The Employee Newsletter of Mendel University in Brno
Get those paddles moving!
Dragon boats take to the water once again
Dragon boat races for MENDELU employees are back! The event will take place on 20 May at the Brno Reservoir. It will kick off at 10 a.m. The end is planned for 5 p.m. It will be a day of exercise, teamwork, and fun. Sign up your crew: each team can have 17 to 21 members, including a drummer. Teams must be mixed gendered (min. five men and five women). Each competitor can be a member of only one team. All employees, no matter what kind of employment contract they have, can sign up. How can you sign up for the race? Team captains can register their crews until 20 April by submitting a complete list of members. There is no limit on the number of teams that can compete. Register here.
Major activities in 2024
HEROES KICK-OFF Meeting at MENDELU
On 24 February 2025, the kick-off meeting of the HEROES (Higher Education for Resilience-Oriented and Empowered Societies) project was held at MU under the auspices of university management and the International Relations Office. The project is a unique opportunity to contribute to transforming tertiary education. The project’s goal is to foster regional resilience through innovation focused on people, nature, and resilience, by combining education, research, and the professional sphere. The project brings together universities from Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Sweden that educate 120,000 students in total. Get involved.
Welcome Week
Welcome Week took place at Mendel University during spring break. We welcomed new international students, who arrived in Brno when the weather was nearly spring-like only for the campus to turn into a snow-covered winter wonderland soon after. We had to modify the programme due to the weather, but of course we didn’t cancel the traditional Moravian wine tasting! Because the roads were closed to buses, we had to take a more adventurous route to get to the Punkva Caves, involving a train and a cable car. We’re proud to say that after the autumn floods and the recent snowpocalypse everything turned out excellent! We’d like to thank the International Relations Office and the ESN for their support and cooperation.
You’re invited to International Week
Are you looking to make new international contacts and exchange valuable experience with colleagues from around the world? Then Mendel University’s International Week is just what you’re looking for! Planned events include interactive workshops, expert lectures, and cultural events. So, take active part, develop your skills, and get to know new friends from all corners of the globe. Don’t miss this great opportunity for professional and personal growth! For more information, visit web
Happening at MENDELU
SUSTAINABLE MENDELU
COLLABORATION WITH PODYJÍ NATIONAL PARK
University administrators recently held talks with the director of Podyjí National Park. The main goal of the meeting with Pavel Müller, a graduate of the MENDELU Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, was to broaden cooperation between MENDELU and Podyjí National Park. At the meeting, common topics in the field of integrated nature and landscape protection were opened with the goal of making the environment and sustainability the foundation of future educational and research priorities. Müller spoke about the park’s current level of cooperation with various subjects as well as topics that are relevant for the Thayatal National Park across the border in Austria. “MENDELU has prepared and approved a new strategic plan and sustainability plan for the 2025–2030 period. Considering the intersection of a wide range of areas, we primarily discussed the possibilities of collaboration in assigning topics for the theses of MENDELU students and the potential for applied research on various types of ecosystems in the park. If we begin to find ourselves working together more closely, we plan on signing a memorandum of cooperation with the Podyjí National Park this year,” says Martin Klimánek, vice-rector for strategy and sustainability.
How to avoid gender-based discrimination at the university?
Short instructional videos can help
Perhaps you’re saying that you’ve never experienced discrimination at the university, so there’s no point in dealing with it. But did you know that even little things like how we evaluate our colleagues, make hiring decisions, and delegate tasks may have an impact on the atmosphere at work and the opportunities of others? To make our working environment fairer, we have produced for you several short, easily digestible training videos demonstrating common situations in which unintentional gender-based discrimination can occur. What does this mean? For example, when we subconsciously expect women to focus less on their careers or men to be naturally better leaders. These short videos demonstrate specific situations that occur in the workplace and focus on issues such as how prejudices affect the hiring process, the importance of open discussions about equal pay, the use of inclusive language, and ensuring equal opportunities for career growth. You can watch them here. They aren’t heavy on theory but show the kind of practical situations you experience every day. Let’s see together how small changes can help create a more pleasant and fairer workplace for all.
Support for social entrepreneurship
In 2024, MENDELU continued supporting social enterprises in public procurement by implementing a condition in its office supplies and paper contracts, stipulating that only suppliers whose workforces consist of at least 50% of people with disabilities could participate. Contracts were closed with a supplier meeting these conditions for supplying both office supplies and stationery.
2024 in numbers at HR Management Office
In 2024, we dealt with 3,257 requests at the Personnel Department of the Management Office, primarily related to onboarding new employees, changes in employment contracts, salaries, and other documents. Every month we dealt with more than 100 requests. The most challenging month was September, when we handled 608 requests (mostly related to salary adjustments) and when the largest number of new hires started (29). In 2024 a total of 185 new employment contracts were closed. Two organizational changes took place as well. In total, 2,162 Agreements to Complete a Job and Agreements to Perform Work were signed. May was the busiest month, accounting for 504 agreements. The most agreements were signed at the Faculty of AgriSciences (797), following by the Institute of Lifelong Learning (412), the Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology (380), the Faculty of Horticulture (291), the Rectorate and CP (141), the Faculty of Business and Economics (118), and the Faculty of Regional Development and International Studies (23).
