Research and Development

Prof. Dr. Eduard Schmidt, Vice-rector


In 1999, the Academic Council of MU met five times. The Rector regularly informed the members of the AC of the affairs of Masaryk University, and eleven motions for the conferring of the degree of Professor, honourable academic degrees and Gold and Silver Medals, and accreditation of doctoral study subjects were discussed. One meeting addressed the subject of proposals for the accreditation of higher doctorate (”habilitace”) subjects and professor proceedings.

Proceeding to confer the degree of Professor and Associate Professor

The Academic Council of MU discussed eleven motions for the conferring of the degree of Professor eleven of which were accepted:

Furthermore, the AC discussed five proposals for the conferring of the degree of Associate Professor, two of which were accepted.

The Academic Council conferred the degree of Doctor of physical and mathematical science on:

The Academic Council of MU has gradually increased the quality of proceedings to confer the degree of Professor and higher doctorate proceedings. This trend was reflected in the number of higher doctorate motions which the Council did not recommend for the conferring of the degree of Associate Professor. In 1999, the number of proceedings to confer the degree of Professor and Associate Professor decreased. Concerning the conferring of the degree of Professor, the number will probably be balanced in the course of next year. In the case of the degree of Associate Professor, the saturation and exhaustion of MU possibilities played a major role, and this trend will continue in the future. In both types of proceeding, there is an unfavourable male/female ratio.

 

Table 1a - Professors appointed at MU in 1999

Faculty

Total

Of that from MU

Of that women

Average age

Dispersion

FM

3

3

0

52,7

46–60

FA

3

2

0

49,0

48–59

FL

0

0

0

   

SchSS

1

1

0

44,0

44

FS

2

2

0

53,0

52–54

FI

0

0

0

   

FE

1

1

0

45,0

45

FEA

1

1

0

54,0

54

MU

11

10

0

49,6

44–60

 

Table 1b - Associate Professors appointed at MU in 1999

Faculty

Total

Of that from MU

Of that women

Average age

Dispersion

FM

7

6

2

41,7

35–47

FA

10

2

3

48,8

33–77

FL

2

2

1

46,5

46–47

SchSS

2

1

0

41,5

40–43

FS

17

13

1

46,3

32–60

FI

0

0

0

   

FE

8

5

1

46,0

38–56

FEA

0

0

0

   

MU

46

29

8

45,1

32–74

 

Table 1c - Number of proceedings for the conferring of degrees of Professor and Associate Professor

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

Professors

25

19

19

16

18

13

18

11

Associate Professors

53

74

52

55

62

57

69

46

 

Table 1d - Average number of teachers on December 31 1999

Faculty

Prof.

Assoc. Prof.

Senior Assistant II

Senior Assistant I

Assistant

Lecturer

Foreign lecturer

Research worker

Total

FM

35,0

75,6

132,9

38,0

11,2

5,4

0,0

6,0

304,1

FA

23,9

33,4

54,6

37,9

10,0

2,0

7,6

2,0

171,4

FL

4,0

27,1

33,9

6,0

2,9

0,0

0,0

0,0

73,9

SchSS

3,0

11,4

6,5

5,0

5,5

0,7

0,0

0,0

32,1

FS

33,8

71,2

91,1

4,2

0,0

1,3

0,0

4,0

205,6

FI

4,6

10,8

8,5

4,2

2,7

0,0

0,0

17,0

47,8

FE

7,6

51,7

68,0

73,2

3,2

3,1

7,9

0,0

214,7

FEA

6,4

16,9

14,1

15,4

8,1

0,1

0,0

3,0

64,0

University staff

0,0

3,0

16,5

17,4

2,8

38,5

3,8

0,0

82,0

MU

118,2

301,0

426,0

201,4

46,5

51,1

19,2

32,0

1195,6

A comparison of this year’s average number of teachers with last year’s proves a favourable trend at Masaryk University; the differences between individual MU faculties, however, have remained. In table 1d, numbers are stated which - for the evaluation of MU faculties - must be related to a total number of

employees. The proportion of MU Professors amounts to 10%, Associate Professors to 25%, Senior Assistants (Ph.D.) to 36%, Senior Assistants (without Ph.D.) to 17% and Assistants to 4%. A disturbing fact is that a relatively high number of senior assistants are still without a Doctor’s degree.

