Resolution of the 104th annual meeting of the General Assembly of the Czech Rectors Conference

At a meeting in Ústí nad Labem on February 18-19, 2010, the General Assembly of the Czech Rectors Conference (CRC) adopted the following resolution:

1. The CRC remains disconcerted by the current state of state funding of public institutions of higher education. After months of negotiations with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, the state funding was cut by 2,1% from the 2009 figure, but the average state grant per student is 9% lower than in 2007 and the state investments are also falling. The CRC is aware of the financial situation of the country and the need for savings, but it must point out the fact that cuts are being made in education, as opposed to other parts of the state budget. The CRC nevertheless appreciates the efforts of the Minister of Education, Youth and Sports to raise higher education funding.

2. The CRC again appeals to the Government and the Parliament of the Czech Republic to discuss any changes in legislation that concerns institutions of higher education in advance and in sufficient detail with their representatives.

3. The CRC states that the Basic Research Centre programme has proved an effective means of support for top research teams, and that steps should be taken to maintain their activities before a standard way of research, development and innovation funding is set up.

4. The CRC continually supports and observes the work of the Accreditation Commission of the Czech Republic, which is undoubtedly under internal and external scrutiny. The CRC therefore refuses the recently published biased criticism of the Commission.

5. The CRC supports the establishment of standardized state graduation examinations.

6. The General Assembly of the CRC adopted the 2009 Annual Report, the report on the budget of the CRC in 2009, organizational costs funding guidelines for 2010 and the CRC budget for 2010. Prof. Ing. Karel Rais, CSc., MBA, rector of the Brno University of Technology, was voted the vice-president of the CRC for public relations.

On behalf of the Czech Rectors Conference

Prof. PhDr. Petr Fiala, Ph.D., LL.M.

President

Translation: Jaroslav Švelch