their success stories and career growth to promote the image of the University and increase its attractiveness.

·        Growing endowment activities and channeling endowment income to projects and to the modernization of ITMO University.

       Successfully meeting these objectives will help the University transition from the system of personnel accounting to HR management with the involvement of all University stakeholders. The process will result of the change of a relationship to true partnership where partners are committed to meeting the University’s strategic goals.

Among the key projects of the second state of Initiative 3 is the establishment of the open “Council for International Recruitment,” comprising experts from leading national and international HR companies. Another important component is attracting outstanding foreign professors who are in early retirement but who are still willing to share their expertise, based on a similar experience of China and benchmark universities.

Key aspects and instruments of implementation of the SI 3 are given in the table below:

Key Emphasis	Key Instruments
International recruitment	Open system of international recruitment («ITMO Fellowship & Professorship» Program), job fairs and open contests. Council for International Recruitment Cooperation with Russian researchers working abroad.
Professional staff and faculty development	Programs for staff development (academic mobility programs, “Educational Calendar”, “Academic Mobility Map” projects) Programs for developing a staff reserve waiting-list
Building partnerships with target audiences, creation of the HR-brand	Instruments for the integration of foreign staff into the university environment. Alumni Association, programs of career support for students and alumni. Cooperation with leading employers.

• Coordinator of Strategic initiative 3 - Yulia Shidlovskaya, Head of the Human Resources Management Department