 

Table 1e - Professors’ average age

 

FM

FA

FL

SchSS

FS

FI

FE

FEA

RO

Average

1995

62

64

60

 

61

60

65

65

 

62

1996

62

64

61

 

61

61

64

64

67

63

1997

62

65

61

 

61

62

64

65

 

63

1998

61

65

60

61

60

63

65

66

 

62

1999

60

64

54

62

59

63

65

66

 

61

 

Table 1f - Associate Professors’ average age

 

FM

FA

FL

SchSS

FS

FI

FE

FEA

RO

Average

1995

54

54

47

 

51

49

55

54

50

53

1996

55

54

47

 

52

50

55

55

51

53

1997

54

52

48

 

53

50

55

54

52

53

1998

53

53

48

46

53

49

56

55

53

53

1999

53

52

49

46

53

49

56

56

54

53

 

Table 1g - Senior Assistants’ average age

 

FM

FA

FL

SchSS

FS

FI

FE

FEA

RO

Average

1995

42

42

36

 

42

37

43

44

43

42

1996

43

41

36

 

43

37

43

42

44

42

1997

43

41

37

 

43

38

43

43

45

42

1998

43

41

37

38

42

39

44

42

45

42

1999

42

40

37

36

40

38

44

44

41

41

Study for the Doctor’s degree

Basic statistical data is given in Tables 2a and 2b. The total number of students for a Doctor’s degree has an ever growing tendency, though in comparison with previous years the ratio between faculties has stayed the same. The percentage of full-time students has reached last year’s level. In comparison with 1998, the number of graduates was not increased. The share of graduates in the total number of students decreased slightly, thus maintaining a very unfavourable ratio.

 

Table 2a - Doctoral studies at Masaryk University

Faculty

Czech

Foreign

Total

Graduate

Full-time

Combi-ned

Total

Full-time

Combi-ned

Total

Full-time

Combi-ned

Total

FM

44

185

229

7

3

10

51

188

239

13

FA

90

344

434

4

14

18

94

358

452

27

FL

3

99

102

2

0

2

5

99

104

9

SchSS

50

58

108

3

4

7

53

62

115

2

FS

228

189

417

10

5

15

238

194

432

41

FI

45

14

59

1

1

2

46

15

61

0

FE

26

58

84

0

1

1

26

59

85

8

FEA

29

39

68

1

4

5

30

43

73

6

MU

515

986

1501

20

32

60

543

1018

1561

106

 

 

Table 2 b - Number of doctoral students

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

Total

784

902

1050

1110

1296

1378

1561

Graduates

2

31

51

84

84

108

106

% of full-time

19

18

18

26

31

36

35

 

Research and development at Masaryk University

Science and research activities at MU faculties are in line with their individual academic and educational specializations.

Faculty of Medicine: Cardiovascular programme - incl. transplantation programme, courses in the fields of neurological science, oncology, molecular pathophysiology of multigene contingent diseases, preventive medicine

Faculty of Arts: Philosophy and history of philosophy, psychology, religious studies, primeval and ancient archaeology, medieval studies, study of archives and auxiliary academic disciplines, history of Moravia, art history, ethnology, musicology, Paleoslavic studies, Indo-European studies and Czech studies

School of Social Studies: Transformation of society, ethnicity, minorities, marginalized groups. Children, youth and family - development trends, social relations and coherence, counselling, social and intervention programmes. Sociological, politological and psychological reflection of identity. Political theory, political systems, European integration, demographic trends, social policy, social programmes, humanitarian, environmental issues

Faculty of Science: Physics, chemistry, biology, geology, geography, mathematics, transdisciplinary trends, biomolecular dynamics, molecular physiology, planetary environmental problems in the past and present, anthropology, environmental chemistry and ecotoxicology

Faculty of Informatics: Theoretical information technology, parallel and distributed systems, quanta computers, super computing, electronic typesetting, graphics and virtual reality, computer processed natural language, assistive technology, software engineering, environmental systems

Faculty of Law: Reform of Czech legal system. Legal issues connected with future EU membership

