Standpoint

Given the current situation when the President of the Czech Republic refused to sign appointment certificates to three Professors of Czech public higher education institutions who had successfully passed the appointment procedure prescribed by the law at their higher education institutions, the Czech Rectors Conference (CRC) turns to the entire academic community of the Czech Republic with a call for a sympathetic attitude.

At the same time, Rectors of higher education institutions, the CRC Members, declare that they will not participate in the ceremony to be held on Thursday 7 May 2015 in Prague, in the traditional premises of Karolinum, and encourage the future Professors of their higher education institutions not to attend the ceremony where they have been invited in order to receive appointment certificates.

Rectors of higher education institutions, the CRC Members, will soon find for the Professors of their higher education institutions suitable and dignified occasions for receiving the appointment certificates.

CRC will immediately commence negotiations on next stand and further coordinated steps in this regrettable matter of repeated and targeted interference in academic freedom of Czech higher education institutions.

Prague, 6 May 2015