News: Faculty of Science

Due to climate change, the urban environment is becoming increasingly inhospitable for native tree species, which struggle to cope with the combination of drought, heat, and other stressors on streets heated by the summer sun. Local governments must therefore gradually adjust the species composition of urban greenery and prioritise more resilient tree species. However, this also carries numerous risks, such as the spread of invasive plant species or the use of trees that have allergenic or toxic effects. A study by researchers from the Department of Geography at Palacký University Faculty of Science highlights this issue.

The research found that the current urban environment imposes extreme demands on trees. The above-ground parts of trees are exposed to higher temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, exhaust fumes, and more frequent physical damage. The situation below the surface is no less problematic, where compacted soil, utility lines, and impervious surfaces constrain roots. This so-called “flowerpot effect” significantly reduces the vitality of trees.

Climate Stress on Urban Trees

“Native species such as linden, maple, and ash trees often exhibit severe physiological stress in urban streets today. They suffer from water shortages, dry out prematurely, and die before they can develop a functional canopy,” said Pavel Klapka from the Department of Geography. While trees were able to cope with individual stressors in the past, their current combination is now critical for them.

Urban planning practices are therefore increasingly opting for non-native tree species from Southern Europe, Asia, or North America, which are genetically better equipped to tolerate drought, high temperatures, and soil salinity. As a result, streets in Czech cities are seeing an increase in species such as hackberry, elm, ginkgo, and certain types of oak and maple. “It’s no longer just a matter of whether a tree can survive the climate stress. We must also assess its biological safety for residents,” noted René Jirmus from the Department of Geography.

Safety Aspects of Urban Vegetation

Non-native tree species can be toxic, produce strong allergens, have thorns, or exhibit invasive behaviour. Scientists are therefore studying their impact on the urban environment and human health and providing local governments with data to help them decide on the composition of public green spaces. At the same time, they emphasise that simply changing tree species is not enough. It is also crucial to transform the underground environment to allow trees to grow sufficiently and maintain a natural water and air regime.

“Dense and overgrown vegetation supports recreation during the day, but at night, it increases the feeling of insecurity. Limited visibility and reduced lighting efficiency heighten the perception of crime risk.” Pavel Klapka

The research also focused on the safety of urban greenery from biological and social risk perspectives. The team developed a biological plant hazard index that evaluates woody plants based on allergenic potential, toxicity, and mechanical risks, such as thorns. For example, in Olomouc, the analysis showed that while modern plantings in playgrounds eliminate visible risks, they are more often composed of species with higher toxicity, of which the public is currently unaware.

How Greenery Affects the Sense of Safety

The researchers also examined how people perceive the safety of green spaces. “Dense and overgrown vegetation promotes recreation during the day, but at night, it increases the feeling of insecurity. Limited visibility and dim lighting heighten perceptions of crime risk. “The design of greenery thus directly influences people’s behaviour and their sense of safety,” noted Pavel Klapka.

Experts also warned against the widespread removal of greenery from public spaces. Such an approach can lead to urban heat islands and a decline in quality of life. “The absence of shade often poses a greater health risk than the vegetation itself,” emphasised René Jirmus.

The research findings are intended to help cities manage the ongoing transformation of green infrastructure. The goal is to establish a composition and maintenance regimen for green spaces that is climate-resilient, ecologically functional, and safe for residents.

Markéta Dudková, a physician at the Third Internal Medicine Department – Nephrology, Rheumatology and Endocrinology at the Olomouc University Hospital and the Faculty of Medicine at Palacký University, received one of this year’s International Medis Awards for Medical Research from the President of Slovenia. The international competition, now in its twelfth year, recognises the outstanding research achievements of physicians and pharmacists from Central and Eastern Europe.

“I view this award as an extraordinary achievement in my career to date. It would not have been possible without the support of the entire team of rheumatologists at the Third Department of Internal Medicine who contributed to this project. Special thanks go to the head of the clinic, Professor Pavel Horák, and Associate Professor Eva Kriegová from the Institute of Immunology at the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacký University, and the University Hospital Olomouc, under whose leadership the research was conducted. This award represents not only a great honour for me, but also confirmation that our work is meaningful,” said the rheumatologist, who is currently on maternity leave.

