Dean's Award for authors of prestigious scientific publications

The Dean of the Faculty of Science will award the authors and author groups of teaching and popular science texts, monographs and original scientific publications for 2023. Submitting the publication will be possible from 15 September 2023. The publication (publication set) is submitted by the author via a web form on the Portal. You can find the application form here (in Czech). If the publication is already listed in OBD, it is possible to use automatic data loading from OBD when filling it out. The printed and signed application must be delivered by internal mail to the Department of Science and Research of the UP Faculty of Science to Bc. Barbora Krudencová no later than 25 October 2023.

Submitted publications must meet the following conditions:

• The scientific journal where the paper is published is in the 90th percentile and above in the given subject class according to the Web of Science.
• The proposed scientist is an employee of the Faculty of Science with workload of minimum 50 %, and he/she presents the affiliation of the Faculty of Science as the main workplace.
• The main or corresponding author of a given publication must be an employee of the Faculty of Science.
• The publication was published in print in 2023. Papers published in 2022 can also be submitted if they were not entered in the competition in the previous year.

Rector’s Honorary Mention

This year authors of professional books from among university employees can also apply for the UP Rector's Honorary Mention. The competition is governed by the rules set out in UP Internal Standard No. R-B-20/18-ÚZ01. As in previous years, the Science and Research Departments of individual faculties accept proposals for the award. The deadline is on 30 September 2023.

Horizon Europe – Lump Sum funding

• EC released two short videos on Lump Sum:
  • „How to evaluate lump sum proposals: Get started“
  • „How to evaluate lump sum proposals: Detailed budget table“
• 19. October 2023 (10:00-12:00) – live Youtube Stream: Lump Sum Funding in Horizon Europe: How does it work? How to write a proposal?
• 2. February 2023 Seminar TC Prague – recording and presentation Lump sum projects in Horizon Europe (in Czech)
• Podcast Lump Sum – TC Prague Podcast on lump sum funding in Horizon Europe (in Czech)
• EC FTO portal on lump sum (Funding & tender opportunities portal – EC)
• Horizon Dashboard on personnel costs (for lump sum project evaluators)

Horizon Europe – Overview of partner exchanges for the 2024 calls

In September and October 2023, partner exchanges are held to establish contacts for projects prepared for the new Horizon Europe calls in 2024. Most of the calls in Clusters 1 to 6 have a deadline already in February to April 2024. The online exchanges are usually one-day events and are attended by hundreds of international organisations interested in collaborating on projects in a wide range of fields. Even after they are over, you can continue to register and arrange meetings with all registered participants. Some partner exchanges also take place physically or hybridly.

You register for the events for free, create a profile, and then schedule online meetings with other registered participants. You increase your chances of being contacted by other participants by filling out your profile in detail.

Exchanges usually also offer the opportunity to present your plan or idea to a selected call. These are called Pitch Sessions. You can present yourself live to potential partners and coordinators in 3-5 minutes.

Regiatration and exchange platforms:

• 26 September 2023 – Cluster 6 – Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment; physically in Brussels – Horizon Europe Brokerage Event for Cluster 6 - Calls 2024 - Info (b2match.io)
• 18 October 2023 – Cluster 5 – Climate, Energy and Mobility; virtually – GREENET Brokerage Event for HE Cluster 5 - 2024 calls - Info (b2match.io)
• 19 October 2023 – Cluster 2 – Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society; virtually Horizon Europe Cluster 2 Networking Platform - Info (b2match.io)
• October 2023 – Cluster 4 – Digital, Industry and Space; date and form tobe specified

Interreg Danube Region

The Danube Region Programme will be launching its second call for proposals on 2 October 2023, with the submission deadline on 29 February 2024.

Projects to be submitted to the DRP shall arise from a common need and challenge, addressing broader area of the Danube Region and shall not be limited to few, 3-4 countries, or represent a collection of local actions.

Applicants shall demonstrate that the common need / challenge identified is best to be tackled at transnational level instead of local / regional / cross-border approach and the project results are best achieved through transnational cooperation.

The programme covers 14 countries, 9 of them EU Member States. The partnership has to involve at least three financing project partners from three different countries of the programme area, with at least one partner from an EU Member State. However, the usual number of partners in DRP transnational projects is approx. 10-15 from 7-12 DRP countries.

Funding is provided only to project partners in the programme area at 80% of the total project budget. The estimated starting date of the projects is January 2025, with maximum 36 months project duration. Relevant documents and information about the programme will be available from October on the programme website.

MEYS – LUAIZ24

MEYS has announced a call for proposals in the LUAIZ24 Bilateral Projects Czech Republic – State of Israel, Programme I-E II, sub-programme INTER-ACTION.

The LUAIZ24 competition will accept proposals for joint Czech-Israeli projects in the industrial research category (Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 2-4)3 that will lead to technological applicability and development of new products, focusing on one of the following areas/sub-areas:

1. Health and medicine - drug design and development
2. Sustainability and environmental protection - climate change, clean energy, desert research, water
3. Data science - applications of artificial intelligence.

The competition period for submission of project proposals (applications from applicants for special-purpose support) starts on 11 September 2023 and ends on 15 November 2023. Faculty deadline for submission: 13 November 2023. Please deliver the green request form "košilka" + Brief project information by 9 November 2023 to Ing. Tea Pokorná (tea.pokorna@upol.cz). Further information, including relevant links, can be found on the DPS website.

TA CR – Driving Urban Transitions (DUT): international call 2023 is open

The Driving Urban Transitions (DUT) Call 2023, an international call of the European Partnership, is aimed at supporting transnational research and/or innovation projects addressing urban challenges to help cities in their transition towards a more sustainable economy and functioning. Sigma sub-objective 4 – International cooperation (DC4). Faculty deadline: 14 November 2023.

