Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say "closer to home." While the foundation has previously focused primarily on supporting gifted students in their pursuit of education at prestigious universities abroad, it has now—in collaboration with Europe’s oldest technical university—embarked on an initiative to bring world-class science to the Czech Republic.
The Bakala Foundation is donating one million dollars to CTU (Czech Technical University), funding the creation of a new "ČVUT-Bakala Distinguished Chair" position to be filled by an elite scientist from the global stage.
In this unique joint interview, Michaela Bakala explains why the foundation decided to take this step and whether it is merely a one-off event. Meanwhile, Michal Pěchouček, a senior representative of CTU, describes how the Prague-based technical university can attract top-tier scientific talent.
"I brought the contract for signing, the foundation’s director Václav Pecha will ensure the funds are transferred, and Michal Pěchouček and his team will select the right person," said Michaela Bakala, summarizing the division of roles. She had flown to Prague from the US just hours before the donation agreement with CTU was signed, yet she radiated energy and clear enthusiasm for the new project.
How did this all come about? What convinced you to enter into such a significant collaboration with CTU?
Michaela Bakala (MB): Michal Pěchouček and I have known each other for a long time; we built the Scholarship program together, which has been running for nearly twenty years. That program is all about helping young, talented students. Michal also serves on the program’s expert committee. We don’t limit ourselves to a specific field or region, but experience has shown us that the best students seeking our foundation’s support generally head to the UK or the United States.
Given the political shifts in the US a few years ago—specifically regarding who took power and their approach to education—as well as the impact of Brexit, which made accessing top UK schools significantly more expensive and difficult for Czech students, we began looking for new ways to foster access to world-class education. We explored options ranging from increasing our funding to finding new ways to utilize those resources. We knew Michal was interested in becoming more involved with CTU, so we started discussing potential collaboration.
And did that fit into your overall concept?
MB: Yes. When Michal became Rector of CTU and introduced his own ideas and programs for leveraging the potential of individual donors and sponsors within the Czech Republic—applying lessons learned from foreign universities to the local context—we realized it aligned perfectly with our own program. After all, quality education is key, and supporting it is our mission.
So, the Bakala Foundation will no longer *just* send students abroad, but also aims to bring the world to the Czech Republic?
MB: Exactly. On one hand, we send the most talented students from Czech schools abroad and provide them with long-term support—and the majority of them do return. A second idea was to focus on the quality of Czech universities—the kind of students they produce and the obstacles preventing them from becoming even better.
Of course, we can’t send every student abroad to learn from the best minds, but why not try bringing one of those minds here? So, we are expanding our scope and dedicating a significant portion of our resources to establishing a world-class research facility here, giving students the chance to work with the best right in Prague, without having to fly to the United States or elsewhere.
How does your own experience factor into this, Rector?
Michal Pěchouček (MP): I am a huge fan of the Bakala Foundation’s scholarship program, and I am delighted to be involved and help Michaela and Zdeněk [Bakala] shape the concept. It is also because I pursued my own studies in the UK thirty years ago with private funding, so I feel a personal commitment. I deeply believe in the value of private funds supporting students who attend top-tier schools and then—sooner or later—return to the Czech Republic to help our country. I walked that path myself.
CTU is a leading technical university in the region—a historic, prestigious institution with an excellent track record—and I am incredibly happy to be able to help it grow. However, one area where CTU remains somewhat old-fashioned is its lack of private capital to support academic excellence. Top-tier schools abroad operate on a model where society provides financial support for excellence. However, that tradition doesn't exist in the Czech Republic.
And is that something you want to develop here?
MP: Yes, that is precisely the idea I want to bring to the Czech Republic—to demonstrate the immense value of having individuals with a vision—who believe in supporting education and excellence—back a university. The CTU-Bakala Chair program complements the Scholarship program beautifully by scaling the experience available to students, yet it works in the opposite direction: instead of simply sending students abroad, we can attract a top-tier figure here to CTU.
What kind of real-world impact do you expect from a move like this?
MP: It can have an impact in many respects. For one, it brings a different kind of experience—experience gained abroad at an excellent institution—and can demonstrate that there are other ways to approach research and teaching. Secondly, such individuals build teams around themselves, creating a multiplier effect. And a third effect is that this functional model—one proven effective globally
...who comes to CTU could inspire other donors as well. We hope to establish more collaborations like this in the future.
Ms. Bakala, what is your perspective on this from the foundation’s point of view?
