1-24 The Employee Newsletter of Mendel University in Brno
105 years of MENDELU One-hundred-and-five years of innovation and education for future generations. We view our long tradition as a challenge. With a sense for environmental responsibility, we are adapting our programmes to meet the needs of a changing world. Our multidisciplinary approach and close connections with industry make us able to respond quickly to current changes. The celebrations of our 105th anniversary were kicked off by the MENDELU Alumni Club and a new promotional video. We can look forward to a year full of celebrations.
MENDELU highlights
Travelling exhibition calls attention to gender stereotypes Gender stereotypes – some we are aware of, others are buried deep inside us. We have them about women and men. In academia we encounter general stereotypes and stereotypes related to science and research. On the other hand, we can also find many life stories that disprove these stereotypes or serve as positive role models for how to counter them. We would like to present to you people from Mendel University who have defied gender stereotypes to demonstrate that reality is much more diverse and colourful. The exhibition opening will be held on 13 February at 1:00 p.m. at Moravské náměstí Square by the Jobst statue.
Alumni Club On the occasion of the celebration of MENDELU’s 105th anniversary all alumni clubs have been joined together to form a single university-wide Alumni Club. When you join the club, you become eligible for special offers from club partners, you’ll stay in contact with your alma mater through the alumni newsletter, and you’ll be informed about alumni events organized by the university. In September, you can look forward to a huge alumni reunion. Sign up through the form on the university’s website or through the My MENDELU app.
Punch for Emil 2023 On December 14, volunteers from Mendel University successfully supported a climbing team for children and adults with autism at the Emil Foundation‘s booth. Many thanks to all the volunteers for their participation and commitment! You can enjoy a short look back in the form of a video or photos.
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We are looking for partners for celebrating 105 years of MENDELU MENDELU is actively searching for companies and institutions interested in increasing brand visibility among students, employees, and alumni of Mendel University in Brno. If you know of any possible partners for MENDELU’s 105th anniversary celebrations, we will be glad to receive recommendations. On the celebrations’ website, you will find a full list of partnerships available.
Security at MENDELU A methodological instruction of the Bursar, which describes in detail the procedures for emergency situations, will enter into force on 19. 2. The planned activation of the SOS module in the My MENDELU application is also part of the security measures, which enables a quick and effective response in case of danger or urgent situations. More on safety on the website.
MENDELU highlights Valentine’s collection of MENDELU Academic Wines
SUSTAINABLE MENDELU
The Academic Wine Shop has prepared a special wine collection to mark Valentine’s Day. You can purchase select varieties with a 30% discount, including Welschriesling 2019, Gewurztraminer 2019, Hibernal 2019, Sauvignon 2019, Pálava 2019, Souvignier gris 2016, and Blaufränkisch 2016. The Academic Wine Shop, located at Zemědělská 5, is open every day from 12:30 to 6:00.
Certificate of Income can now be requested online In January we added to Employee Portal a new app called Certificate of Income. It was developed by the SAP and UIS teams. Employees who file their taxes themselves can now download an electronically sealed PDF version of the Certificate of the Taxable Income, Withheld Tax Advances, and Tax Advantages. This e-document can be submitted with your tax return and save paper in the process. The Payroll Accounting Office also has a new application in UIS to manage and review employee downloads of the certificate. This app allows you to sort, search, filter, and export a log.
SAY HELLO TO MÁŇA! The Facility Management and Maintenance Department has a new vehicle, a compact electric multicar. It now has a name, chosen in a public vote: Máňa. You might have already seen her zipping past you. We plan to modify and decorate her to be in line with MENDELU’s graphic style. The vehicle was purchased with financial support from the European Union’s Next Generation EU fund.
Organizational and personnel changes at HR Management Office On 1 January 2024, the Payroll Accounting Office and the Labour and Payroll Office were split off from the Human Resources Management Office. Both offices are now run by the bursar. There is also a new coordinator for balancing work and family life, Karolína Doncová, who is also the personnel officer for the Faculty of Business and the Faculty of Regional Development and International Studies. Ivana Rafajová is the new personnel officer for the Faculty of AgriSciences. You can read more about services related to balancing work and family life and who works at the HR Management Office. 3
Summer day camps In cooperation with the Lužánky Free-time Centre we will be offering for the fifth time summer day camps for the children and grandchildren of university employees. A camp titled Fort Boyard will be held from 8 to 12 July 2024 and is intended for children aged 7 to 11. The camp will be based at the Zemědělská campus, but children will spend most of their time in nature – on trips or in the arboretum. The price of the camp is 3,200 Kč. For more information about how to register. The School Forestry Enterprise Křtiny also offers summer day camps. They will be held on 22–26 July 2024 and 29 July – 2 August 2024 at the Doubravka forest education centre and in the forests near Hády. The theme of the camp is Treasure Hunt (both weeks are the same). They are intended for children aged 7 to 13. The price is 2,300 Kč. For more information and registration.
MENDELU highlights strategy titled HRS4R. The HR Excellence in Research Award is linked to the implementation of this strategy. This year we seek to be recognized with this award again and will produce a strategic plan for the next three years.