Markéta Dudková specialises in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a serious autoimmune rheumatic disease in which the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues, often the skin, joints, kidneys, and brain.

The award-winning study Blood gene expression of Toll-like receptors in SLE patients with lupus nephritis or neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus, published in the journal Arthritis Research & Therapy, examines the role of Toll-like receptors, which are a key component of innate immunity.

“We compared the activity of these receptors in patients with SLE compared to healthy individuals and also examined differences among patients with various manifestations of the disease, particularly those with kidney or central nervous system damage. Our results could contribute to better diagnosis of active disease and organ damage in patients with SLE in the future. At the same time, they may help explain why treatment may not work the same way in patients with the same diagnosis,” the doctor explained.

The awards ceremony for the nine winners of this year’s 12th edition of the competition took place in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The guest of honour at the event was Slovenian President Nataša Pirc Musar, who also presented the awards. Learn more about the international competition here.

The main programme of Olomouc Majáles of Palacký University will take place for the first time this year at the Letňák Olomouc summer cinema complex. From Wednesday, May 6, to Thursday, May 7, this traditional student celebration of spring will feature concerts on two stages, a rich programme in the theatre tent, dozens of workshops, and presentations by more than seventy student and non-profit organisations. The coronation of the May Day King or Queen, a silent disco, and a sports programme will also be part of the festivities.

"The turn of April and May is traditionally marked by two of the largest university events in public spaces. Just a few days after the closing ceremony of the Academia Film Olomouc festival, Olomouc residents can look forward to the 14th annual student May Day festival Majáles, whose main programme will take over the entire Letňák grounds for the first time. Once again this year, the festival will offer a rich two-day schedule for visitors of all ages, spread across three stages," says Matěj Dostálek, Vice Rector for Communication and Social Responsibility at UP.

As part of the music programme, this year's Majáles festival will offer a taste of rock, pop, rap, and dance music. Bands such as Vypsaná fiXa, Elektrïck Mann, Mutanti hledaj východisko, and ATMO music will perform on two stages. Slavíček, one of the fastest-rising young artists in the Czech Republic, will be visiting Olomouc for the very first time, as will singer Kaya, the youngest Czech artist to appear on a billboard in Times Square, New York, as part of the Spotify Equal campaign. The musical lineup will also feature the popular Trocha klidu, as well as the bands Moře kuřat and Fly Tomorrow.

"This year's Majáles festival programme will again take place over two days. On Wednesday, May 6, we're traditionally putting together a more alternative programme. Visitors can look forward to slam poetry, the popular improv show by the group O.LI.V.Y., panel discussions, and an evening silent disco. All of this will be complemented by concerts and interactive presentations by some seventy student associations, university workplaces, and other non-profits," says Ondřej Martínek, the main coordinator of Majáles from the UP Marketing and University Events Office. The main day of the festival, on Thursday, will feature not only the festival's headliners but also performances by buskers and DJs, a handmade zone, workshops, and an outdoor programme. "We've long designed the festival as an event where everyone can find something to their liking. It's certainly not just an event for students, even though they are the main contributors to the programme. Families with children and seniors will also have a great time," adds Martínek.

The symbolic highlight of Majáles will be Thursday's coronation of this year's Majáles king or queen. The accompanying programme will also offer a varied culinary zone, a science show, a pub quiz, and outdoor activities.

As is tradition, admission to the event is free on the first day. UP students can purchase tickets for the second, main day on-site for 150 CZK; other visitors will pay 250 CZK. Starting Tuesday, April 7, a limited number of discounted tickets will be available for advance purchase at the university store and the UPoint information centre.

The UP Olomouc Majáles is organized by the university as one of the last remaining traditional student May festivals. It is organized by the university's Marketing and University Events Office and some forty students. In the past, Josef Jařab, Jindřich Štreit, Ivana Plíhalová, Marek Eben, David Koller, Erika Stárková, Petr Fiala, Michal Horák, and Miroslav Krobot have been crowned at the event.

