Charles University management decided to fund several ambitious research programs, designed to maintain the university’s competiveness at the top European and global level. The support will require approximately 1.7 billion Czk. Charles University receives this amount annually for the development of the university research, based on the evaluation of the Section for Science, Research and Innovation, and from the Ministry of Education, for the development of research and creative work of students.
The new program, called Primus, supports the recruitment of new researchers at Charles University faculties and institutions. The opportunity to work on one’s own independent project for 3 to 5 years will be offered to young foreign researchers, or those with experiences from top foreign universities. The funds for this program will be provided jointly by the faculties and Charles University. The university believes that this step will result in better research dynamics, and in better success rate in the competition for best grants, such as ERC. The university plans to fund the program with Czk 90 million annually, and thus become the first choice for anybody who wants and is able to carry out top academic research in the Czech Republic.
Established and renowned researchers with undisputable reputation and results can use the Donatio Universitatis Carolinae Program. They can be granted the funding of 1 million Czk for their research objectives or ideas that can’t be covered by normal operations during the academic year and administration. Both programs will start this year.
The basic program for funding the research at Charles University will be called Progres, allocating approximately 1.1 billion Czk every year. The program follows up on PRVOUK, and will support the cooperation across departments and faculties, as well as modern multi-disciplinary cooperation.
The university will continue in the program of University Excellence Centers (UNCE), enabling 27 larger research teams, focused on different topics from advanced organic synthesis and optoelectronics to Bible and medieval art studies, to enjoy extraordinary conditions for the top-notch work.
The complex program of research development was presented at the press conference of Charles University Rector Tomáš Zima on February 10, 2016. The conference was also attended by the Deputy Prime Minister Pavel Bělobrádek, Ph.D., MPA.