Faculty of Education: Education of teachers of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd school level. Studies in education, psychology and methodology. Education in the fields of culture, lifestyle and hygiene

Faculty of Economics and Administration: Empirical analysis and theoretical context of the transformation of Czech economy, efficiency of the public sector, efficiency evaluation of the tax system, efficient methods of ongoing non-linear parameter assessment, transformation of the Czech monetary sector, development trends of organizational structures and business management, use of human resources, regional development and its economic aspects, public administration and budgets

MU Institute of Strategic Studies: Analysis of international politics, defining and monitoring risks to the security of the Czech Republic in a changing international environment

International Institute for Political Studies: Study of European integration, genesis of the European Union, relations between EU and NATO, West-European Union, Czech-German relations, Czech-Austrian relations, comparison of post-communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe and selected post-Soviet-Union countries, Central European Initiative, Central European Agreement on the Free Market, Society of Independent Countries, Czech-Slovak relations, Czech-Polish relations

Institute of Computer Science: High-speed computer networks, super computing, digital libraries

UNESCO Chair for Museology and World Heritage: world heritage, its basis in theory and the practical impact on the society of today, its further development

International co-operation in science and research

The basis of international co-operation in the fields of science and research are bilateral agreements with foreign schools of higher education (Dallas, New Orleans, Rio de Janeiro, Vienna, Wroclaw and others). These form the basis of study stays focusing on scientific projects and specialised stays for students working towards a Doctor’s degree.

MU academics participate in important EU programmes (INCO-COPERNICUS, KONTAKT, CEEPUS, AKTION, the Fifth General Programme). Regarding these programmes, employees of the Faculty of Science are among the most active.

Faculty of Medicine: Based on a recently concluded bilateral agreement, the faculty co-operates with foreign schools of higher education. It is also active in the VTS project of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport of the Czech Republic on Czech-German co-operation, the BMS grant project and the Co-operative Group of the Fifth General Programme.

Faculty of Arts: To a great extent, co-operation with schools abroad is dependent on international contacts within individual departments. In the framework of international exchange programmes (TEMPUS, ERASMUS, SOCRATES), there are exchanges of teachers and students and their joint courses. Bilateral agreements with schools of higher education abroad serve as the basis for study stays of teachers participating in international projects, student exchanges and publishing of joint publications, etc. Annually, the Faculty of Arts holds the Summer School of Slavonic Studies.

School of Social Studies: The school participates actively in EU programmes, and joint grant projects and has signed contracts on mutual co-operation with school of higher education abroad. For example, the Department of Psychology works together with Ulster University on the TEMPUS JET 12332 project, and also co-operates with Lund and Leicester Universities in the field of quality approach in psychology. With academics from Stirling University, a Brno team is researching the social presentation of democracy. The Department of Political Science co-operates with Federal Minas Gerais University (Belo Horozonte, Brazil) on the subject of comparative research on the creation of post-authoritative political systems. Other departments work together with other European universities, such as the Universities of Utrecht and Tillburg and the Central European University in Budapest.

The Faculty of Science: Personnel changes, joint research programmes, joint conferences, study stays of young researchers, joint publications, mutual representation on boards for post-graduate studies and academic boards, participation of teachers as opponents at opponents’ proceedings and in editors’ boards of expert journals, journal reviewing. Takes part research projects of the following organisations: INCO-Copernicus, KONTAKT, CEEPUS, Geographical Information Systems International Group, TEMPUS, ERASMUS LEONARDO DA VINCI, Barrande NATO-Science for People, Fogaarty European Union programmes.

Faculty of Informatics: The Faculty is involved in the EuroWorldNet project. It is a member of the ERCIM scientific consortium, serves as the Czech co-ordinator of the CRIM programme, and is a member of the VaV CompulogNet network. Rich international co-operation is based on individual contacts, the holding of joint conferences and participation in joint publication projects.

Faculty of Education: The Faculty is involved in various international academic and research programmes (TEMPUS, KONTAKT, PHARE, LEONARDO DA VINCI - Slovak Republic, Austria, Germany, Poland, France etc.).

The faculty co-operates with the SAV Historic Institute in Bratislava, the SAV Archaeological Institute in Nitra, IBBY based in Basle, IRSCL in Stockholm, the International Commission for Slavonic Onomastics (part of the International Committee of Onomastic Sciences).

