The Association of Research Universities was set up in 2019, and it now consists of six institutions spanning all areas of university education in the humanities, the social sciences, the natural sciences and engineering. In addition to Masaryk University, its members are Charles University, Palacký University in Olomouc, the Czech Technical Unversity in Prague, the University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, and Brno Technical University. “There are about 60 universities of various types in our in our country, but more than a half of all university students study at these six universities. AVUni therefore forms the backbone of university education and of science and research in the country, and is at the same time also a strong platform for presenting views, and has ambitions to coordinate its steps and its potential in ways that can ensure that Czech university education is on the level of the best universities in the world,“ said Martin Bareš shortly after he was elected to lead the association, which according to the current QS World University Rankings brings together the six highest-quality universities in the Czech Republic.
The priorities of the Association include emphasis on quality in education, on excellence in science, on strengthening the scientific infrastructure, and on exchanging experience and providing support for the transfer of research results into practical applications. This is linked with protecting intellectual property, and, for example, establishing start-ups and spin-offs. According to Martin Bareš, this forms the basis for the success of Czech university education and for international competitiveness. “I am convinced that we have something to offer, and there is data to show it. Our member universities have all been awarded ERC grants for Czech public universities in 2017–2021, and we are also holders of the majority of all other prestigious international grants (for example MSCA and Teaming). 70% of all PhD students and most of the foreign students in the Czech Republic are at the AVUni member universities, and they are involved in work on most of the Web of Science indexed publications. With this high level of performance, quality and know-how, we want to share in setting the principles and the rules for university policies, for example joint criteria for appointing docents and professors, for funding research infrastructures, etcetera,“ says the rector of Masaryk University, who spent the last two years as president of the Czech Rectors' Conference.
“Another important aim of the Association of Research Universities of the Czech Republic is to be a partner of the central organs of the state administration and other public institutions in creating and setting up national policies, not only in fields dealing with higher education and research, but also in fields where our members with their broad palette of world-level scientific disciplines can potentially resolve issues affecting all of society. With our experience, and with our findings, we can offer significant help in setting strategic directions for the whole society. Being the president of AVUni is therefore a major undertaking for me, not least because I will be building on the work carried out by rector Vojtěch Petráček, to whom I would like to offer my thanks,“ Martin Bareš concluded.
CTU rector Vojtěch Petráček has come to the end of his two-year presidency. During his time in office, another university, Brno Technical University, joined AVUni. At the end of 2022, this university was awarded some major grants, for example within the framework of EXPRO and Junior Star. Rector Petráček stated at that time: “It is necessary to draw attention to the call made by our association to the Grant Agency of the Czech Republic and to the Council for Research, Development and Innovation, and especially to the government, to provide adequate financial support for these irreplaceable schemes, because they provide basic added value for fundamental research.“
In addition to working on teaching, science and research, and holding discussions with representatives of the government, AVUni during the presidency of Vojtěch Petráček was also an organisation that provided valuable experience and support for other universities. The AVUni universities collaborated closely with state and municipal institutions and with businesspeople. Rector Petráček has said, in the spirit of the AVUni charter, “Top universities are an essential prerequisite for the economic prosperity and the cultural wealth of the state and of the people. They are an element in the Czech and European university and research space. From this position, they contribute to the competitiveness not only of the Czech Republic but also of Europe as a whole.“
At the end of his presidency, rector Petráček stated: “the results of AVUni in the field of teaching and research have shown that its foundation four years ago was the right thing to do, and that it has been fruitful for the universities and for the country as a whole. I wish my successor Martin Bareš much success in the further development of AVUni, and I look forward to further collaboration among our universities.“