Details and the programme can be found at www.olomouckymajales.cz and on Facebook.

From April 28 to May 3, Palacký University’s AFO International Festival of Popular Science Films will transform Olomouc into a hub of film and science. This year’s programme is themed “A Common Language” and will feature dozens of films from around the world, debates, live podcasts, workshops, outdoor screenings, walking tours, school programmes, virtual reality experiences, and concerts.

The international competition will feature 20 titles, sixteen of which will have their Czech premiere at the festival and two their international premiere. Audiences can look forward to the film André is an Idiot, the documentary Underland about caves, laboratories, and tunnels beneath our feet, produced by Darren Aronofsky and narrated by Sandra Hüller, the new film by director Sara Dosa, Time and Water, and this year’s winner of the prestigious Sundance Film Festival, Nuisance Bear.

Audiences can also look forward to the film André is an Idiot.

Worth noting is the film Super Nature, which is a tribute to citizen science, but above all a celebration of the landscape, nature, and humanity’s relationship to it, captured on analog 8mm film and personally presented by producer Rebecca Wolf. 

Dancing Elements and Reindeer Droppings

Two directors are also returning to the festival with their feature-length debuts, having previously presented their projects in the development phase as part of the Camp 4Science workshop. This professional programme at AFO supports the creation of documentaries every year and connects filmmakers with international mentors and scientists. “Austrian-American director G. Anthony Svatek will present the film Humboldt USA. Australian filmmaker Josef Gatti will bring the film Phenomena: When the Elements Dance, which combines science, experimental imagery, and music. Its soundtrack was created by the prestigious German music producer Nils Frahm,” said programmer Ondřej Kazík.

Eleven films are competing for the jury’s favor in the Czech and Slovak film competition. Among them are new works by directors Tomáš Elíšek (On the Ground), Bibiana Beňová and Kateřina Kořínková (Troublemakers), Hana Nováková (AMOOSED: The Moose Odyssey), and Ondřej Vavrečka (1+1+1). The short film competition will feature twenty-one films divided into five thematic sections. “I recommend the section What’s Changing, which showcases warmth and a passion for scientific discovery through the lens of human resilience. The films take us, for example, to the remote valleys of Svalbard, where two zoologists study reindeer droppings, or to a dying, remote weather station in northern Sweden,” said programme director Dominik Vontor.

New European Spotlight Competition

A new addition is a competition section consisting entirely of European films focused on current social and environmental themes. Guests will include, for example, world-renowned volcanologist Clive Oppenheimer, who will present his film Volcano Voices, exploring the role of volcanoes in various cultures from their geological origins to their spiritual significance. Also featured will be the Ukrainian film No Shade In the Forest, which follows a trio of scientists mapping the impacts of war on natural ecosystems.

Volcanologist Clive Oppenheimer will present his film Volcano Voices.

Immersive projects will also compete for the AFO Award. One of them is the installation Steps of Progress, which seats visitors in authentic train seats salvaged from a decommissioned railcar. During their journey through time, they will encounter prominent figures from Czech science and technology. Swedish artist Marika Hedemyr will also attend the festival to present her augmented reality project Ashes to Ashes, set within the Central Cemetery in Olomouc-Neředín.

Love and Relationships in the Digital Age

The programme directors of the non-competitive sections demonstrate that understanding does not arise on its own—it is born from dialogue between different disciplines and worldviews. “We were inspired by our own experiences, failed dates, stories from loved ones, and the current state of society. We noticed how difficult it is to form new friendships. How dating is changing in the age of apps,” say the programmers of the Ahoj! Jak se máš? section, Karolina Matějková and Eva Suková. The programme will feature documentaries such as We Met in Virtual Reality and the film Face and Voice: The Power of Our First Impression, which explores the scientific mechanisms behind how we form an opinion of another person during the first moments of an encounter. There will also be a live recording of the Studio N podcast with Filip Titlbach and his guests from Deník N, Zdislava Pokorná and Lukáš Prchal.