2023 MENDELU employee satisfaction survey results
Breakfast with the Library We cordially invite all staff to our traditional Breakfast with the Library event. Relaxed from a trip to the mountains before the semester starts, come have your morning cup of coffee with us in the Library. Breakfast will be served on Wednesday, 14 February 2024, from 8 till 10 in all libraries in Brno, in Building A on Zemědělská Street, in Building Z on třída Generála Píky, and in the library in Lednice. Come explore our facilities or just spend a pleasent morning with some nice librarians. We will be available to answer your questions. Employees from the Open Science Centre and the Science and Research Office will also be present.
European Charter for Researchers has been revised At the end of 2023, the EU’s Member States decided to revise the measures in place for making research careers more attractive and supporting better working conditions in research. The European Council issued “Recommendations on a European framework to attract and retain research, innovation and entrepreneurial talents in Europe”, which includes a revised version of the European Charter for Researchers (ANNEX II). A Code of Conduct for Hiring Researchers was included in the charter. MENDELU joined the charter in 2017. To put its principles into practice we are implementing a human resources management
In autumn 2023, an employee satisfaction survey was held at MENDELU. The response rate was 27%. The survey’s findings have been presented to university administrators and will be used to evaluate the implementation of the European Charter for Researchers at MENDELU and in efforts to be recognized with a second HR Excellence in Research Award. We would like to thank once again everyone who filled in the survey! Your feedback is a valuable source of information for improving the working environment at MENDELU and conditions for career development. You can read about the survey results here (only czech version).
Consult your Data Management Plan with us Are you going to apply for a grant and one of the conditions is a Data Management Plan (DMP)? Are you due to submit your first report on an ongoing project and you need to include a DMP? The Open Science Centre has drafted Open Science Guidelines for Grant Applicants where you will find inspiration for how to describe research data in your application and how to approach Open Access and a DMP. Moreover, the MENDELU Open Science Centre offers the services of a Data Steward, with whom you can consult your DMP at any stage of development and thus ease your way towards meeting the conditions for your project.
Additions to Library collections You might have noticed that every month the Library publishes a list of newly acquired books, both in our Newsletter and on our website. Therefore, you can get an overview of what is new in the Library. If there are any books missing from the Library’s collections that you need, please let us know. Just fill out this form or write us with the titles you would like at knihovna@mendelu.cz. 4
Charity market helps non-profit organizations Last year’s MENDELU Charity Market, held on 6 December 2023, gave students managerial experience and supported non-profit organizations. Students and teachers obtained items which could then be purchased for a voluntary donation during Advent. The year’s earnings, 200,665 Kč, were donated to non-profit organizations selected by the students. An online auction was held through www.dobrobot.cz, and the market was part of Giving Thursday, a world day of generosity. It was organized by the MENDELU Centre for Social Responsibility and Sustainability in cooperation with the Séva association. For more, see dobrotrh.mendelu.cz.
Open Science Centre Training January – February We cordially invite all researchers to attend Open Science training sessions: • Introduction to Data Management Plans - online • Data Management Plans - online • Storage and data repositories - online • Predatory and suspicious journals - online • Researcher ID workshop – in-person For more information, visit the webpage of the Open Science Centre. We look forward to seeing you.
MEDIA HIGHLIGHT 10 December – n ovinky.cz – Mobilní diagnostické zařízení: ZDE 11 December – b rnan.cz – Koňské trasy v lesích ŠLP: ZDE 3 January – ibrno.cz – Studentka AF uspěla v soutěži Brno Ph.D. talent: ZDE 10 January – novinky.cz – Nanoplasty v jídle: ZDE 16 January – iDNES.cz - Zisk obchodů s potravinami vzrostl: ZDE
From the world of science and research following programmes: Standard Projects, EXPRO, POSTDOC INDIVIDUAL FELLOWSHIPS (both INCOMING and OUTGOING), and international programmes. Applications can be submitted until approximately the beginning of April. • The EXPRO programme will be returning after a one-year pause. • A significant change has been made to the JUNIOR STAR programme, as now those already receiving grants for beginning researchers meant to support researcher independence or the establishment of research teams can also apply. For more information, see here.
Czech Science Foundation announces grant winners The Czech Science Foundation has announced winners of grants for projects to start in 2024. The main investigators of four successful projects are from Mendel University in Brno: • Microwave thermal modifications with enhanced surface selectivity for wood-based materials (Jozef Ráheľ, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology) • Development of advanced models and measurement methods for heat and moisture transport in building components (Richard Slávik, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology) • Public attraction to non-democratic regimes: A case study of China (Richard Turcsányi, Faculty of Regional Development and International Studies) • Optimization in European Business Groups: Group leverage distribution, use of tax shields, assets stripping and profit transfers (Jan Hanousek, Faculty of Business) Congratulations! For details, see here.