MB: I believe that the person CTU selects—and I am very excited to see who it will be—can also motivate students during their time here and identify programs that are currently missing. They can use their own experience to guide students on where to take their next steps. That is a crucial issue—one where our team tries to advise students as early as their high school years.
If they show interest in something, we help them figure out the right school for them, find partners abroad, understand what will be expected of them, learn how to prepare for studying overseas, and decide which schools to apply to and why. In this instance, I see it as a promising sign of what could—and under normal circumstances *should*—be happening here, just as it does abroad.
I am delighted that the oldest institution of its kind in our country has the opportunity and the courage to potentially lead the way for others. This is the start of a journey, not the culmination. We view this as a pilot project, so signing this first agreement certainly doesn't mean it will be the last. I assume this is just the beginning of our collaboration. We have agreed on a three-year contract and look forward to seeing what kind of experience it yields.
Who do you want to bring to the university? What kind of profile should they have? MP: We want to find the most interesting and inspiring person who is interested in coming to the Czech Republic. At the same time, we hope to find someone for our priority areas. At CTU, we have three strong priority areas where we are currently growing rapidly and intend to continue doing so.
Which fields are those?
MP: The first is artificial intelligence and robotics, including their applications; CTU has a long tradition in both AI and robotics. The second area is energy and cleantech (technologies that reduce negative environmental impacts through improved energy efficiency, sustainable resource use, or environmental protection – ed. note); we have a Faculty of Nuclear Sciences here and possess highly competitive expertise in nuclear engineering—rare for this region—as well as an institute dedicated to energy-efficient buildings.
The third area covers chips and quantum technologies; we are beginning to grow in quantum computing and host a Quantum Innovation Centre, while in the chip sector, we collaborate with partners in Taiwan and Dresden. Chip technology has traditionally been a field of excellence at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, so we want to build upon the Czechoslovak legacy in semiconductors.
These are our three priority areas, and we would like the selected individual to fit into one of them. However, we have no strict limitations. The selection process will be driven by our desire for genuine excellence, quality, and the ability to inspire students.
But do you really stand a chance of attracting the best people here? And what exactly do you use to attract them, aside from the compensation?
MP: We offer them a named position—something that holds great value in itself for many people considering a move to the Czech Republic, as otherwise, they wouldn't know if a spot would actually be available for them in the department. That kind of commitment is incredibly valuable to someone considering a move—say, from the United States to Europe—to establish their own research group at a certain stage in their career. I have to say that many universities in the Czech Republic cannot offer this, so it really sets us apart.
Another major asset is CTU itself. It has a tradition of attracting excellent PhD students. In science, PhD students are the ones who truly drive progress; at a time when finding good PhD students isn't easy, CTU is an attractive workplace for many professors precisely because of the quality of the young generation of scientists.
And the third reason—I won't deny it—is Prague. That means quality of life, safety, and societal stability. These are strong selling points for scientists considering a move to Europe from other parts of the world. If we look at the QS university rankings, Czech schools typically place around 200th (Charles University) or 400th (CTU). However, when the same rankings assess city attractiveness, Prague ranks 27th—far higher than the universities themselves. So, that third argument is definitely Prague.
Ms. Bakala, do you agree with this perspective? MB: We all sense that potential. A transformation of the education system is still underway in the Czech Republic—regarding budgets and the government's perception of priorities and its strategic approach. However, I believe that education in the Czech Republic generally ranks among the best in Europe. We all feel that investing in it makes sense and that it represents the future.
Does the fact that you live primarily outside the Czech Republic influence your perspective?
MB: I see how the US—where our children are also studying—is changing. In recent years, there has been a growing desire among a segment of the American academic community to gain experience in Europe, and I expect this trend to continue. A significant shift is taking place in how America perceives the rest of the world and in the nature of our relationship with it. That connection will likely become more open and flexible, and this will be clearly visible in the field of education.
To be completely open, many people in the United States today do not feel
...they perceive the constraints and pressure, as education has not been a priority for the current government administration. Even the best schools have come under both social and financial pressure. I believe our new program has arrived at the right time.
Do you see it the same way, Rector?
MP: Even for professors planning a lifelong career, working in Europe—at an institution similar to ours—can provide valuable experience for further professional growth. I also think the timing is excellent, given the current state of relations between Europe and the United States.
Twenty years ago, we all wanted to leave. Now, the time has come for the best people—whether from Great Britain or the United States—to come here, so we can help one another. When these collaborations intersect, something truly valuable and positive can emerge.
