Resolution

The Slovak Rectors Conference (SRC) and the Czech Rectors Conference (CRC) adopted at the Common Meeting of SRC and CRC the following resolution:

1. SRC and CRC, after reviewing the situation in both countries since their last common meeting held on 6 and 7 June 2024 in Trnava, hosted by SRC, consider mutual awareness of the state and development of Slovak and Czech Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to be important, as it constitutes a fundamental prerequisite for deepening cooperation in the field of higher education, science and research.
2. On the programme of the Common meeting of SRC and CRC were two main topics of mutual interest, and the discussion of which was introduced in each case by two representatives of the SRC Presidium and two representatives of the CRC Presidium: (1) Strategic Management of HEIs and their funding models. (2) Quality Assessment of Education and Creative Activities of HEIs.
3. SRC and CRC welcome the fact that the Erasmus+ programme will continue with substantial financial support from the EU beyond 2028 and will thus remain one of the main symbols of European integration, they also welcome the significant increase in funding of the Horizon Europe framework programme. In this context, both rectors’ conferences call on their governments to take into account the need to co-finance EU projects from their national budgets and to negotiate the best possible conditions for their countries.
4. SRC and CRC support independent and predictable funding of public service media so as to ensure the quality of this public service. The educational and popularization roles of public service media are from the perspective of HEIs indispensable. Both rectors’ conferences feel a shared responsibility for the quality of public debate, the availability of verified information and the support of democratic values.
5. SRC and CRC have also repeatedly confirmed that they share the same position in opposing the war being waged by the Russian Federation against Ukraine. Both rectors’ conferences strive to support HEIs in Ukraine, as well as Ukrainian students studying in Slovakia and the Czech Republic, and also Ukrainian applicants for study. They are also engaged at the European level within the working group of the European University Association (EUA) “EUA Ukraine Task Force”, in which both rectors’ conferences have their representatives. We live in a world in which human solidarity is essential, and therefore SRC and CRC once again call on society to defend democratic values, which are today under threat even in Europe.
6. Members of both rectors’ conferences expect that, on 14–16 October 2026, the international EUA “Funding Forum” conference will take place at Brno University of Technology, the topic of which is the funding of HEIs and European university alliances. The EUA and the host university welcome a strong participation of representatives from both countries, or more precisely from both rectors’ conferences.
7. SRC and CRC agreed to continue the tradition of common meetings and confirmed that the next meeting will be held on 8 and 9 June 2028, to be hosted by SRC in the Slovak Republic. In this context, they also consider cooperation within the EUA to be important, of which SRC and CRC have been full collective members since its establishment in 2001. Both SRC and CRC have a 33-year history. The establishment of SRC from the common Czech and Slovak University Rectors Club dates back to 25 November 1992, and the establishment of CRC to 28 January 1993.

Prague, 5 June 2026