Videozáznam inaugurační řeči najdete ZDE
Allow me to introduce myself. I am a typical academic who has his dreams. Dreams that I keep to myself, dreams that I discuss with others, and also dreams that give me goosebumps.
In the 1990s, during my studies in Edinburgh, I had scientific dreams that artificial intelligence would one day fundamentally transform human intellectual capacities. After returning to Czechia, I had dreams that AI agents would one day become the basic building block of software systems. Later, I dreamed that, for true quality in research, it is necessary to build a visionary scientific workplace. With some of my doctoral students, I also dreamed that the ultimate benefit of scientific work for society comes when its results can be commercialized, for example in the form of startups. Later, I dreamed of how to construct technologies that would protect people on the internet not only from cyberattacks, but also from misuse and the negative consequences of artificial intelligence.
For the last 18 months, however, I have been dreaming that a technologically perfectly equipped but also educated, disinformation-resistant, and values-anchored generation of future leaders is the best hope for our future. I believe that the people who are studying at universities today will be best equipped to solve the problems that our generation has caused, turned a blind eye to, or has simply postponed solving. And that is why I decided to seek the position of rector of the oldest technical university in the world.
The Czech Technical University in Prague is not only the oldest; in many respects it is downright unique. With its three nuclear reactors on campus, CTU ranks among the top ten European universities in the field of nuclear engineering. At the university, we create award-winning architecture, design unique bridges, and develop bulletproof concrete. We believe in energy sustainability to such an extent that we built a research institute in Buštěhrad to study this topic. In Letňany and Hradec Králové, we can boast unique turboprop engine testing facilities that participate in the development of the unique catalyst engine for the European Eurodrone. At CTU, we have a tradition of more than 35 years in the development of artificial intelligence, and according to the CSRankings, we are fifth in Europe in the field of image recognition and sixth in robotics. We operate a unique testbed for Industry 4.0 and are establishing a new center for humanoid robotics. Where else but at CTU is the country’s first accredited educational program in quantum computing. We operate digital twins and unique transport simulators. In Kladno, we have concentrated the best of CTU in the field of biomedical engineering. In Děčín, in turn, we are building new workplaces in the branches of transport systems and nuclear engineering.
It is precisely on these excellent results that I intend to build. The basic building block of the prepared strategy for the further development of CTU is my election program, which can be found on the website www.pechoucek.cz. If you were to upload it into one of the AI models and ask what is most important in it, it would select four basic pillars.
First and foremost, these are people – we are building CTU as the university of first choice for students, doctoral students, professors, but also for many other people who, in the professions of their expertise, want to build something unique. Every academic leader knows that they cannot simply influence what people do at work, but that their responsibility lies in what kind of people come into the academic environment. How well they can select them and what they can do to attract the very best to the university.
The second key point is quality, and not only in teaching, but also in scientific work, creative activity, and technology transfer. At CTU there are excellent people who have succeeded in international comparison. I would rather not name anyone, because listing them would take up the rest of the time allotted for my speech. My task is to set such conditions and to be able to connect these islands of excellence to such an extent that academic success, relevant teaching, the quality of scientific work, and renowned innovation become what defines CTU. We at CTU stand for high-quality research, in all relevant phases of development from basic research to technology transfer, but we define ourselves against low quality and the accumulation of results that have no positive impact on the advancement of scientific knowledge, industrial development, or significance for society.
Third, we must think about how to open the university to society as effectively as possible. To society, for which it is important that it supports us with taxpayers’ money and has great expectations of us. The expectation that the generation educated by us will succeed in a labor market whose future form we do not know. The expectation that, through industrial cooperation and support for the establishment of startups and spin-offs, we will contribute to the economic growth of Czechia. And the expectation of civil society that we will function as a place for open scientific and technological dialogue, and thereby contribute to the resilience of our society. And I will add to that that my expectation is that CTU will open itself even more to international cooperation and become attractive to international students, doctoral students, and professors.
The final key moment for the development of CTU is genuine visionariness and decision-making oriented toward the future. It should be us at CTU who best understand technological development, create it, and co-determine where it is heading. We cannot live only off our three-hundred-year tradition. It is necessary to focus on effective ways of educating and on its relevance with regard to the needs of the contemporary world. For the future success of CTU, it is important how it uses artificial intelligence technologies. Whether it is the fight against excessive administration and the modernization of the educational process, or the introduction of artificial intelligence tools into everyday scientific work.
I dream of CTU as a mighty, diverse intellectual ecosystem that creates equal opportunities for all those who, with their passion and determination, want to build something unique together. For students who are not merely looking for the path of least resistance, but also want to give something to CTU. For teachers who are prepared to constantly improve themselves and innovate their courses with regard to scientific and technological progress. For scientists who study the most complex theoretical problems important for humankind, but also for those who have the passion and courage to apply scientific results and build advanced technologies.
But we will not be able to fulfill the dream of a great CTU on our own. If we are to become a university successful on a global scale and if our work is to have a positive impact on society, we cannot do without cooperation with Czech industry, alumni, willing donors, and above all elected politicians, for whom the competitiveness and quality of Czech universities should be a priority.
And it is precisely the political representation that decides on entirely key questions that will determine the future success of Czech universities. These include the geopolitical security of Czechia, the willingness to fulfill allied commitments and invest in the defense of our country, as well as our strategic preparedness to be at the core of Europe and to actively participate in shaping its direction. Above all, however, they should protect our academic freedoms from attacks, for example in the form of introducing authoritarian laws, such as the one on reporting foreign cooperation.
And not only because these are the basic prerequisites for maintaining democracy in Czechia, but also because without them I simply will not be able to fulfill the program for the development of CTU. Without ensuring these prerequisites, academics, entrepreneurs, and young people with international experience will not want to return to Czechia. We may lose one of the key advantages we have compared to other countries in our region. Educated talent with valuable foreign education or work and business experience does return to Czechia. This phenomenon is absolutely essential for the development of universities, and we can lose it with a mere wave of the legislative wand. I appeal to the political representation to defend this priority, which is vital for Czech universities. And I do not want merely to appeal. For my own part, I am prepared to do the work in the area where CTU can do something real.
The university has expertise and long-term experience in the field of defense research. We can help ensure that investment in defense is as efficient as possible and that these invested resources bring the greatest possible added value. CTU has a tradition and even greater potential for cooperation with industry. It is our social commitment and contribution to technological development, which in the medium term can fundamentally strengthen the growth of Czech economic independence. Successful applications and technology transfer require the development of excellent science that can withstand comparison with the world.
But we can achieve such results only through lively international cooperation and above all through involvement in the European Research Area. Europe is a scientific superpower. The Horizon programme is the largest and most successful research programme in the world, one that many countries from the democratic part of the world join. We must do everything we can to become a firm part of the European scientific and technological top tier. And it is precisely deeper integration of Czechia into the European Research Area that can help Czechia get into the first group of the future multi-speed Europe. To remain in second-speed Europe would be absolutely devastating for our country. Do you know what the Technical University of Denmark, Eindhoven University of Technology, Switzerland’s EPFL, Technion, and ParisTech have in common? They are all part of one of the most important alliances of technical universities, EuroTech. Last Friday, the presidents’ council of these universities decided on the accession of CTU and Estonia’s TalTech to the EuroTech alliance. It is the result of intensive diplomatic work which, among other things, builds on the achievements of all those who were good partners in the EuroTeQ educational network.
In addition to formulating visions, over the last six weeks we have managed to achieve some concrete results. Alongside the negotiated accession to the EuroTech alliance, on 2 February, the first day the new leadership took office, we announced the CTU Starting Grant programme. I am pleased to announce that as of today, 94 excellent applicants have registered. The deadline for submitting applications expires at the end of March, so young scientists with international experience still have time to try to obtain funding to establish a new research group at CTU.
Even before taking office, we managed to negotiate and have approved the methodology for budget allocation. In record time by CTU standards, and in cooperation with the deans, we launched a joint initiative that should prospectively lead to no assistant professor at CTU working for a salary lower than CZK 60,000. We have appointed a truly excellent scientific council and held our first meeting, which was in English, where Josef Šivic defended his professorship. We organized the first participatory workshop with the academic community on the topic of revitalizing the Strahov campus. We have launched preparations for an entirely new startup vision focused on founders. We have prepared a project to support the joint training of doctoral students by experts from abroad, and as the only Czech university we have obtained an MSCA Cofund project for 26 doctoral students. We have opened negotiations with one of the leading Czech patrons of fine art on the loan of his collection to the unique space of the CTU monoblock on Technická Street. On Thursday, together with the rector’s board and the deans, we are going on our first offsite to discuss the CTU 2030 strategy, which we want to have approved by the academic senate, the scientific council, and the board of trustees by the end of June.
I thank my vice-rectors’ team, the rector’s board, and the deans for these six weeks and for these excellent results. I am glad that they are ready to give my dream real contours. I want to thank everyone who believed that I could be a good rector, supported me, and helped me prepare for this important mission. I also thank the Academic Senate of CTU for the opportunity it gave not only to me, but to CTU as a whole. My special thanks go to Professor Zbyněk Škvor, who took over the administration of CTU in June of last year, somewhat unexpectedly, but with all the greater care and responsibility toward the academic community. Finally, I want to thank my wife Helena. For authentically supporting me in every one of my dreams that you have heard about today. Yes, you are counting correctly – when I was dreaming about AI 30 years ago at the University of Edinburgh, above all I was dreaming about Helena. I also thank my adult daughters Emma, Johanna, and Marie, who have always been and still are a great inspiration to me. Without the fact that they themselves believed that devoting four years of one’s life to improving CTU makes great sense, I would not be standing here with you today.
Every proper speech must end with a paraphrase of a famous quote by Václav Havel, who said that “Hope is not the certainty that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something makes sense – regardless of how it turns out.” Therefore: there is no certainty that during the next four years I will succeed in fulfilling all my dreams for CTU. Nevertheless, it is certain that doing everything possible to ensure that CTU joins the European university top tier makes great sense. Regardless of what place in that ranking we ultimately earn. I promise you that I will do everything in my power, and in the power of my excellent team, to achieve that.
Michal Pěchouček