 
Visitors can also attend a unique screening of the film Save Who You Can.

The section Diagnosis: Unknown focuses on diseases where diagnosis is exceptionally complex and often takes years. The series raises questions about communication between doctors and patients, as well as situations where medicine reaches its limits and people seek answers elsewhere. The programme will include screenings followed by discussions, including experiences with endometriosis, migraines, long COVID, and Crohn’s disease. A discussion hosted by Respekt magazine will address the topic of “Underfunding of Research into Chronic Diseases,” while the Psycho podcast from Radio Wave will focus on “Taboos and Silence.” Visitors can also attend a unique screening of the film Who Cares? about communication between patients and doctors in the auditorium of the UP Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry.

Sport as a Common Language

Dramaturge Zdeněk Rychtera introduces the section The Culture of Victory: “We’ll look at sport from various perspectives—as a means of self-realization, a profession, and a scientific phenomenon that touches on training or the relationship between mind and body. But we’re also interested in it as a social metaphor. After all, sport can create shared emotions and experiences that transcend the individual, whether it’s national euphoria or the idea of the Olympic ethos,” adds Zdeněk Rychtera. According to him, the documentary The Joy of Winning, narrated by Dr. Hannah Fry, is worth noting; it highlights the presence of both conscious and unconscious calculations and competitiveness in our everyday lives. Ondřej Hudeček’s film Tapes from Nagano, meanwhile, captures the role of sport as a unifying force for collective and national identity, even in times of crisis and uncertainty.

The documentary The Joy of Winning will also be screened.

The Echoes of the Future section focuses on how people in different eras imagined the future and why it is sometimes difficult to even articulate it today. The programme therefore combines films about contemporary technologies, artificial intelligence, and space missions with historical films. An example of this connection is a double feature of the Canadian film Shifting Baselines, which explores the negative impacts of spaceflight, paired with Méliès’s legendary A Trip to the Moon (Le Voyage dans la Lune). The programme will also include the podcast The Good, the Bad, and the Critical, in which the hosts explore different eras of science fiction.

A Break from the Cinema

For those who want to take a break from the screening rooms, there’s the option of going for a walk with filmmaker Prokop Pithart. “We’ll listen to the stories of the landscape around Olomouc and discover a world we usually pass by. For in the silence and apparent calm, small dramas and grand stories of our animal and plant neighbors unfold,” invites Anna Tabášková, dramaturge of the Resilience section.

A series of lectures titled Stories of Change: Community Against Despair is also on the agenda, featuring people across the Czech Republic striving for positive change in their communities. Topics will include the Klimababičky (Climate Grandmothers) and the Zachraňme Soutok (Save the Confluence) association.

The annual collaboration with Czech Television will also feature welcome segments in a programme called Science on ČT. The film In the Service of the Mountains offers a view of the Czech mountains throughout the seasons and pays tribute to the work of the mountain rescue service; its screening will be accompanied by commentary from guests of the Jeseníky Mountain Rescue Service.

Music is Science!

The main guest will be British scientist and producer Max Cooper, whose performance in the Hussite Church will combine electronic music with generative visual projections and scientific concepts.

The main musical guest will be British scientist and producer Max Cooper. Photo: Orozco Clara

The programme will be complemented by concerts from the GUFRAU project featuring guest Victor Kal, artist Johuš Matuš, and a series of club nights with music sets prepared by DJs such as Nill Garçon, Demonika, máúcta, and Austin Powers.

Festival in the Streets

The UP to the Future university initiative will present a science programme for the whole family at Horní náměstí. Visitors can also look forward to a giant inflatable model of the Earth and the astrosphere, as well as a new open-air spring cinema.

screenings and workshops for the youngest visitors, animated film series, and workshops in collaboration with the E-bezpečí project. The AFO Junior programme for teenagers will be complemented by a screening of the film Fighting Demons with Dragons at the Malá kulturní scéna Sedmička.