Records of foreign guests

If you have international guests visiting your department, please enter their information in the Portal. This may affect the amount of funding the faculty receives to some extent.

Instructions:

• click on "All Applications" in your Portal
• click on the "Guest Admission" tile
• press the "+New" button and fill out the newly opened form.

Fulbright Specialist – special offer

Fulbright Specialist programme – extraordinary stay of an expert in the listed fields:
Climate Change
Cyber Security and IT
Disaster Response
DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access)
Entrepreneurship
Media Literacy/Countering Disinformation
Public Administration
Public/Global Health (including Mental Health)
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)

The Czech Fulbright Commission has been given the opportunity to expand the programme by up to three projects, and these projects in the above-mentioned fields are fully funded by the US side, not by "traditional cost-share", in which the host pays for accommodation and meals. Stays must take place between January 2024/September 2025, with two deadlines, 30 September 2023 and 1 March 2024. More information and application details are available here.

Projects to help Ukrainian refugees

In addition to the traditional 5 spots, projects focused on helping Ukrainian refugees and supporting humanitarian activities in Ukraine are eligible to apply for Fulbright Specialist. Fellowships must take place in the Czech Republic, however, a partial hybrid format and the involvement of institutions in Ukraine may be considered. An example is the CEELI project, which last year organised a summer school for Ukrainian law students in Prague, focusing on legal disciplines related to the future post-war reconstruction of Ukraine.

For projects with this focus, the conditions for their assessment are the same as for regular applications. Their funding is traditional cost share. More information and application details are available here.

Student Affairs Office

The Student Affairs Office is open for students only during the office hours.

See the website. Please, do not enter the office out of office hours.

Registration of courses in STAG

It is necessary to register for courses in STAG for the academic year 2023/2024 by 25 September 2023. See the Schedule of the Academic Year.

Online confirmation of study

You can print your confirmation of study online directly from your Portal.

Individual study plan of the doctoral students
Students in the first year of the doctoral study programmes have to submit their individual study plan by the end of September 2023 to their Student Affairs Officer. The plan has to be signed by the student, his/her supervisor and the chairman of the Subject-area Board. At the same time, students must enter the dissertation topic in STAG.

State doctoral examination and dissertation defense

When submitting your dissertation or application for the state doctoral examination, adhere to the requirements and deadlines listed on the website in the section for Doctoral Study. Keep in mind that it needs to be done at least 3 months in advance.

Foreign PhD students

The foreign doctoral students agenda is now completely in charge of Mrs. Waleria Słowiková (waleria.slowikova@upol.cz) from the international section of the Student Affairs Office. Other English study programmes (Bachelor and Master) as well as foreign internships and mobilities (i.a. within the Erasmus+) fall within the competence of Mrs. Dana Gronychová (dana.gronychova@upol.cz).

MEET UP

For several years now, Palacký University Olomouc has been organizing an event called MEET UP so that the students can get acquainted with university and student associations and enjoy the start of the academic year. This year, it will take place on 19 September 2023 in the charming surroundings of the Olomouc Embankment (náplavka) and then in the 15 Minutes Club.

The programme will include the presentation of the UP Rector's Awards for Volunteers or the launch of the beer special RE450N UP in the presence of the Rector Martin Procházka and the Dean of the Faculty of Science Martin Kubala.

Werner von Siemens Award

The 26th year pf the Werner Siemens Award for students, scientists and teachers from the fields of technical and natural sciences has been announced. Applications can be submitted until 30 November 2023 at www.cenasiemens.cz.

The next edition of the competition will distribute one million Czech crowns in eight categories; in the best diploma and dissertation thesis category, along with the students, the financial reward will also be received by the thesis supervisor/s. The financial rewards distributed by Siemens over the past 25 years among the 450 winning students, scientists and teachers amounted to 15.3 million Czech crowns.

SHE STEM AWARD

Applications for the next edition of the SHE STEM AWARD for female engineering students are open until 30 September 2023. Female students can apply by submitting their undergraduate theses completed between October 2022 and September 2023. The winner will receive expert advice, make valuable contacts and also have the opportunity to present her work at the WE Local Conference 2024. More information here.

Health Day

The University has again prepared the traditional Health Day for all its employees at the beginning of the academic year. On Thursday, 14 September from 10:00 to 14:00, employees from all UP units and faculties can take advantage of a free medical examination or health consultation in the premises of the Armoury and the UP Library. The activities are free of charge, but most of them require prior registration on the Health Day website.

European Sustainable Development Week

Going into the new semester sustainably - that means respecting the environment, resources and people around us! Join the European Sustainability Week from 19 to 26 September, during which there will be a car-free day, a meat-free meal offer in the canteens or a bazaar.

For the bazaar, during the week of 11-18 September, we will be collecting items, clothes or books that you no longer need but are still in good condition and will still be of use to someone. The locations and times to bring them, along with other information, can be found on the Sustainable University website. The bazaar will take place in the dormitories area as part of MEET UP on 19 September.

Thomase Juffmann’s lecture

The Joint Laboratory of Optics (SLO) and Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences invite you to a lecture by Thomas Juffmann from the University of Vienna entitled ‘Electrons and Light: Ponderomotive Beam Shaping and Optical Near-field Electron Microscopy’, which will take place on Tuesday 19 September at 11:15 in the SLO building, room LN 53, 4th floor.

The next faculty Newsletter will be published on Monday, 25 September 2023.