Czech Science Foundation (GA ČR)

GA CR is launching a call for projects based on the Lead Agency evaluation principle with an expected start date in 2025. The call concerns projects funded in cooperation with the Luxembourg National Research Fund (FNR) under the Weave initiative. In this call, the Luxembourg FNR acts as Lead Agency, i.e. evaluates the project proposals scientifically, and the GA CR takes over the results of the evaluation process.

The Czech part of the application can be submitted until 24 April 2024 at the latest, i.e. 7 days after the official deadline set by the FNR for Luxembourg applicants on 17 April 2024.

The affidavit/declaration of eligibility to compete for 2024 will be provided on behalf of Palacký University Olomouc.

Project proposals have to be entirely in English unless stated otherwise.

Faculty deadline for submission of proposals to be sent via databox: 19. April 2024.
For the project administration is is necessary to deliver the original green request form "košilka" and the project proposal (or draft or Brief project information) to DPS – Mgr. Ľubica Korcanová (lubica.korcanova@upol.cz).

Trilateral projects can be submitted with the following agencies: FWF – Austria, DFG – Germany, NCN – Poland, ARIS – Slovenia and SNSF – Switzerland.

Projects have a maximum duration of three years, GA CR allows a project duration of 24 or 36 months.

Project proposals submitted to this call will be counted towards the maximum number of project proposals submitted to calls with the expected to start in 2025.

Detailed information on the call can be found on the GAČR website.

Call for additional nominations for GA ČR panels

After the evaluation of the call for nominations of experts to the evaluation panels from last October, GA CR announces an additional call for the following panels:

• P104 – Construction Materials, Architecture and Building Science
• P107 – Metallic Materials – Preparation and Properties – especially experts from outside of Prague and Brno
• P409 – Art Sciences – specialist in theatre history and theatre studies
• P504 – Landscape Management, Forestry and Soil Biology, Ecosystem Ecology
• P505 – Animal and Plant Ecology
• P506 – Botany and Zoology

Nominations to be considered for a term of office from 1 April 2024 should be submitted no later than 31 January 2024. The Nomination Form is used for this purpose.

Nominations received after this date will be considered for the 2025 term.

More information on the additional call can be found on the GAČR website.

MEYS - EIG CONCERT Japan

Call for applications for funding for the implementation of research, development and innovation projects under the European Interest Group for Cooperation with Japan (EIG CONCERT Japan) Programme for the period 2024-2027.

The grant is intended for the formation of international multilateral research teams (min. 3 participants; in a particular project there is always one Czech entity, one partner from Japan and min. one partner from another country) addressing topics in the field of research, development and innovation through the exchange and creation of new research knowledge, strengthening international communication and cooperation and developing high-quality research networks and partnerships, in accordance with the common rules of the EIG CONCERT Japan programme.

Applications deadline: 18 February 2024.

DZS – Call for Action 2: Partnerships for Cooperation

The aim of the cooperative partnership is to improve the quality of the activities of the participating organisations and to increase the capacity of the organisations for international cooperation. This type of project is expected to develop innovative methods and intensive dissemination and exploitation of the key outputs produced. The call is open until 5 March 2024 at 12:00. The project duration ranges from 12 to 36 months and the project partnership must be composed of at least 3 organisations from 3 different programme countries. Depending on the scope of their planned project activities, applicants select from a range of three lump sums corresponding to the total grant amount for the project - EUR 120,000, EUR 250,000 or EUR 400,000. To be successful, projects must meet the criteria and target one or more of the identified general and specific priority areas listed in the programme guide. Further information is available on the DZS website in the Cooperation Partnerships section.

Interreg Austria - Czechia

New call for priority areas announced:

1. Research and innovation
2. Climate and environment
3. Education, culture and tourism
4. Cross-border governance

Project applications can be submitted until 22 March 2024 (14:00). A detailed description of the priority areas can be found here. 

The implementation and impact of project activities on the programme area is essential, i.e. to benefit the inhabitants of the areas on both sides of the border (see map). The amount of the subsidy may be up to 80 % of the total eligible project expenditure. The project application is submitted electronically via the JEMS application. Further information is available on the programme website.

Rector's Award

Rector Martin Procházka will award the authors of professional publications from the academic community and successful students for the best bachelor's, diploma and scientific theses and sports performances in 2023, as well as students of doctoral study programmes at the traditional ceremony during the UP Academic Week on Wednesday 21 February at 10:00 in the auditorium of the Faculty of Education.

Co-financing of mobilities abroad

As last year, it is possible to apply for additional funding for student internships abroad if the primary source does not cover all the necessary costs. It is also possible to co-finance employee's trips abroad focused on the development of cooperation or short-term stays of foreign experts at the UP Faculty of Science. In these cases, the financial participation of the department is required.