Academia Film Olomouc is the largest popular science film festival in Europe. Since 1966, it has been connecting scientists, filmmakers, students, and the general public, creating a space for sharing knowledge and open debate about the world we live in. Accreditation for the 61st edition of the festival is now open; basic admission to the event is free. The program and further information are available on the website afo.cz.

Kristýna Zelená Pospíšková from the Environmental Nanotechnologies research group at CATRIN will focus on developing a new generation of biochar-based nanocomposites produced from biomass to improve their efficiency and broaden their practical use in environmental technologies. Her three-year research project has received fundingfrom the Palacký University KaMos– Return Grants programme.

Biochar-based composites represent modern and environmentally friendly materials produced through the thermal processing of biomass and its subsequent modification so that the resulting materials can effectively capture or decompose harmful substances from water or soil. By combining biochar with reactive nanoparticles or with surface-bound isolated atoms of selected metals, it is possible to obtain materials with high efficiency, stability and selectivity towards a wide range of contaminants. Worldwide, such materials are emerging as a promising alternative to more expensive or less sustainable sorbents and catalysts.

“The project focuses on developing a new generation of biochar nanocomposites prepared from both readily available and waste biomass. Together with my colleagues, I will synthesise and modify these materials using advanced methods, comprehensively characterise them and test their performance in the treatment of both model and real contaminated waters. Promising systems may subsequently serve as a basis for follow-up applied research or future innovations in the field of environmental decontamination,” explained the researcher.

The Palacký University Return Grants programme is intended for researchers and doctoral students returning to research after a career break due to parenthood, illness or caring for a close family member. Its aim is to facilitate the return to research, support the long-term sustainability of scientific careers and promote equal opportunities in academia.

“After my three-year career break due to parenthood, this call represented a unique opportunity to effectively build on my previous research activities, further develop them and fully re-engage in research within our group,” said the grant recipient.

In the past, she has focused extensively on the preparation of various types of composite materials for environmental applications (sorbents for contaminant removal) and bioapplications (carriers for enzymes and cells), with particular emphasis on their magnetic separation. In recent years, her research has concentrated on the development of composite (nano)materials based on biochar combined with metal nanoparticles and their oxides or sulfides, which form within the porous matrix during the pyrolysis of impregnated biomaterials. Selected materials have already been successfully applied in the removal of problematic organic and inorganic contaminants, as enzyme-mimicking catalysts and as photocatalytically active composites.

The project, with a budget of CZK 6.1 million, will enable the researcher to build on her previous work, renew existing collaborations and establish new partnerships, particularly within the V4 Biochar Platform, which brings together Czech and international scientists working on biochar-based materials.

Karel Eliáš, lawyer, university lecturer, and principal author of the current Czech Civil Code, received the highest honour that Palacký University in Olomouc can bestow. He became its honorary doctor. He received the title of doctor honoris causa for his extraordinary scholarly achievements and creative contributions in the field of legal science and legal culture.

The honorary doctorate was awarded to Karel Eliáš on the recommendation of the Faculty of Law's Scholarly Board and by decision of the University's Scholarly Board. He received it at a ceremony in the Archepiscopal Palace during a gathering of the academic community.

The laureate was introduced by Václav Stehlík, Dean of the UP Faculty of Law. "Professor Karel Eliáš is widely regarded by the scientific and broader legal community as one of the most important figures in Czech legal science and legal culture in general. He has made a significant contribution as the main academic and legislative author of the current Czech Civil Code in connection with the extensive recodification of Czech civil law," said Václav Stehlík, adding that the Czech Civil Code is fully comparable with the best foreign codifications of all fundamental personal and property relations. "Professor Eliáš devoted a significant part of his long-term, extensive, and erudite publishing, other scientific, and pedagogical activities to the restoration of legality within the framework of the rule of law and generally recognised legal principles in accordance with moral principles," emphasised the dean.

foto_sem_4

Rector Michael Kohajda recalled the award winner's contribution to legal education. "It is well known that Professor Eliáš has always considered teaching to be an integral part of his work in higher education. And when I talk about teaching, I don't mean memorising legal regulations, but rather cultivating legal thinking, legal language, and a systematic, historically grounded approach to law. Moreover, his teaching style is primarily focused on dialogue with students," said Michael Kohajda.