Photo: Ondřej Besperát
What else makes CTU attractive to people considering a move from abroad?
MP: From an American perspective, what makes CTU interesting is that it isn't an isolated institution; rather, it is part of several university ecosystems. One is the Czech ecosystem: we have a partnership with the Brno University of Technology (VUT) and are building a partnership with Masaryk University as well. I am a huge proponent of the Prague–Brno axis in technology and education.
The second ecosystem involves the German-speaking sphere of historic technical universities; we have excellent partnerships with universities in Munich, Dresden, Vienna, and Graz. Most importantly, however, CTU is part of EuroTech—a network of Europe’s most renowned technical universities, including institutions such as Eindhoven, Munich, the Technical University of Denmark, École Polytechnique, and EPFL in Switzerland. CTU joined this elite group just this year. Consequently, those who come to CTU gain access to opportunities in Munich, Paris, or Lausanne. This is incredibly valuable, as it ensures they don't end up isolated in Central Europe, unsure of their next steps.
What will the actual selection process for this new position look like?
MP: It involves a combination of an open call and targeted outreach. Since we aren't looking for someone at the start of their career, but rather a senior or mid-career professional capable of making a transformative impact on a specific area at CTU, we are complementing the open call by personally reaching out to specific, hand-picked individuals—leveraging our own contacts in the United States and the UK. We aren't using a headhunting agency.
It relies on our own networks—on professors who have past or current ties to the United States. We aim to find the very best candidates. Our goal is to finalize a shortlist by the end of the year and make a selection early next year so we know who the person will be. Then comes the more complex phase of negotiating their start, because a top-tier professional can't simply pack up and arrive within a week.
So, when do you think they might arrive here? What is the plan? MP: We envision a potential transition period where the individual might spend, say, 50 percent of their time at CTU and the other 50 percent at Princeton—or wherever else they have existing commitments. Then, perhaps within the first nine months or so, we could shift that balance toward a full transition to CTU.
Of course, it is a major challenge, as there are many similar initiatives across Europe; numerous universities are currently looking to capitalize on the prevailing interest in the region. So far, the primary beneficiaries have been the likes of Cambridge, Oxford, and ETH—the top-tier universities—which are seeing a massive influx of talent. We have to put in the hard work to ensure we benefit from this trend as well.
What is your ideal profile for this person? Beyond being a leader in their field—specifically in the areas you mentioned—should they focus more on the practical application of innovations or on pure science?
MP: I don’t want to express a preference there, partly because I don’t personally prioritize applied research over basic research. I firmly believe that a university should be a place for science—specifically, excellent, cutting-edge science. At the same time, the university should also host people who want to innovate—taking scientific findings and using them to build startups or collaborate with industry.
They don’t necessarily have to be the same people; for instance, the PhD students of top basic-research scientists might well be the ones who go on to launch startups later. I certainly do not want to signal any preference in this call for applications. However, I am convinced that selecting the right individual will boost CTU’s competitiveness—both in terms of practical applications and the ability to launch startups. Even if it doesn't turn out to be that specific person we initially had in mind.
Photo: Ondřej Besperát
Will the foundation have any say in the final selection, or will it be entirely up to CTU?
MB: We have full confidence in the selection committee that CTU and Michal Pěchouček are assembling. We are leaving the technical and academic aspects entirely to the university. I believe it will be an interesting process; it is a true trailblazer—a first attempt that I am convinced will succeed and inspire other people and institutions to take similar steps.
I would like other donors to realize that this is another way to support Czech science and university education. We have so many smart, capable people who could contribute much more to our society if they had better conditions.
What is your view on the role of private donors in the Czech Republic, Rector?
MP: You know, many people from the Czech Republic
...with significant assets whose business operations are primarily abroad say they want to support the places where they actually do business. Consequently, if the Czech Republic isn't central to their operations, the chances for Czech schools are lower. That is why I am so pleased that the Bakalas—despite their business being primarily based abroad—are willing to fund education and support talent in the Czech Republic. That is of immense value.
Ms. Bakala, how do you personally view your relationship with the Czech Republic after all these years abroad?
MB: We never left the Czech Republic, even though our presence here is no longer as prominent and we don't live here permanently. However, our commitment—both my husband’s and my own—remains steadfast; with this latest step, we are reaffirming that we care deeply about our country’s future, even though our lives have unfolded mostly abroad for nearly twenty years now.