Faculty of Economics and Administration: The faculty participates in European programmes (TEMPUS, ERASMUS-SOCRATES). It is a member of ICEG and co-operates with twelve faculties abroad.

MU Institute of Strategic Studies: The institute has established a close relationship with the Centre of Security Analysis, Department of War Studies, King’s College London, the US Embassy in Prague, and with the help of the latter with various American institutions (such as the Washington Congress Centre). It participates in the STRATA line of the EU Fifth General Plan.

Centre for the Further Education: A wide range of joint projects is based on contracts signed with various educational institutes (joint seminars, lectures, study stays of teachers abroad, etc.). The Centre also participates actively in LEONARDO programmes (in the form of teacher exchanges in particular).

International Institute for Political Studies: Slovak Society for Foreign Policy, Slovak Republic; Studiow Politicznych - Polska Akademia Nauk, Poland; Institut Europy Srodkovo- Wschodnej, Poland; Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, Germany; Stichting Het Parool, Stichting Willem Drees Lezing, Netherlands.

Institute of Computer Science: The EU project on modelling, presentation and evaluation of information strategies, the DUBLIN CORE initiative (an international data standard), co-operation in research activities of the ERCIM consortium in the field of DL and www.

UNESCO Chair of Museology and World Heritage: interdisciplinary co-operation within an international network, joint activities with various institutions in the Russian Federation, Baltic countries, Argentina, Brazil, Equador, Germany and Australia. Annually, the Department holds the International Summer School of Museology.

Co-operation with the Academy of Science of the Czech Republic (AV CR), ministerial research institutes and the non-governmental sector

Faculties do not only work in partnership with other schools of higher education. There is also close co-operation with institutes of the Academy of Science and ministerial research and educational institutes. Co-operation with the Academy of Science is defined in the General Agreement on Co-operation and the Agreement on Mutual Co-operation in the Implementation of Doctoral Study Programmes. Based on these agreements, MU faculties sign individual agreements with institutes of the Academy of Science.

Close relationships have been established between educational institutes and the Faculties of Education, Arts and Medicine in particular.

Faculty of Medicine: The faculty works together with IDVZ Prague and IDVZ Brno on lectures and pre-clinical education, on editors’ boards of various journals, opponent’s proceedings in AV CR institutes, are members of academic councils of various institutes, and work together with the AV CR Biophysical Institute and health education group.

Faculty of Arts: Co-operation with AV CR and SAV (Slovak Academy of Science), with a wide range of Czech and Slovak universities and schools of higher education. The scope of its activities is wide (opponent’s proceedings concerning academic projects, higher doctorate thesis, proceedings for the conferring of the degree Professor and Associate Professor).

School of Social Studies: Individual departments co-operate with AV CR institutes (AV CR Psychological Institute, AV CR Sociological Institute). Joint work with non-governmental institutes includes mainly issues connected with social prevention and intervention, minorities, Romany ethnicity, creation and protection of the environment. The school works closely with partner departments at other universities; this co-operation consists of various conferences, joint publications, mutual representation on boards for doctoral study, academic councils, opponent’s proceedings, editors’ boards of professional journals, reviewing activities.

Faculty of Science: Personal exchanges, joint research programmes, joint conferences, study stays for young academics, joint publications, reciprocal representation on post-graduate boards, academic councils, opponent’s proceedings, editors’ boards of professional journals, reviewing activities. Co-operation in post-graduate courses is based on agreements signed with AV CR institutes (Biophysical Institute, Hydrobiological Institute, Institute of Astronomy, Ondřejov Institute, Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Institute of Analytic Chemistry, Institute of Physical Metallurgy, Institute of Instrument Technology, Research Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Masaryk Institute of Oncology).

Faculty of Informatics: The faculty works together with various extra-university research institutes (AV CR Biophysical Institute, AV CR Institute of Czech Language, J. Heyrovsky Institute of Physical Chemistry, University Hospital Brno).

