1
MUNI Mendel
Doctorandus
Award
2
MUNI Mendel Doctorandus Award
Status, Governance, Implementation
Final. Version 1 (2022-07-11)
Contents
Preface and objectives of the programme ............................................................................................. 2
Criteria for MUNI MENDEL DOCTORANDUS........................................................................................... 4
Governance and management ............................................................................................................... 7
Processes and implementation............................................................................................................... 8
Advertisement and information sharing............................................................................................. 8
Applications to MMD programme are prepared and submitted by doctoral students ..................... 8
Evaluation of students’ applications and enrolment.......................................................................... 9
Monitoring of student´s progress....................................................................................................... 9
Monitoring of supervisors´ quality ...................................................................................................10
Finishing of the programme, issuing Certificate of the MMD / European doctorate ......................10
Additional issues & bonuses at Faculties..........................................................................................10
Annexes – documents, forms, templates .............................................................................................10
Preface and objectives of the programme
MUNI MENDEL DOCTORANDUS (MMD) is a voluntary programme organized by Faculties and
Institutes of Masaryk University (further in the text described as „Faculties“):
• Faculty of Science (SCI MUNI),
• Faculty of Medicine (MED MUNI),
• Faculty of Pharmacy (PHARM MUNI),
• Faculty of Sports (SPORT MUNI)
• CEITEC MU
MMD is based on generic Memorandum signed by representatives of the above mentioned MUNI
parts - „Memorandum o společném uskutečňování doktorských studijních programů a dalším
vzdělávání doktorských studentů“.
The overarching objective of the MMD is to improve standards in PhD education at MUNI and
Faculties involved. This is achieved through active involvement of doctoral students, their
supervisors and corresponding doctoral boards who jointly and voluntarily accept additional duties
and obligations by
3
• accepting conditions of the European Doctorate (Doctor Europaeus) which acknowledges
the international dimension of the PhD
• organizing an open and transparent international admission procedure for PhD candidates
• guaranteeing good financial conditions for living costs of PhD students
• actively participating in mentoring programmes and additional trainings advancing thus
own interdisciplinary education and transferable soft skills
• defending PhD within standard period of study i.e. within 4+1 years
MMD is planned to be a prestigious brand (label) acknowledging and bringing additional credits to
best PhD graduates as well as to their supervisors and doctoral programmes at MUNI. MMD label
(including the recognition of the European Doctorate) is provided as a supplement to the official
MUNI doctoral diploma recognizing thus the significant assets of the student and PhD programme.
The expected impacts of MMD include:
• improved standards in PhD at MUNI,
• attracted the best available PhD candidates,
• advanced quality of science and quality of PhD graduates,
• improved preparation of PhD graduates for further careers
• better environment and infrastructure at MUNI supporting PhD studies
• strengthened collaboration among PhD students, supervisors and doctoral programme
Awarded graduates as well as supervisors and doctoral programmes involved in MMD thus serve as
an inspiration and example of good practices for other stakeholders, improving thus overall quality
of PhD education at MUNI.
4
Criteria for MUNI MENDEL DOCTORANDUS
The criteria listed in Table 1 are expected to be fulfilled when MMD - including European Doctorate label - is awarded. More details are provided below in the
Implementation section
Table 1: Criteria for awarding of the MMD. Note: Fulfilling of criteria is fully required for students newly starting their PhD studies at MUNI in 2023 and later. For
students already enrolled during the initiation of MMD programme in 2022, ad hoc evaluation on individual basis is done by the MMD Committee.
Criterion Description Details Notes
Preconditions – general
Open and transparent
international admission
procedure
The PhD position is advertised internationally, the
admission committee organizes competitive
evaluation and selection of the candidates. The
admission process is conducted in English.
The process is organized by respective
doctoral programme. The proof of
international advertisement and procedure
is provided in the Application dossier.
Minimum monthly income
of PhD student for
standard 4 year of studies
– 20,000 CZK (net income
after deductions)
The foreseen minimum conditions are advertised
before admission, actual income of PhD student is
checked at the end of each semester1
Supervisors with support of PhD board and
corresponding home department or institute
are responsible for minimum income.