Happening at MENDELU
Innovation and Legislation as a Driving Force for the Development of Social Entrepreneurship in the South Moravian Region
On 4 February a conference titled Innovation and Legislation as a Driving Force for the Development of Social Entrepreneurship in the South Moravian Region took place at the MENDELU Faculty of Business and Economics, where more than 160 people met to discuss this topic. The conference was organized by the social enterprise Teamium in collaboration with the MENDELU Centre for Social Responsibility and Sustainability and other partners. The event was praised by social enterprises, students, and attendees from the private and public sectors. The new Social Enterprise Act was presented by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs employees who drafted it. The Responsible Public Procurement Bill proposed by the Ministry of Regional Development was also presented. Conference attendees also heard about good practices of social entrepreneurship and news about the Declaration of Responsible Entrepreneurship. We also discussed innovations and the acceleration programmes at Impact Hub. The conference was moderated by Sylvie Formánková (Department of Management, FBE, and MENDELU Centre for Social Responsibility and Sustainability). The organizers plan to use future iterations of this conference as pilots for holding sustainable events. Based on the participation and feedback, we consider this first year of the conference to have been very successful.
Exhibition of international academic literature
Do you enjoy leafing through printed books? Are you interested in news from the disciplines we work on at MENDELU? In that case, don’t miss the exhibition of international academic literature that the Library will hold in collaboration with Slovart G.T.G. On Wednesday, 12 March 2025, the latest titles from renowned publishers will be exhibited in the atrium of Building Q from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. You can leaf through the books and recommend the Library purchase any that you feel should be included in its collections.
Clearance sale at MENDELU Central Warehouse
The Central Warehouse is currently holding a clearance sale before it closes. The sale will continue until all stock is sold. Location: Central Warehouse, Building Q, basement. For more information, visit the website of the Central Warehouse
2025 Open Access publishing fund
In 2025, MENDELU has set aside 1 million Kč to fund open access publishing. MENDELU academic staff, researchers, and students can apply for support if the first author or corresponding author is affiliated with the university and at least one of the authors is a doctoral student. If one of the authors is not a PhD student, the amount of funding that can be received is halved. Each applicant can apply for support for up to three publications. The only other condition is that the studies be published in academic journals indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection with an Article Influence Score of above zero and that they are in Q1 or Q2 in at least one field based on Impact Factor. Funding cannot be used for articles published by MDPI. The maximum funding for one article is 50,000 Kč, including VAT. Any publication costs exceeding this limit must be paid from other sources. Applications can be submitted until 15 December 2025. Funding can be used for articles published or accepted for publication in 2025. The grant applies to papers published in full open access journals contained in the DOAJ database or hybrid open access papers published under a Creative Commons licence. You can find detailed conditions and more information here
MEDIA HIGHLIGHT
6. FEBRUARY – Brňan.cz – Mining in the Zaječí Potok Valley: HERE
6. FEBRUARY – iDNES.cz – Genetic database of bees: HERE
7. FEBRUARY – Brněnský deník – Tasting competition Czech Beer Star: HERE
11. FEBRUARY – iRozhlas.cz – Wild animals in cities: HERE
11. FEBRUARY – Radio Wave –Creating a resilient forest together with nature: HERE
24. FEBRUARY – Česká televize – Intergenerational University on Dobré ráno: HERE
Happening at MENDELU
MENDELU visual style guide
MENDELU has created a uniform visual style for use on the university’s and its faculties’ social media with the goal of strengthening brand identity. PR and marketing employees with no design experience use Canva, where they can create posts using premade professional templates. For easier use of the visual style for other departments and offices, Canva has been made accessible and can be used for creating templates that make following the visual style guide easier, not only for creating graphics but also for use on social networks. If you are interested in more information about the style guide, contact the MENDELU Communications and Marketing Office.
News from operations
Beginning in March, the main entrance to Building A at the Černá Pole campus will be open from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Master’s programme festival
On 5 March, an informational meeting was held in Building Q for students considering pursuing a master’s degree. The goal was to provide them with detailed information about individual programmes, including their focus and employment opportunities for graduates. During the meeting, students learned about the main differences between bachelor’s and master’s degree studies, the structure of master’s programmes, compulsory and elective courses, and internships.
Current master’s students shared their experiences at the meeting, and information about professional opportunities after graduating was also presented. Newly added to this year’s meeting was a presentation of courses and certificates designed to support students’ professional development. The meetings were led by degree programme guarantors alongside master’s students. University employees who work with students or provide academic or career development counselling were able to share this information with students interested in pursuing a master’s degree.
Online lecture: From data to insights: An introduction to research
synthesis through meta-analysis
Have you ever thought about how to draw insights from a great number of studies? Then meta-analysis is exactly what you’re looking for! In this online lecture, Dr. Teder from the University of Tartu in Estonia will present the fundamentals of this essential tool for synthesizing findings from multiple studies. By combining data from different sources, meta-analysis can reveal general patterns, resolve inconsistencies, and draw more reliable conclusions across studies. The online lecture will deal with key concepts, methods, best practices, and common obstacles that should be avoided. It is intended for anyone interested in understanding meta-analysis or for using it in their research. The lecture, which will be in the English language, will be held on 14 March at 10:00 a.m. on MS Teams. Registration is required.