Faculty of Law: Ministry of Foreign Affairs - international and European law

Faculty of Education:

a) Co-operation with AV CR Institutes: Institute of Psychology, Brno, Institute of History; Archaeological Institute, Institute of Contemporary History; Mathematics Institute, Institute of History and Art Theory, Prague, Institute of Czech Language, Geonika Institute, Institute of Physical Metallurgy, Brno. AV CR Board for Onomastics, AV CR Biometric Board.

b) Ministerial research institutes: Institute of Research and Development of Education (Faculty of Education, Charles University, Prague), Research Institute of Special Education, Prague, Research Institute of Pedagogy, Prague, Commission of Social Prevention of the Ministry of Education.

c) Non-governmental sector: Society of Pedagogy, Association of Czech Mathematicians and Physicians, International Commission of Slavonic Onomastic Atlas, Czech Economics Society, Institute of Pedagogic and Psychological Counselling, Czech Somatopedic Society, M. Sovák Logopaedic Society, Association of Substitute Education.

Faculty of Economics and Administration: The Faculty co-operates with various extra-university research institutes on the basis of orders (in the fields of banking and insurance policy in particular).

Institute of Strategic Studies: Co-operation with the Academy of Science and ministerial institutes is implemented in the framework of the STRATA action line.

Institute for the Further Education: Together with various institutes and foundations (KulturKontakt Wien, Open Society Fund, British Council, Goethe Institut, Alliance de France), the Institute organizes lectures and seminars, and participates in joint grant projects.

International Institute for Political Studies: Institute for International Relations, Prague.

Institute of Computer Science: Participation in the CESNET High-speed Network project and its new application. Co-operation with the National Library, joint work in the field of health service.

UNESCO Chair of Museology and World Heritage: Co-operation with the Czech UNESCO Commission and the Department of Ancient Monuments, Museums and Galleries of the Ministry of Culture.

 

GRANTS

Table 3a - Grants at MU

Faculty

FR VŠ

GA ČR

VZ

Support

Infrastruc-ture

Resort MŠMT

Present.

MoH

Other Czech

EU

Other foreign

Total

CZK in thousands

FM

11

9

4

1

0

1

1

47

0

0

2

76

28 867

FA

9

14

2

1

0

0

0

0

8

3

0

37

8 768

FL

0

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

1

1

5

148

SchSS

1

8

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

11

22

6 327

FS

27

71

11

6

2

0

3

0

0

12

1

133

79 111

FI

4

12

3

2

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

22

11 619

FE

8

3

1

0

0

2

0

0

0

4

5

23

2 664

FEA

0

3

1

0

0

1

0

0

0

2

0

7

1 884

ICS

1

0

1

0

4

0

0

0

0

0

0

6

13 622

CDV

2

0

0

0

0

0

2

0

0

0

0

4

90

RO

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

156

MU

63

123

25

10

6

6

4

47

10

22

20

336

153 256

Note:

FR VŠ - Financing of Schools of Higher Education GA ČR - Grant Agency of the Czech Republic

Resort MŠMT - Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport of the Czech Republic MoH- Ministry of Health

Table 3b - Trends in grants

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

Number

16,0

164,0

196,0

254,0

302,0

300,0

353,0

336,0

CZK mil.

6,4

36,7

64,8

90,3

135,5

98,6

149,2

153,2

The total amount of grants and financial sources shows a growing trend. There are, however, signs of a certain saturation which reflects more the existence of reserves than the exhausting of all MU funding possibilities.

 

Table 3c - Relative data - Number of grants and CZK (in thousands) per academic

Faculty

Total number of academics

Total number of grants

Grants per academic

Total amount of CZK

CZK (in thousands) per academic

FM

304,1

76

0,25

28867

94,93

FA

171,4

37

0,22

8768

51,16

FL

73,9

5

0,07

148

2,00

SchSS

32,1

22

0,69

6327

197,10

FS

205,6

133

0,65

79111

384,78

FI

47,8

22

0,46

11619

243,08

FE

214,7

23

0,11

2634

12,27

FEA

64,0

7

0,11

1884

29,44

University department

82,0

11

0,13

13868

169,12

MU

1195,6

336

0,28

153226

128,16

 

Table 3c shows the efficiency of MU faculties and of the university as a whole in relative numbers. One should, however, take into consideration that it is difficult to compare individual grants.

