Habilitation and Professor Appointment Procedure
Habilitation and professor appointment procedures at the Faculty of Science of Masaryk University are subject to MU Directive No. 7/2017. The Faculty of Science offers nearly 30 fields of habilitation procedure and over 25 fields of procedure for appointment as professor. Information on ongoing habilitation procedures can be found here, and you can view the ongoing professor appointment procedures at the MU Faculty of Science here.
All the information needed to start the qualification procedure can be found below together with information about its process. Before submitting an application, it is necessary to review all the information, i.e., the indicative criteria for applicants, the application procedure, and the course of qualification procedures at the Faculty of Science.
Important links
Indicative criteria for applicants
Applicants 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 one's research activities
- Overall publishing performance, high-quality scientific output, and international response
-
Major contribution to scientific publications
Before preparing an application for the initiation of the procedure, consultation with the director of the relevant institute or the Vice-Dean for Science and Research of the MU Faculty of Science is recommended. Consultation is also advisable if the expected pedagogical and professional experience do not match the applicant's actual experience.
Meeting the field-specific indicators may not be interpreted as claimable. The board 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 board 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.
Expected pedagogical and professional experience
Habilitation procedure
- More than 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 the 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 habilitation board)
- Significant international experience, usually an international postdoctoral stay
Professor appointment procedure
- 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 board)
- Leading a research or grant group, independent grant activity
- Significant and independent international experience
Expected field-specific requirements for research activity
Table – indicative requirements (1st number – habilitation procedure / 2nd number – professor appointment procedure). Please note that higher indicators may be expected at individual sub-areas.
High-quality research outcomes with a major contribution of the applicant (i.e. typically main or corresponding author*) |
Original publications (regular articles) in WoS |
International peer-review publications (in total) |
Citations (without self-citations) in WoS** |
|
Geography, Geology, Anthropology |
2 / 6 |
6 / 15 |
20 / 40 |
15 / 30 |
Biology, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Life Sciences, Environmental Health Science |
5 / 20 |
15 / 40 |
n/a |
100 / 200 |
Mathematics |
2 / 6 |
6 / 15 |
15 / 30 |
10 / 30 |
Physics |
5 / 10 |
15 / 40 |
n/a |
60 / 200 |
*original publications in journals above the median of the field according to WoS, monographs
**other citations may exceptionally be accepted for specific sub-areas
How to submit an application
- Before submitting the application, please consult your intention with the head of the relevant department. If you don't meet the indicative criteria for applicants, please consult the Vice Dean for Research.
- If you are applying for the habilitation procedure, write your habilitation thesis according to the conditions specified in Section 5 of the MU Directive No. 7/2017. The most important information can be found below.
- If you completed your doctoral education abroad, it is necessary to nostrify it.
- If you obtained your academic degree (associate professor, professor) abroad, you need to confirm whether the Czech Republic considers it equivalent.
- Fill in the faculty annex and all annexes according to the Directive. Please read the section "What to pay attention to" carefully.
- Send the completed annexes in Word by e-mail to the assistant and attach the habilitation thesis, three significant publications, and university diplomas. In the case of a professor appointment procedure, replace the thesis with two letters of recommendation of (preferably foreign) professors.
- The assistant will check the annexes and put them in the correct form together with you.
- Once the annexes are in order, print them, sign them and send their scans to the assistant by e-mail.
- Annexes must be structured in individual files: one attachment = one file.
- Please name the forms "Surname_Annex 1" etc.
- Subsequently, deliver all the necessary documents to the department.
FACULTY ANNEX ANNEXES BY DIRECTIVE
- The habilitation thesis is primarily submitted in electronic form. The possible number of printed copies is later determined by the habilitation board according to its needs, resp. according to the requirements of opponents. If the electronic version of the thesis is sufficient for the assessment, it is not necessary to submit the habilitation thesis in printed form.