Czech Science Foundation calls in 2024 •
In approximately the first half of February, the Czech Science Foundation will announce calls for applications for the
Technology Agency of the Czech Republic announces winners of 10th call, PP1 “Technological Leaders” The Technology Agency of the Czech Republic announced the winners of the 10th call for applications for the TREND – PP1 “Technological Leaders” programme. Out of eight submitted projects from MENDELU, four were awarded grants: • Artificial intelligence for geolocation projects CHATBOT (Jan Přichystal, Faculty of Business) • 3D shaping of flat wooden elements by wood-plastic interaction (Milan Gaff, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology) • GREENHOUSE 4.0 (Oldřich Trenz, Faculty of Business; Vlastimil Slaný, Faculty of AgriSciences) • The development of fertilizers with nature- and environment-friendly nitrification inhibitors for sustainable farming (Petr Škarpa, Department of AgriSciences) Congratulations! For details, see here.
EARTH II results The Ministry of Agriculture has announced the results of the first public call for applications for the Applied Research Programme of the Ministry of Agriculture, EARTH II (ZEMĚ II), for 2024–2032 for projects set to begin in 2024. More than 80 project proposals were submitted from MENDELU, of which 17 were selected to receive funding. The list of successful applicants can be found here. For more information about the announced winners, see here. 5
New opportunity for beginning researchers On 7 February 2024 the seventh public call for applications for the SIGMA DC 2 programme will be announced. The programme supports collaboration between beginning researchers dealing with specific projects and industry. This call, unlike the second public call for the SIGMA – DC 2 programme, will have a thematic focus. The themes of this year’s call are published on the website of the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic. On 19 February 2024, a seminar and practical workshop about the call will be held. You can register for it here.
MENDELU PhD Infra strategic project funded by Jan Amos Komenský Operational Programme launched in January Coordinated by Vice-rector Ondřej Mocek, the first strategic project funded by the Jan Amos Komenský Operational Programme has been running since 1 January 2024. Its title is “Developing research-oriented degree programmes at Mendel University in Brno” (MENDELU PhD Infra). The primary goal of this project is to modernize the infrastructure of doctoral programmes at Mendel University in Brno through the key activities “Ensuring equipment for the needs of doctoral programmes at MENDELU” at MENDELU units with accredited PhD programmes.
Pictures of new employees For more MENDELU job offers click here.
Maryna Babenko, Ph.D.
Mgr. Michal Baudys
Ing. Martina Bernatová
Roman Cupal
Erika Fialová
Akademická pracovnice – asistentka Ústav nauky o dřevě a dřevařských technologií (LDF)
Ředitel odboru Odbor veřejných zakázek a nákupu (REK)
Technička pro výzkum Ústav ochrany lesů a myslivosti (LDF)
Provozní montér a údržbář Vnitřní správa Lednice (ZF)
Referentka pro agendy vědy a výzkumu Ústav geologie a pedologie (LDF)
Ing. Viktor Filipi
Mgr. Bc. Marcela Hanáčková, Ph.D.
Miroslav Hudec
Ing. Dávid Kampo
Akademický pracovník – odborný asistent Ústav zahradní a krajinářské architektury (ZF)
Akademická pracovnice – odborná asistentka Ústav zahradní a krajinářské architektury (ZF)
Správce koncových stanic Oddělení infrastruktury (OIT CP)
Projektový manažer Děkanát (FRRMS)
Mgr. Jana Kopřivová Křenková
Ing. Ema Kovačević
Bc. Jan Krist
Mgr. Ing. arch. Adam Lacina
Právnička Právní oddělení (REK)
Technická pracovnice Ústav nauky o dřevě a dřevařských technologií (LDF)
PR manažer Děkanát (FRRMS)
Akademický pracovník - asistent Ústav zahradní a krajinářské architektury (ZF)
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Pictures of new employees For more MENDELU job offers click here.
Shirin Naseer, MA
Mgr. Zuzana Palánová
MgA. Vojtěch Pospíšil
Ing. Mgr. Lucie Radilová, DiS.
Výzkumnice projektu Ústav teritoriálních studií (FRRMS)
Právnička Právní oddělení (REK)
Referent PR Oddělení PR (PEF)
Akademická pracovnice - asistentka Ústav zahradní a krajinářské architektury (ZF)
Ivana Rafajová
Klára Smejkalová
doc. Ing. Pavel Škrabánek, Ph.D.
Mgr. Martin Šotek
Personalistka Personální oddělení (OŘLZ REK)
Referentka rozpočtu a dotací Oddělení rozpočtu (OFU REK)
Akademický pracovník – odborný asistent Ústav informatiky (PEF)
Výzkumník projektu I Ústav morfologie, fyziologie a genetiky zvířat (AF)
Jitka Špačková
Blanka Špačková
Mgr. et Mgr. Zuzana Vařejková, Ph.D.
Helena Vyvialová
Správkyně Oddělení správy a údržby (PRO REK)
Asistentka Ústav zakládání a pěstění lesů (LDF)
Koordinační pracovnice Oddělení vzdělávání seniorů (ICV)
Asistentka Oddělení komunikace a marketingu (KAN REK)
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