Water Days
To mark World Water Day, the Platform of Vocational Excellence (PoVE) Water will be holding Water Days, an international event that will run from 17 to 26 March. It will bring together experts, students, and members of the public interested in water management. The programme will focus on water in the landscape, including in forests, in agriculture, and in the city. Events will take place at PoVE Water’s partner institutions, including MENDELU, Lipka Jezírko, and Kudelova Secondary School of Construction in Brno. Participants can look forward to expert lectures, field work, laboratory exercises, and student projects. The programme will include excursions to the Moravian and Hranice Karsts, where water samples will be taken and participants will learn about hydrological processes in karst regions. At MENDELU, students will collaborate on team projects and will then present their work to an expert committee. There will also be lectures about water management in urban areas, the safety and security of water management facilities, and how urban infrastructure works. The aim of Water Days is to raise awareness about the importance of water and to motivate young experts to pursue studies and careers related to water management. The main language of the events will be English.
Felling and Planting of a Tree in Front of Building A
Due to its poor health, it will be necessary to fell the tree located at the main entrance of Building A during March. The original "svitel latnatý" will be replaced by a new one, provided by the ŠLP Křtiny Nursery Centre.
Happening at MENDELU
Occupational safety and health and fire protection in numbers
Two-hundred-and-four incoming employees completed occupational safety and health and fire protection training, and 40 new employees took the driver training course. Forty individuals were trained to become fire prevention specialists. During the year, we recorded five student injuries and eight workplace injuries, one of which resulted in injury leave. Additionally, 48 preventative fire inspections were conducted.
Renewing meal allowance benefit when increasing working hours
Has your employment contract been reduced to less than 0.5 FTE? If so, then your meal vouchers via the Edenred meal card were automatically cancelled. If you have a new contract exceeding 0.5 FTE and you want to use the meal card again, please let your HR manager know. If you have never used this benefit, you must first sign Agreement on the Utilization of Meal Allowance
Operations Department in numbers
In 2024, the Operations Department took care of 1,588 requests at the Černá Pole campus, of which 1,014 were handled internally and 574 outsourced. Another 183 requests were not fully addressed. Repairs and maintenance at the Černá Pole campus cost a total of 14 million crowns. The university’s vehicle fleet took 624 trips, travelling more than 180,000 kilometres. Investments made in construction work amounted to 207 million crowns, 149 million crowns of which were covered by a Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports system grant. MENDELU spent 84.7 million crowns on energy, including 39 million crowns on electricity amounting to a consumption of 10,730 MWh, 12.4 million crowns on water, 19.5 million crowns on steam or heat, and 13.8 million crowns on gas amounting to a consumption of 7,016.2 MWh.
MENDELU at VIDA!: Discover the New Interactive Exhibition
From mid-December 2024 until November 2025, the VIDA! Science Centre in Brno is hosting the *Islands of Discoveries* exhibition, prepared by scientists from all parts of MENDELU. The exhibition presents both natural and social sciences in a fun and interactive way, inspiring visitors to explore the world around us. Come and see it for yourself, and discover the research challenges awaiting the next generation.
Czech Science Foundation calls in 2025
The Czech Science Foundation has announced calls for applications for grants for standard, JUNIOR STAR, POSTDOC, INDIVIDUAL FELLOWSHIP, and international projects as well as for newly introduced Return projects. Grant applications can be submitted until 3 April 2025. The winners will be announced at the end of October and November of this year. Projects that receive funding after successfully going through the multilayered evaluation process will start being implemented in 2026. Project proposals to be submitted must be sent to MENDELU project managers. The Project Centre (PO REK) will submit the applications on Tuesday, 1 April, at 10:00 a.m. and on Wednesday, 2 April, at 10:00 a.m. The Project Centre will hold an online seminar presenting the Czech Science Foundation’s open calls for funding for projects to be implemented starting in 2026. The seminar, to be held in the Czech language, will take place on Friday, 7 March 2025, at 10:00 a.m. You can find more information here
Internal calls of Gregor Johann Mendel Grant Agency
The Gregor Johann Mendel Grant Agency of Mendel University in Brno will soon announce calls for internal grants in Category A – Interdisciplinary internal research projects and in Category C – Return projects. Follow the Project Centre’s website and social media to learn more.
Pictures of new employees
For more MENDELU job offers click here.
Ing. Miloš Boček Garant odborných výstupů projektu Ústav geologie a pedologie (LDF)
Bc. Jan Janča Akademický pracovník – lektor Ústav zemědělské, potravinářské a environmentální techniky (AF)
Ing. Tomáš Do, Ph.D. Výzkumník projektu II Ústav chemie a biochemie (AF)
Ing. Igor Grellneth, Ph.D. Akademický pracovník – asistent Ústav informatiky (PEF)