- ATTENTION! In the case of licensing restrictions on already published articles or book chapters, the applicant must indicate this fact in Annex 1 and indicate the extent of the restrictions on the publication of the habilitation thesis. If the entire habilitation thesis cannot be published, the applicant should submit (1) the full version of the thesis, which will be stored as non-public, and (2) a version with selected parts of the thesis that can be published.
- ATTENTION! There are several types of habilitation thesis. Section 5 of the MU Directive specifies the requirements for each type of thesis. For reference, we list the requirements of the most common type of thesis, the collection of previously published scholarly works:
- It consists of already published works! It is not possible to include scientific papers that have not yet been officially published, or preprints, discussions, reviews, conference papers. Postprints or early access articles can be part of the thesis.
- It contains a so-called commentary. The commentary is in English and, like the abstract, it should briefly (1–2 pages) present what the applicant has done in the habilitation thesis, what the main aims and results are, what methods were used, etc. In the case of articles with co-authors, it is important to include the applicant’s contribution in terms of both quality and content.
- An example of a possible commentary structure can be found in the qualification procedure of one of the applicants, the template can be downloaded here.
All annexes
- Fill in the annexes in English, BUT do not translate (1) academic degrees obtaines – indicate in the form as in appears on your diplomas, (2) records of publications that have been published in Czech or another language and do not have an English equivalent.
- Sort records (employment, study, publications) chronologically from newest to oldest.
- Each entry (publication, article) must always be listed only once – if it falls into more than one category or annex, select only one.
- List all authors in bibliographic records (do not use the abbreviation "et al.") and always state the title of the article.
- Do not delete anything from the forms. In case you do not use the section/table, leave it blank.
Annexes No. 1, 2 and 3
- List the abbreviations of your degrees exactly as they appear on your diplomas (do not translate into Czech etc.).
- Do not forget to fill in the field in which the appointment is being sought according to how it is officially determined: Fields of study of the habilitation / professorship procedure.
Annex No. 4
- You can generate your teaching activity from the IS MU (in Czech).
Annex No. 5
- List all publications and citations that are relevant to the field.
- Only results marked with the type "article", "review" or "letter" can be included in the Original research article category.
- Scientific and pedagogical results that have not yet been published (preprints, postprints) can only be listed under the category Other works considered important by the applicant.
- The bibliographical record must be in the language in which the publication was published. The English translation should be in brackets.
- For all entries, indicate the quartile of the journal in the year of publication according to AIS/SJR.
- You need to indicate at the beginning of the annex whether or not you are including self-citations.
- List each citation only once. It's all right to list the same citation several times only if it applies to different results, and it means that the author of the citation cited several different results of yours in his one work.
- In case you have a high publication and citation activity, you can replace Annex 6 (resp. part A of the annex) in one of two ways, by:
- a citation analysis prepared by the Center for Scientometric Support and Evaluation,
- a generated list of citations from WoS or Scopus.
In either case, please contact the assistant.
Annex No. 7
- If you don't have a citation analysis: the field Citations – international databases contains the sum of citations from WoS and Scopus databases. Other citations are listed in Citations – other.
- If you do have a citation analysis: enter the number taken from section 3. Citation Impact – Web of Science in the Summary Metrics table. You can select the data from either the Web of Science or Scopus. You can enter the number of citations with self-citations, but then you need to fill in the share of self-citations. If you do not want to list self-citations, enter the number of citations without self-citations and leave the share of self-citations blank. Citations from databases other than WoS and Scopus are listed in Citations – other.
- In the Additional comments on publication activities section, it is possible to list anything that has not yet been mentioned in other annexes.
The applicant will bring to the department
In the case of a habilitation procedure
- Originals of all annexes
- Certified copies of university diplomas and relevant annexes (final state examination certificate, diploma supplement, etc.) documenting the completion of higher education and obtained academic degrees
- A certified copy may constitute a notarized copy, a copy certified by a registry office, or a statement issued by an authorized employee of the department. Therefore, if you do not have certified copies of the diplomas, just include a copy in the file and bring the original diplomas with you to the department – the assistant will compare the copies to the originals which will then be stamped and signed.
