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ORGANIZATIONAL REGULATIONS
HUME LAB – EXPERIMENTAL HUMANITIES LABORATORY
Part One
Basic provisions
Section 1
Basic provisions
(1) The HUME Lab – Experimental Humanities Laboratory (hereinafter referred to as the
“HUME Lab”) is an interdisciplinary scientific unit of the Faculty of Arts, Masaryk
University (hereinafter referred to as the “FF MU”) in the field of humanities and
social sciences.
(2) The name of the unit: HUME Lab – Experimental Humanities Laboratory
a) HUME Lab Experimental Humanities Lab
b) abbreviation: HUME Lab
c) location: Arna Nováka 1, 602 00 Brno
d) symbol of electronic connection: humelab.cz
(3) The HUME Lab is governed by the internal and other regulations of Masaryk
University (hereinafter referred to as “MU”), as well as the FF MU, by the FF MU
Organizational Regulations and these Organizational Regulations.
Section 2
Purpose of the HUME Lab
(1) The HUME Lab is a purpose-built facility with infrastructure for teaching, learning,
and research. This infrastructure is used for the development of basic and applied
research in the humanities and social sciences and offers support for excellent
research for Czech and foreign experts. The HUME Lab is open to all FF MU units, for
collaboration with other MU units and other units in the Czech Republic and abroad
on research projects.
(2) The HUME Lab is a functional link between physical infrastructure (laboratory rooms,
research equipment) and human infrastructure (technical services, research
organization and coordination, administration).
(3) The HUME Lab:
a) initiates the development and teaching of research methodology and the
building of a knowledge base for experimental research in the humanities and
social sciences,
b) seeks to involve students in all parts of the research process, thus
contributing to their research-oriented education and acquisition of the
necessary knowledge and skills,
c) implements the development and administration of the HUME Lab’s research
equipment,
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d) supports FF MU units in using HUME Lab equipment in research, teaching and
presentations,
e) seeks to establish contact and cooperation with other laboratories and
infrastructural facilities for experimental research in the natural sciences and
humanities,
f) creates the facilities and conditions for the preparation of excellent research
grants for basic and applied research.
Part Two
Organizational structure
Section 3
The HUME Lab management structure
(1) The HUME Lab is headed by the unit head.
(2) Another body of the HUME Lab is the HUME Lab Research Council. The HUME Lab
Research Council discusses the long-term plan of the HUME Lab and considers issues
related to the HUME Lab’s activities.
(3) Institutes, departments and other entities that regularly use the infrastructure of the
unit and participate in its funding form the HUME Lab Research Consortium.
Section 4
Head of the HUME Lab
(1) The unit head:
a) plans and manages the operation of the HUME Lab in accordance with the
long-term plan of the faculty and the recommendations of the Research
Council,
b) coordinates administrative activities,
c) makes proposals on personnel matters for HUME Lab staff, including financial
compensation, and proposes selection procedures for new staff;
d) submits proposals on matters concerning the unit’s economic and operational
provision,
e) manages the research instruments, rooms, and the database of participants
(research subjects),
f) provides advice on research projects,
g) coordinates promotion and development activities, and building the
knowledge base of the HUME Lab,
h) ensures property management, fire protection and occupational health and
safety.
(2) The head of the unit is appointed and removed by the Dean of the Faculty.
Section 5
The HUME Lab Research Council
(1) The Research Council is a five-member body headed by the chair.
(2) The chair of the Research Council is the head of the HUME Lab.
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(3) Other members of the Research Council are appointed by the Dean of the Faculty
from among the members of the academic community of the FF MU according to
their expertise in relation to the unit’s activities.
(4) The Research Council usually meets once a month to discuss the content and form
of the HUME Lab’s activities.
(5) The Research Council carries out tasks submitted by the head of the HUME Lab.
(6) The Research Council is involved in the ideological direction of the HUME Lab and in
maintaining contacts with other research units of a similar nature.
