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2 Dec 2025, 8:43
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Newsletter for PhD students and Postdocs
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Dear PhD students and Postdocs,
the latest edition of our newsletter is here, filled with recent updates, useful tips, and exciting opportunities to explore. As the year draws to a close, we wish you a smooth and successful finish and a joyful Advent season.
Happy holidays, and may your 2026 projects progress smoothly, with fewer obstacles and plenty of meaningful results!
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Save the Date:
Advent Gathering (Lighting of the Christmas Tree) - Christmas-themed gathering of MUNI SCI students, employees and their kids. December 8, 2025, (16:30 - 18:00), Kotlářská – in front of the Dean’s office
NKC Workshop: Application of an Intersectional Perspective in Data Collection and Evaluation - December 9, 2025, (10:00 - 13:00), Vila Lanna, Praha. Held in Czech
Masaryk University Advent Concert - December 10, 2025, (19:30 – 20:45), Bazilika Nanebevzetí Panny Marie, Mendlovo nám. 157/1, Brno
Webinar on Fulbright Scholarships - December 12, 2025, (15:00). Registration needed. Online, held in Czech.
Novel Insights in Ethylene-related Metabolism and its Role in Plant Stress - Life Sciences Seminar with Dominique Van Der Straeten. December 11, 2025, (16:00). UCB, B11/132
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Vice-Rector for Science and Research Honoured Excellent Doctoral Students
Text: Ema Marušáková, Lucia Legerská Photo: Martin Indruch
On Thursday, November 6, 36 doctoral students and their supervisors or consultants received the Vice-Rector for Research Award for excellent results in doctoral studies at Masaryk University. Ten doctoral students and their supervisors from our faculty were honoured – we congratulate them all!
The awards were presented by Vice-Rector for Research and Doctoral Studies Šárka Pospíšilová to those who were selected based on the successful completion of their doctoral studies within the standard four-year period, extended by no more than one year, and for achieving high-quality research results included in their dissertations. The award, first given in 2021, aims to motivate doctoral students to complete their studies on time and to achieve outstanding research outcomes. Read the article and find out which of our graduates received the award.
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Call for Access to EDUC Research Infrastructures is Now Open 🔬
We are pleased to announce that the call for access to research infrastructures within the EDUC Alliance is now open! If you are a Early-stage researcher, this is your opportunity to apply for access to state-of-the-art research facilities.🧪 The call supports cross-border projects making use of core facilities offered by EDUC partners. Whether your work involves advanced microscopy, genomics, experimental social science, computational modelling, or other methods — these infrastructures are available to support high-quality, interdisciplinary research. More info about the call. Sign up on the EDUC OpenUp platform and submit your application through the online form.
We encourage all interested candidates to prepare and submit their project proposals. This is a unique chance to collaborate across institutions, access top-tier infrastructure, and elevate your research output. For detailed information about eligible infrastructures, application procedure and deadlines, please visit the EDUC OpenUp portal.
Call deadline: February 27, 2026 (12:00)
Project deadline: November 15, 2026
 Don’t miss this chance to explore new possibilities and make the most of top-tier research resources!
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A Hot Tip for Students (Literally!)
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Heading to the Christmas Markets? This Might Come in Handy!
During Advent time in Brno, a visit to the Christmas markets is a must, as they are sure to put you in the festive spirit. Moreover, Zahřívárna u Louskáčka and Ježíšek’s Bar at Dominikánské Square have pepared a special offer on mulled wine for students upon presentation of an ISIC card!
The offer is valid until 23 December 2025. Come warm up and enjoy the pre-Christmas atmosphere!
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Brno PhD Talent: Behind the Scene
The Brno PhD Talent competition, which we previously introduced in the ESR Newsletter, is now in full swing! The top 50 projects have been selected, and on December 12, 2025, the 25 winning proposals will be announced. Each winner will automatically receive CZK 300,000 in total over three years to support their research.
The 2025 edition set a new record for participation, including remarkable results from our faculty. Here are a few behind-the-scenes insights as a teaser ahead of the December announcement:
This year, a record 155 applications were submitted! From Masaryk University, 87 applications came in, including 51 from the Faculty of Science. Interestingly, women slightly outnumber men among the applicants.
🏆 On December 12, we are keeping our fingers crossed for our doctoral students!
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Boost your Career: EDUC Fellowships Are Now Open!
We would like to inform you about the launch of the EDUC Fellowships under the European project EDUC-WIDE - a unique chance to take your research abroad and enhance your career!
The programme offers:
 1–3-month research stays at an EDUC university (or, where relevant, another university or affiliated research institution),
Eligibility for researchers at all career stages (R1–R4),
Covered expenses: travel, accommodation, and subsistence (we recommend using the Erasmus calculator for estimating costs).
Applications are open from December 1, 2025, via Openup.
A rolling call will remain open until the available budget is exhausted, or until November 1, 2026, whichever comes first. It is therefore not advisable to linger with your application!
