Habilitation Procedure and Procedure to Attain Professorship

Applicants for initiation of the procedure demonstrate:

• pedagogical experience with leading semester-long courses
• experience with supervising Bachelor’s, Master’s and doctoral students
• international experience and impact independence in securing and implementation of own research activities
• overall publishing performance, high-quality scientific output and international response

• major contribution to scientific publications

Meeting the field-specific indicators may not be interpreted as claimable. The habilitation or evaluation committee always individually assesses the comprehensive profile of the applicant. Higher values in individual indicators than those specified in the indicative table may be required depending on the particular sub-field. The committee also individually assesses situations when the applicant displays lower values in certain indicators, which are, however, balanced out by a better profile in other parameters.

Before preparation of the procedure initiation proposal, a consultation with the Vice-Dean for Research and Development is recommended.

Administrative support – Ing. Lucie Janíčková, Head of the Department for Doctoral Studies, Quality, Academic Matters and Internalisation (l.janickova@sci.muni.cz, tel. 54949 1406).

Expected pedagogical and professional experience

Habilitation

• > 5 years of active pedagogical practice at higher education institutions

• Teaching a semester-long course (at least a seminar, tutorial, etc.)
• Independent grant activity with potential to obtain extramural research funding
• Supervision of successfully defended Bachelor’s and Master’s theses (the expected numbers vary by field and are assessed by the evaluation committee)
• Significant international experience, usually an international postdoctoral stay

Procedure to attain professorship

• Usually 10 years of active pedagogical practice at higher education institutions
• Guaranteeing and leading a lecture or other important semester-long course
• Supervision of doctoral students and successfully defended doctoral theses (the expected numbers vary by field and are assessed by the evaluation committee)
• Leading a research or grant group, independent grant activity
• Significant and independent international experience

Table – indicative requirements (first number – habilitation / second number – professorship appointment). Please note that higher indicators may be expected at individual sub-areas.

The applicant shall submit a written habilitation procedure initiation proposal based on the form according to the Rector’s Guideline No. 7/2017 to the Dean through the Department for Doctoral Studies, Quality, Academic Matters and Internalisation.

The procedure is initiated on the day of its discussion at the nearest Dean’s Board at the Faculty of Science of Masaryk University after the submission of the proposal.

Subsequently, the Dean asks the head of the department functioning as the guaranteeing department of the relevant field within which the proposal has been submitted for a nomination of committee members.

The head of the department sends a list of nominees for the committee pursuant to the requirement set out in Guideline No. 7/2017 including contact and e-mail addresses and dates of birth (personal information is necessary for further formal steps and administration of the procedure in the INET system).

The list of nominated members of the committee is presented for approval at the nearest meeting of the Scientific Board and the committee is then appointed.

Upon appointment, the committee chairperson receives an e-mail with details of procedure and with the relevant forms.

The remuneration for preparation of a review of a habilitation thesis is determined at CZK 2,000 (from the Faculty account 1111) and is paid on the basis of an innominate contract. Administrative preparation of this contract is handled by an authorised employee of the department under which the procedure belongs.

Further work of the committee is fully managed by the chairperson of the committee.

The habilitation committee submits the following to the Scientific Board of the Faculty of Science of Masaryk University:

• All materials submitted by the applicant
• Reviews of the habilitation thesis with original signatures (at least one counterpart) - Annex 11 to the Masaryk University Guideline No. 7/2017
• Evaluation of the lecture before the professional public – Annex 12 to Masaryk University Guideline No. 7/2017
• The opinion of the habilitation committee on the proposal for appointment of associate professor using the appropriate form – Annex 13 to the Masaryk University Guideline No. 7/2017

Further, the chairperson of the committee prepares a description of the applicant’s professional characteristics in the length of 1 x A4. This document is used in further proceedings.

Reviews, report and the opinion of the committee are always submitted with original signatures of the participants. In case of electronic voting, the statement of the committee generated from the INET and signed by the chairperson of the committee is submitted.  After discussion at the Scientific Board of the Faculty of Science, the proposal for appointment is signed by the Dean.

Course of the habilitation procedure conducted before the Scientific Board of the Faculty of Science of Masaryk University

• The Dean or the authorised Vice-Dean chairing the procedure briefly introduces the applicant.
• The applicant gives a 20-minute lecture which summarises the results of the presented thesis and puts it in context of development within the field.
• The reviewers give their reports on the evaluated thesis; in case the reviewers are not present for the discussion, the chairperson of the committee familiarises the members of the Scientific Board with the reviews.
• The applicant responds to the comments of the reviewers.
• In the subsequent public debate, the applicant answers questions from the plenary.
• The chairperson of the committee acquaints the members of the Scientific Board with the opinion of the committee and with the evaluation of the lecture; the recommended length is approximately 10 minutes.
• A non-public discussion of the Scientific Board follows.
• The members of the Scientific Board vote secretly on whether the proposal for appointment of associate professor shall proceed or whether the procedure shall be terminated.
• The Dean notifies the applicant of the results of voting.

Recommendations for applicants regarding the habilitation lecture before the Scientific Board of the Faculty of Science

The lecture has a fixed length (20 minutes) which should not be exceeded. The lecture should include a general introduction to the topic for a wider range of listeners from various fields, the body, and a conclusion, in which the applicant introduces their plans for future scientific and pedagogical activities. The applicant should also pay special attention to the visual presentation, the use of illustrative images, schemes etc., that contribute to proving their pedagogical qualities to the Scientific Board.

The evaluation committee on the appointment of professors submits to the Scientific Board of the Faculty of Science of Masaryk University:

• All materials submitted by the applicant
• A report from the meeting of the committee
• Evaluation of a lecture before the professional public – Annex 12 to Masaryk University Guideline No. 7/2017
• Opinion of the committee on the proposal for appointment of a professor - Annex 14 to Masaryk University Guideline No. 7/2017

Further, the chairperson of the committee prepares a description of the applicant’s professional characteristics in the length of 1 x A4. This document is used in further proceedings.

Annexes 12 and 14 are submitted in three counterparts, always with original signatures of the participants. The committee votes on its opinion electronically. The report from the INET app is only signed by the chairperson of the committee. After discussion at the Scientific Board of the Faculty of Science, the proposal for appointment is signed by the Dean.

The course of the procedure to attain professorship before the Faculty Scientific Board

• The Dean or the authorised Vice-Dean chairing the procedure briefly introduces the applicant.
• The applicant gives a 20-minute lecture on a topic selected by the committee from the three topics proposed by the applicant.
• In the subsequent public debate, the applicant answers questions from the plenary.
• The chairperson of the committee acquaints the members of the Faculty Scientific Board with the opinion of the committee and with the evaluation of the lecture; the recommended length is approximately 10 minutes.
• A non-public discussion of the Faculty Scientific Board follows.
• The members of the Scientific Board vote secretly on whether to submit the proposal for appointment of a professor to the Scientific Board of Masaryk University or whether to terminate the procedure.
• The Dean notifies the applicant of the results of voting.

Recommendations for applicants regarding the habilitation lecture before the Scientific Board of the Faculty of Science of Masaryk University

The lecture has a fixed length (20 minutes) which should not be exceeded. The lecture should include the concept of the scientific work and teaching within the given field, as well as information on one’s own contributions to development of the scientific discipline on an international scale. The lecture should include a general introduction to the topic for a wider range of listeners from various fields, the body, and a general conclusion, in which the applicant introduces their plans for future scientific and pedagogical activities. The applicant should also pay special attention to the visual presentation, the use of illustrative images, schemes etc., that contribute to proving their pedagogical qualities to the Scientific Board.