Representatives of the university then presented Karel Eliáš with an honorary doctorate in the form of a diploma and a commemorative UP medal with a double portrait of Josef Dobrovský and František Palacký.

"I appreciate that Palacký University has decided to recognise the results of my work and my career. I thank you sincerely and with respect for this. I appreciate this extraordinary honour all the more because it is being awarded to me by the oldest university in Moravia," said Karel Eliáš. He recalled that he first visited the Olomouc Faculty of Law thirty years ago, when he attended a conference focused on the preparation of the Civil Code. "At that time, I never dreamed that the Civil Code would become my destiny and consume so many years of my life and energy."

foto_sem_4

He devoted part of his speech to the values and attitudes that underpin the academic world and public life. He spoke about freedom, democracy, and the natural right of people to pursue their own happiness. "Neither Nazism nor communism was able to eradicate this human desire. I believe that no one else will either," he said, among other things. He also pointed to the ever-increasing legal regulation, which he described as a manifestation of legal hypochondria.

Before the meeting at the Archbishop's Palace, Karel Eliáš accepted an invitation to the Faculty of Law, where, among other things, he signed the chronicle. The faculty has been keeping it since its restoration in 1991.

Since 1990, Palacký University has awarded honorary doctorates to fifty extraordinary personalities for their contribution to knowledge, the development of society, and the dissemination of humanistic values. At the suggestion of the Faculty of Law, these were Simon Wiesenthal, Willibald Posch, Vladislav David, and Otakar Motejl. An overview of all UP honorary doctors is available on the university's website.

Karel Eliáš

In 1979, he graduated from the Faculty of Law at Charles University in Prague. In 1996, he completed his doctoral studies in commercial law at the Faculty of Law in Brno. He habilitated at the same faculty. In 2002, he was appointed professor of commercial law.

After graduating, Professor Karel Eliáš worked as a corporate lawyer. In 1991, he became a researcher at the Institute of State and Law of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences. He then taught at the Faculty of Law of the University of West Bohemia in Plzeň, where he headed the Department of Commercial Law, later Private Law, and subsequently served as Vice-Dean for Science and Research. Since 2016, he has been teaching at the Faculty of Law of Trnava University in Trnava.

He is a long-standing member of the Scholarly Board of the Faculty of Law at Palacký University. He serves on the disciplinary council of its doctoral programme in Theoretical Legal Sciences.

In 2012, he was inducted into the Legal Hall of Fame by the legal community for his exceptional lifetime contribution to law.

The dreaded varroosis has long been one of the leading causes of bee colony deaths, destroying entire apiaries in some areas. This threatens honey production and the many years of work beekeepers have put into beekeeping. A new four-year project supported by the National Agency for Agricultural Research (NAZV) of the Ministry of Agriculture aims to change this situation. As part of the project, scientists will present new practical solutions for diagnosing and controlling varroosis. The results, which will help monitor, prevent, and treat this disease, will be used by beekeepers themselves and by the state administration. 

"Our project is currently in its initial phase. It was created in response to a call from the Ministry of Agriculture, which requested a professional proposal on how to modernise and replace the outdated system for investigating varroa mites in bee colonies. Our team has proposed an innovative solution that combines biological research, modern technology, science communication, and direct cooperation with beekeepers," said lead researcher Jiří Danihlík from the Department of Biochemistry at the Faculty of Science.

Incorporation of modern technologies

The current mandatory monitoring of varroosis in bee colonies is conducted in winter, which is not the most suitable period for the intensity of Varroa destructor mite reproduction. The new concept proposed by Olomouc scientists envisages more flexible monitoring throughout the year. Beekeepers will also be able to use smartphones for this purpose. A specially developed application will help beekeepers with diagnostics directly in the field. Experts will thus obtain more accurate data on the actual extent of infestation and new research findings on the development of the disease in years with different weather conditions. Satellite data will also be used to monitor developments, and the Department of Geoinformatics at the Faculty of Science will be involved in processing this data. Over the next four years, scientists will test how their proposed approach works in practice.