- Sort materials according to the guidelines of the directive: Annex 2, Annex 3, diplomas, Annexes 4–9.
- Print the documents in colour, double-sided, and place them in a folder.
In the case of a professor appointment procedure
- Originals of annexes
- Certified copies of university diplomas and relevant annexes (final state examination certificate, diploma supplement, etc.) documenting the completion of higher education and obtained academic degrees
- Two letters of recommendation of (preferably foreign) professors
- Two copies of Annex No. 3, and one copy of Annexes No. 4, 5, and 9
- A certified copy may constitute a notarized copy, a copy certified by a registry office, or a statement issued by an authorized employee of the department. If you do not have certified copies of the diplomas, just include a copy in the file and bring the original diplomas with you to the department – the assistant will compare the copies to the originals, which will then be stamped and signed.
- The letters of recommendation should ideally come from foreign professors in the same or a related field, or from experts who hold a comparable position to a Czech "professor" abroad. A foreign expert means a person of foreign nationality (with the exception of citizens of Slovakia) not permanently working in the Czech Republic. In exceptional cases, a Czech or Slovak citizen who has not been working in the Czech Republic or Slovakia for over 10 years may be considered a foreign expert. In case these letters of recommendation are written in a language other than English, the applicant shall also provide a certified translation into English. The letters of recommendation must be drawn up for the specific procedure.
- Sort materials according to the guidelines of the directive: Annex 2, letters of recommendation, Annex 3, diplomas, Annexes 4–9.
- Print the documents in colour, double-sided, and place them in a folder.
Applicants submit all materials to the Office for Doctoral Studies, Quality, Academic Affairs, and Internationalization after consultation with Mrs. Procházková.
Nostrification of foreign doctoral education
- If you completed your doctoral education abroad, it is necessary to have this education nostrified (recognized) at the Research & Development Office of the MU Rector's Office.
- It is advisable to start the nostrification process while filling out the annexes.
- All information on how to nostrify your foreign education can be found here.
- Education from Hungary, Poland, Slovenia and also Slovakia is recognized as equivalent and diploma holders can use them directly in the Czech Republic without the need for recognition.
- The proof of recognition of equivalent foreign education should be attached to the copies of the diplomas in your file. Bring the original with you to the department, against which the copy will be compared and officially certified.
Equivalence agreements: the ranks of associate professor and professor
- If the Czech Republic has an equivalence agreement enshrining the equality of titles and ranks, then scientific ranks are automatically recognized as equivalent.
- However, if there is no equivalence agreement, the ranks cannot be recognized as equivalent to Czech ranks.
- The Czech Republic has an equivalence agreement with the following countries:
- Poland – equivalence of ranks and titles of associate professor and professor
- Slovakia – equivalence of ranks and titles of associate professor and professor only until 28/3/2015
- Germany – equivalence of the qualification of associate professor only
- Hungary and Slovenia – does not apply to the titles of associate professor and professor
Updating the annexes
You may update the annexes – with the exception of public lecture proposals in Annex 1 or 2 – at any time during the procedure, but always in such a manner so that such annexes are made available to all other parties participating in the procedure (i.e., habilitation board and scientific board members) no later than 5 workdays prior to their evaluation. Each updated document must include the current date and your signature. Both electronic and physical versions of this document are required.
Information on the process of the procedures
Public lecture
The public lecture takes place after the habilitation/evaluation board (and the opponents) was appointed. However, its date has nothing to do with the work of the opponents, it can take place in parallel. The topic of the public lecture will be selected by the board from the three proposals of the applicant listed in Annex 1. All communication regarding this event is agreed upon between the applicant and the chairman of the board.
Information about the lecture is usually published on the institute's website so that interested members of the public can attend. The lecture must be attended by at least 3 members of the board so that it can be evaluated in writing. It is always necessary to create an attendance list of all present listeners from the event.
