Resolution

Czech Rectors Conference (CRC) Plenum adopted at its 141st Meeting the following resolution:

1. CRC categorically rejects the current draft of state budget for 2018 that does not reflect promises made to higher education institutions, does not mean any increase and deepens the present state of significant under-funding of higher education institutions which are subject to substantially higher demands and not only in connection with the amendment to the Higher Education Act. Therefore, CRC sends an open letter to the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, Mr. Bohuslav Sobotka.
2. CRC asks the Deputy Prime Minister for the Science, Research and Innovation, Mr. Pavel Bělobrádek, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MEYS) and CRC working group for preparation of higher education institutions evaluation according to Methodology 17+, to submit the prepared document for implementation of this evaluation at higher education institutions to the Research, Development and Innovation Council as soon as possible.
3. CRC rejects the MEYS methodical instructions on personnel expenses reporting within the projects of the Operational Programme Research, Development and Education. Compliance with these instructions is essentially impossible and is inconsistent with existing legislation as well as with personal data protection.
4. CRC urges the MEYS to start negotiations which in legitimate cases, would reduce obligatory indicators and required objectives for projects of the Operational Programme Research, Development and Education, where an unjustified significant decrease in funding has taken place.
5. CRC disagrees with the settlement of comments on H15 science evaluation and asks the Deputy Prime Minister for the Science, Research and Innovation, Mr. Pavel Bělobrádek, for a remedy.
6. CRC is concerned about reports from some Czech embassies that are not capable in terms of personnel to ensure smooth visa clearance of foreign applicants for study at higher education institutions in the Czech Republic – especially from India, Vietnam as well as other countries. This situation severely threatens the process of internationalization of higher education institutions in the Czech Republic and deprives Czech higher education of quality students at all degrees of study.
7. CRC has serious objections to the draft of Methodological Material of the National Accreditation Authority for Higher Education submitted for comments and to the obligation of higher education institutions to report on any changes within realization of accredited activities. CRC considers the requirements duplicate and going beyond the law. The new obligations should be limited only to the significant changes resulting from the Higher Education Act and relevant regulations by the Government of the Czech Republic.

Prague, 8 June 2017