Professorship procedure at MU
The professor appointment procedure at MU is implemented in accordance with sections 73 and 74 of Act No.111/1998 Coll., on Higher Education Institutions and on the Modification and Amendment of Other Acts (hereinafter referred to as "Higher Education Act”), in compliance with Masaryk University Habilitation Procedure and Professor Appointment Procedure Regulations and Directive No. 7/2017 on Habilitation Procedures and Professor Appointment Procedures (hereinafter referred to as "Directive").
Professor appointment procedure initiation
The professor appointment procedure is initiated:
- On the basis of a proposal submitted by the applicant to the dean of a faculty which conducts professor appointment procedures in a relevant field on the basis of valid accreditation; the proposal must be submitted through a relevant faculty unit; or
- On the basis of a proposal submitted by the dean or the Rector to the scientific board of a faculty; or
- Independent incentive on the part of the faculty scientific board.
Prior to the submission of a proposal for procedure initiation, the applicant should contact the designated faculty office to discuss faculty-specific aspects of the procedure in question.
Professor appointment procedure initiation requirements
A written proposal for initiating a professor appointment procedure submitted by the applicant must be structured according to the template included in Annex No. 2 of the Directive. The applicant submits a proposal for initiating a professor appointment procedure – including all documentation in accordance with section 10, subsection 4 of the Directive in English.
The proposal for initiating a procedure must include the following materials documenting the applicant’s scholarly or artistic qualifications:
- Two letters of recommendation from professors in identical or similar fields or experts holding a comparable position abroad, in the case of a proposal submitted in accordance with section 11, subsection 2, letter a),
- Curriculum Vitae structured in accordance with Annex No. 3 of the Directive (see section 11, subsection 2, letter b) of the Directive),
- Certified copies of materials documenting higher education and academic degrees obtained and used by the applicant (see section 11, subsection 2, letter c) of the Directive); a certified copy may constitute either a notarized copy or a copy certified by a registry office or a statement issued by an authorized employee of the relevant faculty office, attesting to the fact that the copy corresponds to the original document,
- Materials documenting pedagogical experience structured in accordance with Annex No. 4 of the Directive (see section 11, subsection 2, letter d) of the Directive),
- List of published scholarly and artistic works structured in accordance with Annex No. 5 of the Directive (see section 11, subsection 2, letter e) of the Directive),
- List of citations of published works structured in accordance with Annex No. 6 of the Directive (see section 11, subsection 2, letter f) of the Directive),
- Comprehensive information on scholarly and pedagogical works and their citations structured in accordance with Annex No. 7 of the Directive(see table in section 11 subsection 2, letter g) of the Directive),
- List of scholarly or artistic placements in accordance with Annex No. 8 of the Directive (see section 11, subsection 2, letter h) of the Directive),
- Additional materials documenting scientific or artistic qualifications in accordance with Annex No. 9 of the Directive (see section 11, subsection 2, letter i) of the Directive).
Professor appointment procedure
- Unless the procedure is prematurely terminated due to formal deficiencies found in the submitted proposal, the dean presents the proposal to the faculty scientific board along with a request for the establishment of a board composed of five members (three of whom at least are experts associated with an institution other than MU and at least one board member must be a foreigner - with the exception of citizens of Slovakia).
- The professor appointment procedure includes a public lecture given by the applicant. The lecture topic is selected by the board out of three options proposed by the applicant. Three or more designated board members must attend and assess the lecture, subsequently issuing a written evaluation.
- The board assesses the scholarly or artistic qualifications of the applicant in the relevant field, his/her previous pedagogical experience and his/her role as a respected and recognized scholarly or artistic figure, referring to materials submitted by the applicant, the letters of recommendation obtained from professors in identical or similar fields and the written assessment of the public lecture. The board subsequently votes by secret ballot on whether or not the applicant should be nominated for appointment to Professor.
A nomination for appointment to Professor is presented to the faculty scientific board by the board chairperson or board member authorized to do so by the chairperson. In case the nomination fails to receive a simple majority of the votes of all board members, the board chairperson or board member authorized by the chairperson presents the relevant scientific board with a proposal for the termination of the procedure. - An applicant recommended for appointment is invited to give a lecture at one of public sessions of the faculty scientific board. The applicant shall select a lecture topic so as to ensure that it covers the characteristics of the field in question, the applicant’s own results and achievements, his/her own concept of scholarly or artistic activity and his/her own concept of teaching in the field.
The course of the scientific board session on the nomination for appointment to Professor follows designated rules of procedure or rules adopted by the relevant scientific board; evaluation board members and reviewers may attend all closed sessions. At the end of the session, the scientific board decides by a simple majority of the votes of all members on whether or not the applicant is to be appointed Professor. - In case the nomination for appointment to professor attracts the votes of a majority of the faculty scientific board, the dean – as the faculty scientific board chair – submits the nomination to the MU Scientific Board through a designated Rector's Office unit. In case the nomination for appointment to professor fails to attract the votes of a majority of the faculty scientific board, the procedure is terminated
- As part of the discussion of the proposal for appointment to professor before the MU Scientific Board, the applicant presents his/her concept of scholarship and pedagogical work. The actual course of the MU Scientific Board’s conduct regarding the proposal for appointment to professor adheres to its rules of procedure.
- In case the nomination for appointment to professor attracts the votes of a majority of the faculty scientific board, the Rector – as the MU Scientific Board chair – submits the nomination for appointment to professor to the President of the Czech Republic via the Minister. If not, the procedure is discontinued.
The applicant may update documents at any time during the procedure, but always in such a manner so that such documents are made available to all other parties participating in the procedure (i.e. board and scientific board members) no later than 5 workdays prior to their evaluation.
Professor appointment procedure fees
No appointment procedure fees are imposed by Masaryk University.
Guidelines of the Research & Development Office of the MU Rectorate
GL No. 1/2023 Rules to Prevent Conflicts of Interest of Individual Bodies Involved in Habilitation and Professor Appointment Proceedings at MU (only in Czech)