Public Lecture Evaluation form
Scientific Board of the MU Faculty of Science
Once all the necessary steps have been taken in the given procedure, it is possible to forward the application to the Scientific Board of the faculty. The meeting shall be attended by the applicant, members of the Scientific Board, the Chairman of the Board, and eventually the public (guests).
The procedure is initiated by the chairman, who briefly introduces the applicant and provides summary information on the board's vote. This is followed by a lecture provided by the applicant, which lasts 15 minutes and during which the applicant should prove his scientific and pedagogical competence in the field.
After the lecture, in the case of the habilitation procedure, the chairman comments on the opponents' reviews and selects up to two questions from their reviews, to which the applicant responds. Following is a discussion in which the members of the Scientific Board ask questions to the applicant.
After a public debate, there is a non-public discussion between Scientific Board members which ends with a secret ballot. The Dean announces the result of the vote to the applicant – the proposal is either forwarded, or the procedure is terminated.
If an employee of the Faculty of Science MU applies for habilitation or professor appointment procedure outside MU and needs to provide evidence of their teaching activities, they can generate it from the Information System (in Czech). If the university at which the procedure is being held requires confirmation of this document, please contact the Head of the Personnel Office (Human Resources) at the Faculty of Science MU.
In exceptional cases, if a statement from the Dean is required, contact Mrs. Jana Procházková.
Name | MU Faculty | field of study | Started |
---|---|---|---|
Mgr. Danuše Tarkowská, Ph.D. | Faculty of Science | Analytical Biochemistry | 18 Sep 2023 |
Mgr. Jan Roleček, Ph.D. | Faculty of Science | Botany | 14 Sep 2023 |
Mgr. Ondřej Caha, Ph.D. | Faculty of Science | Condensed Matter Physics | 24 Aug 2023 |
Mgr. Jaroslav Hnilica, Ph.D. | Faculty of Science | Physics of Plasma | 21 Jun 2023 |
field of study | MU Faculty | Accreditation expiry date |
---|---|---|
Analytical Biochemistry | Faculty of Science | 6/24/2033 |
Analytical Chemistry | Faculty of Science | 3/29/2033 |
Animal Physiology | Faculty of Science | 11/30/2023 |
Anthropology | Faculty of Science | 10/13/2030 |
Biochemistry | Faculty of Science | 6/24/2033 |
Biomolecular Chemistry | Faculty of Science | 11/30/2023 |
Biomolecular Chemistry and Structural Biology | Faculty of Science | 6/24/2033 |
Botany | Faculty of Science | 5/3/2028 |
Cartography, Geoinformatics and Remote Sensing | Faculty of Science | 10/15/2029 |
Condensed Matter Physics | Faculty of Science | 3/29/2033 |
Ecology | Faculty of Science | 10/1/2033 |
Ecotoxicology | Faculty of Science | 11/30/2023 |
Environmental Health Sciences | Faculty of Science | 6/22/2031 |
Environmental Chemistry | Faculty of Science | 11/30/2023 |
Experimental animal biology | Faculty of Science | 6/30/2028 |
Genomics and Proteomics | Faculty of Science | 9/1/2030 |
Geology | Faculty of Science | 5/3/2028 |
Inorganic Chemistry | Faculty of Science | 10/15/2029 |
Mathematics - Algebra and Theory of Numbers | Faculty of Science | 3/29/2033 |
Mathematics - Applied Mathematics | Faculty of Science | 11/30/2023 |
Mathematics - Applied Mathematics | Faculty of Science | 6/24/2033 |
Mathematics - Geometry | Faculty of Science | 3/29/2033 |
Mathematics - Mathematical Analysis | Faculty of Science | 6/24/2033 |
Microbiology | Faculty of Science | 9/17/2029 |
Molecular Biology and Genetics | Faculty of Science | 6/30/2033 |
Organic Chemistry | Faculty of Science | 3/29/2033 |