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The Jiřina Michlová Award
All active PhD students and graduates who defended their doctoral thesis no more than a year ago can now apply for the Jiřina Michlová Award, organised by the Learned Society of the Czech Republic. Students can apply for the competition with one original paper (not a collection of papers) in Czech or English language, submitted via e-mail ucena.spol@kav.cas.cz, using a single PDF containing the following sections:
- the submitted work (it can be a professional article, a student paper or a study created exclusively for the prize)
- a popularisation text based on the attached original work; shorter texts should be written as if they were intended for, for example, the journal Vesmír
- a scanned PDF of an assessment of the work by an expert in the field, such as a supervisor, with their signature and identifying details, which also describes the student's contribution to the work submitted.
The evaluation criteria are originality and the student's contribution to the submitted research work. The deadline for applications is January 31, 2026. The award ceremony will take place at the General Assembly of the Learned Society of the Czech Republic. More info in Czech on the web.
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📣Dean's Award
We are pleased to announce the opportunity to participate in the Dean’s Award, which aims to recognise and support outstanding doctoral students in their studies and research. Nominations must be submitted by the director of your department. Each department can normally nominate one candidate; exceptionally, larger departments may nominate up to two PhD students or recent PhD graduates. Nominations should include a brief evaluation of the candidate, highlighting their research output, academic achievements, and notable contributions to their field. More details are available on the Faculty website.
Nominations can be submitted in the following categories:
Best doctoral student
Outstanding student collective
Nominations have to be sent to Michaela Švestková by March 31, 2026 latest.
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The Embo Gold Medal
Each year, the European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO) awards a gold medal to young life scientists who are currently working in one of the EMBC member countries. Eligible nominees must be under 40 or within 10 years of having obtained their PhD or equivalent. Additionally, they must have at least one major original paper published. The winner of the EMBO Gold Medal will receive a medal and a scholarship of EUR 10,000. This award aims to enhance the success rate and promote excellent PhD students, striving to increase the number of PhD candidates who complete their studies within the standard timeframe (which may be extended by one year) and achieve outstanding results in their dissertation. To be considered for the award, a nomination must be supported by one proposer (an EMBO member or an EMBO Young Investigator) and two sponsors (both EMBO members). It is highly advisable to submit your nomination for support from the Rector. More info can be found on the website.
The deadline for submitting nominations with the support of the MU Rector is January 6, 2026, and nominations should be sent to Michaela Švestková. The final deadline for all nominations is February 1, 2026.
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🚀 AI Workshops for Early-Stage Researchers
At the end of November, we hosted a series of hands-on AI workshops tailored for Early-stage researchers — and the feedback has been fantastic! Thank you to everyone who participated!
If you missed any of the sessions, you can watch the lecture recordings on our website.
Due to high demand, we’re already preparing a new round of workshops for the beginning of next year, which will also be offered in English .
Stay tuned and keep an eye on our newsletter so you don’t miss registration!
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Are You Searchig for a Way to Boost your Research Skills in 2026? EMBL Has You Covered!
The European Molecular Biology Laboratory is launching a series of exceptional courses tailored for PhD students seeking to advance in genomics, bioinformatics, microscopy, and related fields — all led by top scientists who are experts in their craft.
You’ll gain practical experience, meet inspiring colleagues from across the globe, and pick up insights that can genuinely move your project forward. In the year ahead, we’re diving into new topics like"Sex differences in health and disease", "Collectivity in living systems: emergence, function, and evolution", and "Brillouin microscopy for life science applications". At the same time, popular events such as "AI and biology", "Transcription and chromatin", and "DNA replication and genome maintenance" return with fresh insights and new faces. Ready to be part of it?
One of these courses might be exactly what your PhD needs. Check them all!
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Got an Idea? Turn it Into Something Big!
Masaryk University invites all PhD students - bold thinkers — to join the Start Your Business competition! If you’ve ever thought, “This could actually work…”, now’s your chance to prove it. Send in a short pitch video along with a simple cash-flow plan. The most promising ideas will move on to the finals, where you’ll receive mentoring, sharpen your business strategy, and pitch to a professional jury. The best projects will share CZK 280,000 to further develop their concept. Maybe this could be your opportunity to get expert feedback, grow your skills, and compete for support to turn your concept into reality. Participate solo or in a team of up to four — if you’re driven, you’re welcome!
Learn more and apply here. Your idea deserves a spotlight.
Deadline for submission: January 16, 2026.
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Fancy Going to the USA? Sign up For the Webinar and Increase your Chances!
Would you like to take your doctoral research abroad next year? The Fulbright Commission offers fully funded research stays in the United States, and an online webinar on December 12 at 15:00 will guide you through the entire application process. You’ll learn what the scholarship covers, how to structure a strong application, and you’ll have space to ask any questions directly to the programme coordinator. More info about stipend.
The application deadline for research stays lasting 4–9 months in the 2026/27 academic year is February 1, 2026.
Register here!
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Sites we recommend to follow:
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Distributed by:
Office for Doctoral Studies, Quality, Academic Affairs and Internationalization (noskova@sci.muni.cz)
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Type of stay: Placement abroad
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