Bláha: ‘I want to teach the faculty to support success’¨

The election for the position of Dean of the Faculty of Science at Masaryk University took place on 20 October 2025. Senators chose from three candidates to succeed Tomáš Kašparovský, whose second term was coming to an end. Luděk Bláha ultimately won the necessary majority of votes in a two-round election.

“I believe good international visibility is achieved primarily through prominent personalities”.

You first ran for dean against Tomáš Kašparovský eight years ago, after which you became part of the faculty's leadership team. What did you learn from that period which you now apply to your role as dean?

With a little exaggeration, I would say that I have become a little humbler and have realised that it will never be ‘Bláha's world’. Seriously though, I realised that the university is a huge institution which, although it doesn't function like a corporation, still has to adhere to lots of rules. I found that academic self-government does not speed up processes because things have to be discussed thoroughly, but it does provide important feedback to senior staff and acts as a brake, reminding them that the university is not just about their personal ideas and decisions. In summary, I have learned that it is better to reach a consensus and that gradually convincing people of what I consider important is more beneficial than simply presenting specific solutions without a thorough explanation.

During the debates before your election, it was said that the faculty lacked a comprehensive strategy. What is your perception of this, and what strategy would you like to implement?

The Faculty of Science has a very diverse structure, with some departments larger than entire faculties, while others have only a few dozen employees. It is unrealistic to expect large departments to act on our instructions, and I respect the independence of our departmental management teams. Nevertheless, we all need to move in the same direction within the faculty. The faculty's strategy must be based on a consensus about our long-term goals. For me, this means ensuring, above all, that we have strong and respected leaders in our five core teaching and research areas. I also want us to acknowledge clearly and dispassionately that some parts of the faculty are naturally more focused on teaching, while others are more focused on cutting-edge scientific performance. We must agree that both of these areas are key to the functioning of the faculty and that neither is superior to the other.

How will the differentiation of roles be reflected in the work of academic staff?

It is unrealistic to expect every associate professor and professor to excel in all areas: conducting great science, securing substantial grants, leading a large group, teaching and serving on various committees. I would therefore like to initiate a targeted debate within the departments about the possibility of having individuals who specialise in science and drive research, passing on the latest knowledge to their colleagues and students, as well as individuals who are dedicated to high-quality teaching. It is important to understand that this arrangement would benefit everyone.

After your election, you said that you wanted to raise the international profile of the faculty. How do you intend to achieve this?

I believe that good international visibility is achieved primarily through prominent personalities. As I said, we need one or two strong leaders in each field who are recognised internationally. It's not just about publishing in prestigious journals — I think we can all manage that — but rather we should have faculty members who are invited by foreign colleagues to conferences and collaborations, and who attract talented colleagues to Brno with their strong personalities.

How do you plan to find these people?

Finding them is, of course, no easy task. However, I would like to emphasise one more necessary condition for achieving this goal. First and foremost, we must rid ourselves of the provincial mindset that strong personalities will harm us or take our positions and money away from us. On the contrary, we must realise that these people drive progress and encourage others to do the same. My goal is therefore to create an environment at the faculty where such leaders are welcome, and where they have excellent conditions for conducting their research and educating younger colleagues.

You also mentioned the need to improve the attitude of the faculty towards the rector’s office. In what ways specifically?

I think we need to change the faculty's rather reserved mindset, where we often have our noses a little bit in the air and consider the rector's office to be nothing more than a burden. This attitude is counterproductive and only creates unnecessary barriers. Thanks to my work on reforms to doctoral studies across the university in recent years, among other things, I have come to understand that centralisation in a number of areas is a great advantage for our university, one that many envy us for. As an example, I would mention the information system or the well-established uniform standards. I would like to encourage the faculty to recognise that the rector's office is not an obstacle to development, but rather a valuable resource within a larger university framework, providing support when both parties adopt a positive approach.

Could you introduce the vice deans that you plan to work with over the next few years?

Intensive negotiations took place after my election. I am glad that I can now count on the support of a team of eight vice deans. The current dean, biochemist Tomáš Kašparovský, will become vice dean for development, while biologist Pavel Lízal will remain vice dean for undergraduate studies. I want to discuss the other six names, which are all 'new', with the academic senate first. I am looking forward to working with two new vice deans from the chemistry and geology departments, who will be responsible for teacher training and social issues. I am also looking forward to the fresh perspective that four new male vice deans from the biology and physics departments will bring to education, science, doctoral studies and internationalisation.

Now, let's return to your professional experience. You studied microbiology at Masaryk University, and you now work at the RECETOX centre as an environmental toxicologist. What led you to a career in science?

I wanted to be a scientist from a young age, as I have always loved nature. I tried to read everything that was available at the end of the socialist era. I gradually ended up studying biology, and then, pragmatically, decided on microbiology because I knew I could find a practical application for it if a career in science didn't work out. During my studies, I met Professor Damborský, who become my thesis supervisor and confirmed my decision to pursue a career in science.

What is your role at RECETOX, and how has it helped you in your roles as vice-dean and now dean?

I coordinate one of the five major research programmes at the RECETOX centre that ensure implementation of ongoing strategic projects. These projects involve about 40 people. At the same time, I am also in charge of my own research group of 15 people. We are working on several projects, including some funded through EU grants. As such, I have already gained experience in management and coordination, and my role as vice-dean has given me a realistic view of what can be achieved in a university environment.

The question arises as to how your new position as Dean will affect your scientific work.

I anticipate that it will have a significant impact. However, I enjoy trying new things. When our team achieves success in a particular area, I am happy to hand it over to younger colleagues. At RECETOX, I have the support of an excellent team where colleagues take over and independently implement ongoing projects. Although I will have to reduce the time I devote to scientific work, I believe I can manage a large team meeting once a month and a meeting with each student every two weeks.