Physical Geography | Faculty of Science | 3/29/2033 |
Physical Chemistry | Faculty of Science | 3/29/2033 |
Physics of Plasma | Faculty of Science | 3/29/2033 |
Plant Physiology | Faculty of Science | 11/30/2023 |
Social geography and regional development | Faculty of Science | 1/7/2030 |
Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics | Faculty of Science | 11/27/2029 |
Zoology | Faculty of Science | 6/24/2033 |
Name | MU Faculty | field of study | Started |
---|---|---|---|
doc. Ing. Vladimír Žlábek, Ph.D. | Faculty of Science | Environmental Health Sciences | 11 Sep 2023 |
doc. Mgr. Petr Hasil, Ph.D. | Faculty of Science | Mathematics - Mathematical Analysis | 30 Mar 2023 |
doc. Mgr. Petr Beneš, Ph.D. | Faculty of Science | Molecular Biology and Genetics | 23 Mar 2023 |
doc. RNDr. Eva Bártová, Ph.D., DSc. | Faculty of Science | Molecular Biology and Genetics | 23 Feb 2023 |
doc. RNDr. Slavomír Nehyba, Dr. | Faculty of Science | Geology | 31 Oct 2022 |
field of study | MU Faculty | Accreditation expiry date |
---|---|---|
Analytical Biochemistry | Faculty of Science | 6/24/2033 |
Analytical Chemistry | Faculty of Science | 3/29/2033 |
Animal Physiology | Faculty of Science | 11/30/2023 |
Anthropology | Faculty of Science | 10/13/2030 |
Biochemistry | Faculty of Science | 6/24/2033 |
Biomolecular Chemistry | Faculty of Science | 11/30/2023 |
Biomolecular Chemistry and Structural Biology | Faculty of Science | 6/24/2033 |
Botany | Faculty of Science | 5/3/2028 |
Cartography, Geoinformatics and Remote Sensing | Faculty of Science | 10/15/2029 |
Condensed Matter Physics | Faculty of Science | 3/29/2033 |
Ecology | Faculty of Science | 10/1/2033 |
Ecotoxicology | Faculty of Science | 11/30/2023 |
Environmental Health Sciences | Faculty of Science | 6/22/2031 |
Environmental Chemistry | Faculty of Science | 11/30/2023 |
Experimental animal biology | Faculty of Science | 6/30/2028 |
Genomics and Proteomics | Faculty of Science | 9/1/2030 |
Geology | Faculty of Science | 5/3/2028 |
Inorganic Chemistry | Faculty of Science | 10/15/2029 |
Mathematics - Algebra and Theory of Numbers | Faculty of Science | 3/29/2033 |
Mathematics - Applied Mathematics | Faculty of Science | 6/24/2033 |
Mathematics - Geometry | Faculty of Science | 3/29/2033 |
Mathematics - Mathematical Analysis | Faculty of Science | 6/24/2033 |
Microbiology | Faculty of Science | 9/17/2029 |
Molecular Biology and Genetics | Faculty of Science | 6/30/2033 |
Organic Chemistry | Faculty of Science | 3/29/2033 |
Physical Geography | Faculty of Science | 3/29/2033 |
Physical Chemistry | Faculty of Science | 3/29/2033 |
Physics of Plasma | Faculty of Science | 3/29/2033 |
Plant Physiology | Faculty of Science | 11/30/2023 |
Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics | Faculty of Science | 11/27/2029 |
Zoology | Faculty of Science | 6/24/2033 |
Professor emeritus
The status of professor emeritus may be obtained by a former employee of Masaryk University with the academic rank of professor who has made an outstanding contribution to the development of the University or its units through his or her lifelong teaching and scientific activities.
A professor emeritus is an honorary member of the MU academic community and the faculty with the right to contribute to the activities of MU, its faculties, and other institutes. They may play an active role in university life, primarily as consultants on conceptual issues and scholarly and scientific questions. Based on agreements with the faculty, department, or institute heads, a professor emeritus may also contribute to research activities or other activities, or conduct their own research.
The list of emeriti professors for the MU Faculty of Science can be found here.