The research part of the project builds on the UP Faculty of Science's involvement in the international COLOSS monitoring programme. Since 2014, the local team has been systematically collecting data on bee colony deaths, treatment methods, foraging conditions and other symptoms observed in bee colonies. This has resulted in an extensive database, which scientists will now subject to detailed statistical analysis. "Colleagues from the Department of Mathematical Analysis and Applications of Mathematics will participate in this. The aim is to more accurately identify the factors that affect the health of bees and, at the same time, to determine suitable strategies for beekeeping," said Jiří Danihlík.

The project will connect research with practice

The project does not only involve laboratory research. It also includes workshops, conferences, educational videos, and practical guides that offer beekeepers clear, applicable procedures for protecting their colonies.

"Cooperation with practitioners will be key. Beekeepers will provide us with samples and field data and, in turn, gain access to the latest scientific findings. Our ambition is to create a modern, data-driven varroa monitoring system that will replace the model that has been in use for decades and will better reflect the reality of the current landscape and changing conditions," added Jiří Danihlík.

The project, entitled Innovative Solutions for the Diagnosis and Control of Varroosis as an Alternative to EpM300 in the Period of Onset Climate Change, will involve collaboration between the Faculty of Science of Palacký University under the leadership of Jiří Danihlík, the Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Brno, headed by Roman Hobza, and the Czech Agrifood Research Center (CARC), represented by Tomáš Erban.

Aurora's third open call from the European university network Aurora aims to connect scientists and higher education institutions across Europe. In addition to purely scientific projects, it now targets activities at the intersection of research and education. The total call budget has increased by nearly half to 240,000 euros. In the two previous rounds, seven projects involving UP received support; applications for this year's round can be submitted until April 17.

The third open call, Call for Incentive Research & Education Collaboration, from the Aurora alliance—which unites nine research-oriented European universities—responds to growing interest in international collaboration and the need for stronger integration of research and education. It supports the creation of new partnerships across the alliance and the development of activities with long-term impact, whether in science or education.

Emphasis on Linking Research and Teaching

A key novelty of this year's round is the opening of space for so-called "mixed incentive projects"—projects combining research and educational components. Aurora is responding to the current trend of strengthening research-based teaching and efforts to create international study opportunities closely tied to ongoing scientific activities.

Funding of up to 20,000 euros can continue to support both purely research projects and, newly, activities that connect academic teams and students, leading to the creation of future blended intensive programmes (BIP), micro-credentials, or joint programmes. A key criterion remains international collaboration involving at least three partner institutions from the Aurora alliance and alignment with its thematic priorities, such as sustainability, health, digital society, or social innovation.

Inspiration from Previous Rounds

In the calls from the previous two years, more than 90 high-quality projects were submitted in total, with sixteen receiving support. In 2024, UP was the coordinator of one project and participated as a partner in two others. Last year, four projects involving Palacký University succeeded. UP also contributed to organizing two summer schools and sent students on short-term internships.

Thematic Schools, Seminars, and Internships

In addition to research and combined projects, the call continues to support the organization of thematic summer or winter schools, for which up to 20,000 euros can be obtained. A new feature is intensive multi-day seminars, which can serve—thanks to funding of up to 10,000 euros—as a platform for meetings of academics and students, sharing know-how, and developing new project ideas. The third key activity of the call continues to target support for mobility for early-career researchers. Master's and PhD students, as well as postdocs, can receive funding for short-term internships of up to 3 months at one of the universities in the Aurora 2030 consortium.

How to Apply?

Complete information about the call, including details on project proposal requirements and the evaluation process, is available on Aurora's central website. The deadline for submitting proposals for the current call is April 17, 2026, at 12:00.