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"contract" – Strategy for
Research and Doctoral
Studies (2022–2027)
Faculty of Science
The contract is a strategic document based on the Internal Research and Doctoral Evaluation (IRDE)
carried out at Masaryk University (MU) in 2022. The content of the contract is linked to recommendations
obtained from the IRDE, to MU's priorities and shared values, or to the faculty/institute's own strategies
in research and doctoral studies. With this document, the faculty or university institute enters into an
agreement with the Rector of MU and undertakes to implement the strategy for research and doctoral
studies.
The contract contains the faculty's mission and a more detailed description of implementing the main
objectives by which the faculty wants to fulfill the individual strategies. Complementary materials are
- Annex 1: Overview of objectives in the form of a table to serve as an action plan; and
- Annex 2. A strategy, a presentation that summarizes the MU management's statement on the
IRDE recommendations and shared values in research and at the same time on the relevant
benchmark.
1. Mission
The Faculty of Science offers university education at all levels of biological, chemical, environmental,
physical, mathematical, geological, and geographical sciences, including interdisciplinary fields and
teacher training. The faculty is engaged in scientific, research, and creative activities, develops
knowledge, and cooperates with other institutions at home and abroad to contribute to scientific
knowledge in key areas for the 21st century.
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2. Main objectives and
description of their
implementation
The strategy of the Faculty of Science in the field of science, research and doctoral studies summarized
in this contract for the period until 2027 is based on existing faculty documents, including the Long-term
Development Strategy and the Human Resources Development Strategy for Researchers HRS4R/HR
Award.
In the period until 2027, the faculty management will primarily strive to further improve international
competitiveness and internationalization of science and research at the faculty (Objective 1) and to
complete reforms in doctoral studies in accordance with international standards (Objective 2)
Objective 1 – Strengthening the international competitiveness of research at the faculty
Implementation strategy
• The faculty management will use the newly established International Scientific Advisory Board to
critically evaluate and identify strong research topics with an international impact.
• The faculty will systematically support the broader involvement of scientists in international projects,
especially ERC, MSCA IF, and other national schemes such as GAČR EXPRO and JUNIOR STAR.
The strategy will include mapping the strongest and original scientific topics and ideas as well as the
most qualified staff at the institutes, strengthening project support (staffing, training for applicants,
involvement of senior scientists – e.g., informal mentoring, consultations, mock reviews), and
rewarding proactive applicants.
• The faculty will strive to recruit new excellent staff to reduce inbreeding, strengthen the
internationalization of the academic community, involving scientists from abroad, including doctoral
students and postdoctoral fellows. Positions will be advertised on international platforms, in scientific
journals, and at conferences. The faculty will provide assistance with the relocation and onboarding
of the new scientists using internal instruments such as MASH, MASH Junior, and Career Restart.
With the support of MU, measures will be taken to facilitate scientific and pedagogical activities for
parents – foreign workers (e.g., pre-school care for the children of foreign workers).
• The faculty will support foreign stays, mobility, and internships of researchers by supporting the costs
of research and sabbatical stays and considering them in evaluating of the staff (EVAK system).
• The faculty will complete internal documents and set up processes for human resource management
in research for employees in the later stages of their careers. Accordingly, the faculty will support
opening new positions for associate professors and professors.
• The faculty will support building unique capacities for internationally competitive research, which will
be coordinated by staff from the Faculty of Science, especially the European Large Research
Infrastructure EIRENE and the MUNI Preclinical Centre.
• The faculty will naturally continue to implement the strategic activities that have already begun, such
as the emphasis on foreign internships in habilitations and professorships, developing partnerships
with leading foreign universities and research institutions, and activities supporting equal conditions
for employees within the framework of the HR Award.
Obstacles and challenges – limited size of space for the attraction and establishment of new
research groups, gradual building of scientific respect and prestige of the faculty and university at the
international level, competitive salary conditions compared to other EU countries, financial and
logistical accessibility of childcare for foreign workers, financial resources for researchers' stays
abroad.
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Objective 2 – Completion of doctoral studies reforms following MU strategy and international
standards
Implementation strategy
• In accordance with the reforms of doctoral studies in the Czech Republic and at MU, in which the
faculty management, significantly participates, the corresponding adaptations at the Faculty of
Science will be completed. We will prepare faculty-wide standards and processes for the future
"MUNI Natural Sciences PhD School", where the first steps were presented to the guarantors of
doctoral programmes in the spring of 2024.
• The complex changes will lead to an improvement in the quality of doctoral studies in general
(rationalization and timely completion, lower drop off), continuous monitoring and evaluation of the
work of students and supervisors (e.g. implementation of Thesis Advisory Committees – TAC),
increased transparency and simplification of doctoral study administration (harmonization of
currently highly variable and often incompatible requirements and approaches of various doctoral
boards at the faculty), strengthening internationalization (wider advertising and admission of
applicants from abroad; standard communication in English, international defenses), strengthening
interdisciplinarity (termination of specializations and small programmes), and improving the socioeconomic
situation of doctoral students (considering standard funding of doctoral students at the
faculty in the form of contracted jobs).
Obstacles and challenges – resistance of senior participants in the doctoral studies system to
progressive changes, legislation in the Czech Republic (the Higher Education Act, Act 130 on the
Support of Science), changes in MU internal regulations (updating according to the amendment to
the Higher Education Act - abolition of credits in PhD, abolition of PhD examinations),
harmonisation of studies with labour law issues (time and attendance, HR).