(7) The Research Council reviews and approves the implementation of research projects
at the HUME Lab based on project proposals submitted by researchers, including
recommendations for changes to submitted project proposals.
Section 6
Professional technical staff
(1) Technical specialists are the FF MU employees assigned to work at the HUME Lab and
responsible for managing specific technologies and resources.
(2) The job description of professional technical staff is to provide expert support to
users, to develop the entrusted technologies, and to transfer competencies for using
the technology to users.
(3) Technical specialists develop independent research activities focused primarily on the
technological, methodological, or user aspects of the equipment.
Section 7
Research Consortium
(1) Members of the Research Consortium are MU academic units that contribute
financially to the HUME Lab budget in the form agreed in a memorandum concluded
with the Consortium member.
(2) Consortium members receive priority access to HUME Lab services and facilities. In
addition to conducting original research, this access includes the use of the facility
for teaching, presentations, accompanying events and student projects.
(3) Membership in the Consortium is approved by the HUME Lab Research Council and
the Dean of the FF MU. The specific form of involvement and cooperation is agreed
individually and regulated by a memorandum.
Part Three
Activities of the unit
Section 8
HUME Lab activities
(1) The HUME Lab provides operations, development, services, and their coordination in
connection with experimental research in the social sciences and humanities.
(2) The HUME Lab supports educational activities related to experimental research.
(3) The HUME Lab establishes management, technical, and administrative positions. The
professional-technical positions support research by providing expert advice,
supervising the use of specialized instruments, and carrying out measurements and
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analyses. The HUME Lab management and administrative positions are responsible
for the organization, maintenance, development and management of infrastructure
services and for the presentation of the HUME Lab to the university, the academic
and expert community, and the wider public.
(4) The HUME Lab manages, maintains, services, restores and develops specialized
research equipment.
(5) HUME Lab activities are subject to regular evaluation. The unit head draws up an
annual evaluation report that monitors the quality of the educational, scientific and
creative activities supported by HUME Lab infrastructure. This report is primarily
intended for the evaluation of HUME Lab activities by the faculty management, but
may be used for other purposes. The report is published in the public section of the
MU website/published in the MU Information System, after approval by the Dean of
the FF MU.
(6) The indicators for the annual evaluation report are based on generally accepted
indicators of the effective operation of research infrastructure.
(7) Outputs created with the support of the HUME Lab shall carry a dedication to this
unit.
Section 9
Financial management
(1) The HUME Lab manages the allocated funds based on the MU budget allocated by
the FF MU.
(2) Members of the HUME Lab Research Consortium are involved in the operation of the
HUME Lab. The amount of the contribution will be approved annually at a joint
meeting of members of the Research Consortium after the approval of the budget of
individual FF MU units for the respective calendar year.
(3) Additional financial resources for the development and operation of the HUME Lab
are secured annually from the financial support of implemented grants, donations,
or additional activities such as contract research, contracts for applied research, etc.
(4) The HUME Lab uses MU property, recorded at the FF MU, HUME Lab, to support its
activities.
(5) The unit head is responsible to the Dean of the FF MU for the efficient use of funds
and management of property.
(6) The wage conditions of HUME Lab employees are governed by applicable laws and
regulations, internal MU regulations, and the relevant collective agreement.
(7) When grant projects are submitted by Consortium members or third parties in which
the use of HUME Lab research infrastructure is planned, an appropriate proportion
of funds will be allocated for the operation of the HUME Lab and for professional and
technical positions.
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Part Four
Final provisions
Section 10
Final provisions
(1) I hereby delegate the interpretation of the individual provisions of these Organizational
Regulations to the Head of the HUME Lab.
(2) Compliance with this measure is monitored by the Faculty Bursar.
(3) These Organizational Regulations come into force upon signature.
(4) These Organizational Regulations come into effect on 1 April 2020.
Brno, 2 March 2020
prof. PhDr. Milan Pol, CSc.
Dean