Procedure for the appointment of professor emeritus
The procedure is regulated by MU Directive No. 5/2018 on Professor Emeritus Status (in Czech). The proposal for appointment shall be submitted by any academic staff member to the Head of the Department of the Faculty where the nominated professor worked. It is a written proposal that includes the nominee's personal data and a justification for the nomination of approximately one page of text; it is accompanied by the nominee's professional CV. The Head of the Department forwards the proposal to the Dean through the Department for Doctoral Studies, Quality, Academic Affairs and Internationalization of the MU Faculty of Science. In case of the Dean's approval, the proposal is submitted to the Scientific Board of the Faculty of Science for approval. The Dean then submits the proposal with the approval of the Scientific Board to the Rector for a decision.
The usual form of submitting the proposal to the Rector is a letter from the Dean, which should include:
- a letter nominating the professor for the rank of professor emeritus,
- a nominee's professional CV,
- the minutes from the faculty's scientific board meeting at which the nomination was approved.
The information on the Rector's decision on the appointment as professor emeritus will be forwarded by the Academic Affairs Office of RMU to both the faculty and the newly appointed professor emeritus. When the Rector's letter announcing the appointment is received, the department that created the proposal concludes a contract with the professor emeritus. In addition, the terms and conditions relating to the entrustment of University property for the permanent use of the professor emeritus shall be governed by a loan agreement. The appointment is confirmed at a ceremony at which the rector gives a degree of appointment to the professor emeritus, which usually takes place at a meeting of the Masaryk University's Scientific Board.
Extraordinary professor
Act No. 111/1998 Coll., on higher education as amended (the Higher Education Act), establishes that an institute of higher education that has acquired institutional accreditation in a certain area of instruction can establish the position of an extraordinary professor. Masaryk University acquired institutional accreditation in May 2018 for a period of ten years in 23 areas of instruction. A list is available here (in Czech).
According to the Higher Education Act, holding the position of an extraordinary professor is in many respects comparable to possessing the title of associate professor or professor. There are, however, some limitations associated with this position, which are outlined here (in Czech). A person can be hired as an extraordinary professor only if they have reached a status equivalent to associate professor or professor outside of the Czech Republic, or if they are a prominent expert who has at least 20 years of experience teaching in a higher education setting.
The process of filling the position of an extraordinary professor and its rules are described in Regulations on Competitive Selection Procedures at Masaryk University. According to the Guideline Status and Classification of an Extraordinary Professor at MU with effect from 1 January 2023, it is necessary to select the category of extraordinary professor in the proposal form. An auxiliary comparison of the categories of Extraordinary Professor I and II can be found in Article 6 of the Guideline.
- Extraordinary Professor I is intended for persons who have the competencies to hold the rank of professor / associate professor but do not have a formal habilitation / professorship procedure, or do not meet the requirements for one, or have a professional interest in obtaining one. It is a time limited project involvement for outside experts. Proposals in the Extraordinary Professor I category are approved by the Faculty Scientific Board and subsequently by the Rector.
- Extraordinary Professor II is for top academics with merits from abroad for whom an extraordinary functional position is hereby created. Proposals in the Extraordinary Professor II category are approved by the Faculty Scientific Board and the MU Scientific Board.
The list of extraordinary professors at the Faculty of Science can be found here.
The procedure for hiring an extraordinary professor
The proposal of the Head of the Department to fill the position of an extraordinary professor is first submitted with a brief justification to the head of the Personnel Office of the Faculty of Science.
After approval at this level, the proposal is included in the programme of the Scientific Board of the Faculty of Science. Only after approval by the scientific board of the faculty can the proposal with all attachments be submitted to the Rector via the Doctoral Studies and Science Qualification Divison of RMU.
To submit a proposal, please use the form found here (in Czech).
Annexes to the proposal include:
- an applicant’s CV,
- documents confirming compliance with legal requirements,
- minutes from the meeting of the board responsible for the selection process (if such a meeting was held) or a description and justification of why the position is being filled in this manner;
- minutes from the meeting of the Scientific Board of the Faculty of Science,
- other documents deemed necessary by the Head of the Department in question.