An above-average effectiveness in both parameters is manifested in the cases of the Faculties of Science and Informatics and the School of Social Studies. The table misrepresents the effectiveness of the Faculty of Medicine as its academics worked on grant projects issued through the University Hospital. It is also necessary to point out the success rate of the School of Social Studies; the school should serve as an example for faculties which achieved below-average results.

Table 3d – Funding of research and development from the state budget in 1999

 

Investment

Non-investment

Total

Purpose orientated

23 550

70 906

94 456

Institutional

23 085

35 715

58 800

Non-specific

0

75 635

75 635

 

Publication activities in 1999

Table 4 - Publication activities in 1999

Faculty

Monographs

Original Fest-schrifts

Original journal articles

Other original work

Text-books and lecture notes

Work for mass readership Patents

Czech

abroad

Czech

abroad

Czech

abroad

Czech

abroad

FM

41

4

196

76

446

148

326

44

45

110

0

FA

57

11

260

59

98

29

187

17

26

322

0

FL

12

14

7

17

0

145

12

0

24

55

0

SchSS

20

1

19

4

27

9

66

6

3

73

0

FS

34

17

69

90

62

211

165

69

24

87

6

FI

9

3

11

32

2

9

9

15

2

5

0

FE

40

0

271

33

54

3

229

11

65

147

0

FEA

12

0

53

21

17

4

105

4

39

40

1

MU

225

50

886

332

706

558

1099

166

228

839

7

In this table, data is given as obtained from individual faculties, and for their reading it is necessary to consider the difficulty of comparing individual academic disciplines. In comparison with 1998, there has been growth in the majority of areas, especially in the number of original journal articles. On the other hand, the number of published text books, lecture notes and

articles for mass readership has decreased. As in the previous annual report, activities in the field of the arts (such as music presentations, compositions, exhibitions, recordings and group presentations) are not stated in the table. All this work, which creates an integral part of the academic activities at MU, is recorded and filed at individual faculties.

 

Recognition of THE academic community in 1999

Table 5 - Recognition of the academic community in 1999

Faculty Membership in sectional committees of grant agencies Membership in committees of societies by discipline Organization of international conferences

Editing of festschrifts

 

Editing of professional journals Invitation for lecturing

Invitation for study stay

 

Chairing of international conferences Expertise

Prizes, acknowled- gements

 

Czech

Abroad

Czech

Abroad

Czech

Abroad

Czech

Abroad

Czech

Abroad

Czech

Abroad

Czech

Abroad

Czech

Abroad

Czech

Abroad

Czech

Abroad

FM

24

0

132

20

69

16

26

15

72

13

354

62

2

19

67

23

117

1

38

14

FA

23

0

71

23

16

3

56

4

29

1

127

102

4

40

5

13

47

3

15

3

FL

2

0

20

2

1

1

6

0

8

0

36

16

0

7

0

1

152

1

3

0

SchSS

17

1

7

1

3

1

3

0

9

0

25

20

4

6

0

0

10

0

3

1

FS

35

0

78

14

21

15

18

3

26

8

50

90

4

43

4

16

35

14

10

0

FI

2

0

1

5

7

5

1

0

1

1

2

10

0

1

1

1

2

0

1

0

FE

20

2

59

7

17

4

48

4

13

2

288

67

20

46

5

4

60

0

5

1

FEA

2

0

54

9

2

3

7

0

3

11

35

22

0

1

1

0

37

0

1

0

MU

125

3

422

81

136

48

165

26

161

36

917

389

34

163

83

58

460

19

76

19

In comparison with 1998 the majority of items have grown slightly. The relative composition is practically unchanged, which may be a proof of the stability of the MU academic community. The table reflects only the criterion of quantity, and it cannot provide an overview of the quality and variety of the data stated. It is, however, a significant record of the creative activities of MU academics.

 

Prizes and Distinctions

Honorary academic titles (Doctor Honoris Causa) were awarded to:

 

The MU Gold Medal was awarded to:

The MU Silver Medal was awarded to:

In 1999, the Rector’s Prize for outstanding academic work was conferred on:

The Rector’s Prize for the best post-graduate student was awarded to:

 

Prominent recognition of teachers from outside Masaryk University was conferred on: