GA ČR – Calls for project proposals

The Czech Science Foundation (GA ČR) announces calls for submission of project proposals to competitions standard projects – EXPRO, JUNIOR STAR, POSTDOC INDIVIDUAL FELLOWSHIP and international and Lead Agency projects. Project proposals can be submitted until 3 April. The results will be announced in October and November this year. Funded projects that succeed in the multi-stage evaluation process will be solved from 2025.

• According to the rules of the tender documentation, proposals are to be completed entirely in English unless otherwise specified. Project proposal forms are available exclusively in the GRIS grant application.
• Links to gender equality at UPOL and the HR Award, all other documents and materials on the GAČR website.
• Eligiblity was sent on behalf of UP OL.

Important fates at the Faculty of Science:

• 22. March 2024 – deliver the original green request form "košilka" signed by the submitter and the head of the department/workplace, and the Brief project information (or a project proposal draft to lubica.korcanova@upol.cz) through the internal mail or in person to DPS, Mgr. Ľubica Korcanová.
• 26. March 2024 – deadline for submission of the project proposal. Project proposals for submission via databox send on an ongoing basis to lubica.korcanova@upol.cz.

Detailed information can be found on the GAČR websites.

MSCA Postoctoral Fellowships 2024

On 11 September 2024 is the deadline for the MSCA PF 2024 call. The Department of Project Support is preparing a series of seminars to discuss in detail the different parts of the proposal. The seminar, which is intended for postdocs within 8 years of the defense (as of the deadline date), will begin on 22 February 2024 (6.016, 09:00-12:00) and will be held at regular intervals. If interested, please contact Ing. Tea Pokorná (tea.pokorna@upol.cz).

Interreg Europe – 3rd call and Information Day

On 20 March 2024, the 3rd call of the Interreg Europe programme for the period 2021-2027 will be launched. Project applications can be submitted from 5 April to 7 June (12:00) via the programme monitoring system.

The information day will take place in the morning on 6 March 2024 ONLINE. The information day will present the basic characteristics of the programme, the conditions of Call 3 and the possibilities to get involved in the projects. The programme of the information day and the link to registration can be found here.

On the programme website you will find information describing the entire process of preparation, submission and implementation of the project plan. The documents can be found here and here.

More information about the programme: Presentation briefly describing the Interreg Europe programme and its setup (documents section, folder info day of the 2nd call).

Neuron Prizes

Until 31 March 2024, you can nominate laureates for the prestigious Neuron Prizes, which honor the research of talented scientists as well as internationally renowned scientists. This year, the Neuron Foundation will award Neuron Prizes for Promising Scientists in seven fields, the Neuron Prize for Lifetime Achievement in Science and the Neuron Prize for Connecting Science and Business. Thanks to the generous contributions from patrons, the Neuron Prizes are associated with a personal financial bonus - 500,000 CZK for the Neuron Prize for Promising Scientists and 1,500,000 CZK for the Neuron Prize.

Nominations can be submitted by deans and rectors of public institutions, directors of academic institutes or representatives of the Czech Academy of Sciences and scientific institutes, members of the Scientific Council of the Neuron Foundation and laureates of previous years. Nominations can also be submitted by scientists, researchers, academics or research organisations.

Preparation and reporting of mobilities

All students going on study stays and internships abroad must inform the international section of the Student Affairs Office of the Faculty of Science UP about their intention to go and the beginning and end of their trip. We also ask all lecturers, who intend to go abroad within the Erasmus+ programme, to contact the international section of the Student Affairs Office of the Faculty of Science first.

Information about foreign students who will come for an internship and about foreign experts who will come as part of Erasmus+ must be sent to the international office in advance by the department to which they are to come.

Contact: Dana Gronychová (dana.gronychova@upol.cz).

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.

Scholarship for summer schools and language courses in Bavaria

This scholarship can be used, among other things, to attend the following summer German language courses:

• Sommersprachkurs an der LMU München
• KU Summer School an der Katholischen Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt
• Intensive German Courses an der TH Aschaffenburg
• Intensiv-Deutschkurse am IIK Bayreuth

and other professional summer schools in German or English: overview of summer schools 2024.

The scholarship is open to students, researchers and employees of Czech public universities until 26 March 2024 (thereafter until the scholarship funds are exhausted).

At the same time, it is necessary to register individually for the selected course at the organising university (see above). You can find out more about summer schools, language courses and studying in Bavaria and the BTHA scholarship offer at the online event "Study in Bavaria" on Tuesday 27 February 2024 at 16:00 on Zoom. Invitations with access link.

The Scholar Foundation

The Scholar Foundation offers financial support to those interested in studying a Master's or Ph.D. programme at foreign universities as well as to students traveling within the inter-university agreements, especially to non-European destinations or prestigious universities in Europe.

The selection process for the academic year 2024/2025 is currently open. Applications can be submitted until the end of April 2024. All information can be found on the Foundation's website.

The regular meeting of the Academic Senate FS UP will take place on Wednesday, 3 April 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).

English courses

The Department of Foreign Languages offers English courses in the summer semester.
Check out the possible topics at the course Intensive English Discussions.

Call of the UP Endowment Fund

Do you have a vision for a research project or a plan for an artwork? Do you want to go on a study trip or an internship? Do you need to undertake an expensive experiment? The Palacký University Endowment Fund can help you with this as well as other things! Its 9th annual call offers opportunities, resources and knowledge to talented students. Apply and get up to 200,000 CZK for your project.

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.

Prospective foreign students

The English faculty website for prospective students 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.

On 7 February 2024, Jana Frantíková from the Maintenance Services – Technical Department of the Envelopa Campus went on maternity leave. Her agenda was taken over by Lenka Bodinková – tel: +420 585 634 074, email: lenka.bodinkova@upol.cz.

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 their most precious asset – their blood. First-time donors are especially welcome! 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.).

Tickets will be on sale for students for 490 CZK for standing and 650 CZK for seating. For employees and other interested parties, the prices are 590 CZK and 750 CZK respectively. The tickets are simultaneously raffle tickets. The price also includes refreshments. You will be informed about the launch of the sale via email, social media and other communication platforms in the coming days.

Karlov recreation centre

The recreation centre of the Faculty of Science in Karlov pod Pradědem offers free accommodation capacity. Karlov pod Pradědem is one of the most important recreation centres in the Hrubý Jeseník Mountains. There are 12km of interconnected ski slopes with 4 chairlifts. Over the hill you can reach the Kopřivná ski area. It's a great starting point for cycling and hiking trips.

UP Sports Day

UP Sports day will take place on 7 May 2024.

Polymers 2024

The Slovak-Czech conference Polymers 2024 will take place from 1. to 4. October 2024 at the Academia hotel in Stará Lesná. The main topics are:

• Polymers as biomaterials
• Polymeric materials for reduction of environmental threats
• Polymer synthesis and characterization
• Hybrid and tailored polymers
• Polymer-based nanocomposites
• Computer modeling and simulations of polymers

More information, details and dates can be found here.

The next faculty Newsletter will be published on Monday, 4 March 2024.