Resolution

Czech Rectors Conference (CRC) Plenum adopted at its 168th Meeting the following resolution:

1. CRC expresses its strong disagreement with the draft medium-term outlook of the State budget for 2024-2025 in the fields of science and higher education; the proposed reduction in funding for these fields would pose a serious threat to Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the Czech Republic.
2. CRC appeals to the Government of the Czech Republic to cooperate effectively for ensuring the medium-term outlook for financing the research infrastructures and other cross-cutting priority expenditures on research, development and innovation.
3. CRC expects further negotiations on increasing the financial allocation under the National Recovery Plan of the Czech Republic in order to boost investment in both higher education and also science, research and innovation.
4. CRC supports the strengthening of wage resources for all four public art HEIs; it considers the proposed measure to be temporary and calls on the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports to find a systemic solution to eliminate the long-term underfunding of HEIs.
5. CRC emphasizes the critical importance of HEIs in successfully addressing global climate change and sustainability issues; CRC is establishing a working group for this agenda.
6. CRC emphasizes its willingness to participate in the long-term support of Ukraine in the renewal of HEIs and in strengthening their role in the long-term positive development of Ukrainian society and economy.
7. In the CRC by-elections, the Rector of Charles University, Prof. Milena Králíčková, was elected to fill the vacant position of the CRC Vice-President for Education for the term of office from 15 December 2022 to 31 July 2023.

Pilsen, 1 December 2022