If you are planning a trip or a visit that meets the above definition, you can pre-apply for funding by filling in the form (available in English and Czech). Please send the signed form either by internal mail to Waleria Slowiková (Student Affairs Office) or by scanning it to waleria.slowikova@upol.cz.

The regular meeting of the Academic Senate FS UP will take place on Wednesday, 7 February 2024 at 13:00 in the meeting room of the Dean's Office. Detailed information and materials are available on the senate website (in Czech).

Fischer scholarship holder's seminar
Vice-Dean for International Relations prof. Dušek, cordially invites you to the seminar for Fischer scholars, which our faculty awards to foreign PhD students. The event will be held on Tuesday, 6 February at 9:00 a.m. in the Big Conference Room, Dean's Office (room 6.014) on the 6^th floor of the Faculty of Science. The attendance of the Fischer scholarship holders and their supervisors is requested, however, all the other faculty employees and students are welcome too.

Registration for courses – summer semester 2023/2024

The registration for courses in the summer semester of the academic year 2023/2024 for all study programmes at the Faculty of Science takes place from 23 January to 19 February 2024. Detailed schedule is available, as usual, on the website.

State doctoral examination and dissertation defense

The application for your dissertation defense or the state doctoral examination has to be submitted at least 3 months in advance. Follow the requirements and deadlines listed on the website in the section for Doctoral Study.

Foreign prospective students

The English faculty website for prospective student has been updated. If you have a prospective PhD student in English who has already agreed on a topic with the department, you can refer him/her to this website for further information on the application process.

Electricity supply interruption – change of date

Due to the reconnection of the low-voltage switchboard, the power supply in the main building of the UP Faculty of Science (17. listopadu 12) will be interrupted on 2 February 2024 (originally scheduled for 19 January 2024) from 8:00 to 12:00. It will not be possible to use the backup power supply, as maintenance work will be carried out on this equipment. During this operational shutdown, the faculty building will be closed.

For technical questions related to this notice, please contact: filip.zlamal@upol.cz.

Events planned

Advanced in silico Drug Design workshop

Modern trends in the use of computational tools and approaches in drug design will be the focus of the 7th Advanced in silico Drug Gesign international workshop, which will be organized by the Department of Physical Chemistry at the Faculty of Science from Monday 29 January to Thursday 1 February 2024. The lectures will be given by experts from the European Bioinformatics Institute, Universität Wien, the University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague and other partners. There is no registration fee. You can register here.

Temporary closure of the passage to Bezručovy sady near FA UP

As a precautionary measure to ensure safety in the winter, the passage and staircase connecting Křížkovského Street (Faculty of Arts main building) with Bezručovy sady park (so-called Jakubský výpad) will be temporarily closed from 15 January. The restriction will last approximately two months. Thank you for your understanding and we apologize for any complications.

Donate Blood with the Rector

As part of UP Academic Week, the annual Donate Blood with the Rector challenge will take place on 19 – 23 February 2024. This campaign aims to encourage and promote voluntary blood donation. During the week-long event, we are calling on all students and employees of the University to register in our system and come and donate the most precious asset – their blood. Especially warmly are welcome thr first-time donors! All UP donors can look forward to a small gift package from their alma mater this week. More information here.

Ball of the UP Faculty of Science

Don't miss the Ball of the UP Faculty of Science and enjoy special moments with your loved ones, friends and colleagues. The Ball will take place on Friday, 22 March 2024 in the faculty premises. The opening ceremony of the Ball is scheduled for 8 p.m. (the building will be open from 7 p.m.).

Holy Mass

The opening student Mass for the students and employees of UP will take place on Wednesday 21 February at 19:00 in the Church of the Virgin Mary of the Snow. The Mass for the Faculty of Science will be held on 20 March 2024.

Questionnaire

The Department of Psychology of the Faculty of Education of the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice in cooperation with the Austrian University College of Teacher Education of Christian Churches Vienna/Krems invites you participate in the international research study "Working conditions and psychological vulnerability of higher education staff in the Czech Republic and Austria". The data obtained in this study will be used to compare the working conditions of higher education staff in the Czech Republic and Austria, and to investigate the impact of working conditions and working environment on job satisfaction, work motivation and psychological vulnerability. If you would like to support the current debate on working conditions in higher education and the need to optimise them, please take 15-20 minutes of your time to complete the anonymous questionnaire. Data collection will last until the end of January 2024.

The next faculty Newsletter will be published on Monday, 5 February 2024.