Salaries and costs of students´ research
should primarily be supported by extramural
grants of supervisor. The total income can be
combined from scholarships and/or salaries.
Individual
arrangements (lower
income) can
exceptionally be
accepted, always upon
agreement of student
Preconditions – supervisors
Active in research
publishing, lead extramural
grant(s), positive record of
supervised students, active
in own life-long learning
and mentoring
MMD Committee reviews the materials listed in
the “Details” column on annual basis. The
committee evaluates alignment with MUNI
principles2
, and agrees on inclusion of a supervisor
into the list of “MMD Certified Supervisors”.
Materials reviewed by the MMD Committee:
1- managerial data from IS MUNI
(publications, successfully graduated PhD
students)3
2- information on supervisor’s activities from
semestral MMD reports submitted by a
student
Meeting between
MMD Committee and
supervisor is organized
in case of disputes or
negative evaluations
1 The minimum income is guaranteed only for those students who are pro-active and fulfil all standard study duties according to their PhD programme. Details are provided in the Implementation section
2 MUNI Standards are available at the link below. Doctoral Boards are primarily responsible for assignment, monitoring and advancing quality of supervisors´ work,
https://is.muni.cz/auth/do/mu/Uredni_deska/Predpisy_MU/Masarykova_univerzita/Ostatni_dokumenty/Metodika/odbor_vyzkumu/metodicky_list_c_1_2021_zasady_a_doporuceni_pro_efektivni_a_kvalitni_doktorske_s/
3
https://muni.cz/go/phd-data. Additional information confirmed by Faculty representive (e.g. letter from vice-dean) is also accepted.
5
3- ad hoc evidence provided from doctoral
boards or Faculty administrations
European Doctorate conditions (https://eua.eu/)4
International secondment
for 3 months minimum
The doctorate must, in part, have been prepared
during a research internship period of at least
three months in another European country.
Organized by a student and supervisor.
Secondments must be recorded in IS MUNI
via standardized existing procedures at
Faculties.
Duties to participate in interdisciplinary and
soft skill trainings are waived during
secondment abroad.
Participation at workshops, summer schools,
conferences etc. is not considered to be
eligible secondment.
Secondments in
countries outside of
Europe will be
evaluated case-bycase
by the MMD
Committee.
In exceptional cases, 3
months duration can
be combined from few
shorter research stays
related to thesis. Even
during the semester
when student is
abroad, enrolment in
MMD Course is
obligatory.
Oral thesis presentation
and defence
Presentation and PhD defence are conducted in
English. Reports on thesis (reviews) are submitted
by at least three evaluators who are independent
from MUNI. At least two reviewers are from
universities or research institutes from two
different European countries other than CZ. At
least one member of jury (committee for PhD
defence) is from European higher education
institution outside of CZ or SK
Organized by a doctoral board. Non-European
reviewers or jury
members with high
reputation are
accepted. Reviewer
who fulfils formal
criteria can be at the
same time a member
of jury. These
obligations relate only
to defence; theoretical
state exam can be in
Czech/Slovak
Duties of a student
4
Note to MUNI administration: Study documents (SZŘ) should be aligned with international standards (do not mention that supervisor is a member of PhD evaluation committee)
6
Participation in
interdisciplinary training
activities
Student participates at activities/seminars minimum
duration of 8 hours per semester is
required. Content of the training shall be research
or technology development. It shall be outside of
the main study focus or research direction of a
student. Typical profile includes, for example, 8
interdisciplinary seminars (1 - 1.5 h each) or other
activities such as secondments in research
infrastructural facilities, interdisciplinary summer
schools etc.
MMD office provides an offer of MMD
certified events, participation of students is
recorded during semester.
Student also submit Student’s semestral
MMD report, where he/she can claim
participation in other courses (within or
outside of MUNI)
Courses that are
obligatory in the
Individual Study Plan
are not MMD eligible
for respective student.
Participation in
specific programmes
such as CEITEC Bridge
Fund is eligible.
Courses of English
language or similar are
not eligible.
Participation in
transferable, soft skills
training activities
Student participates in minimum 1 activity or
training per academic year corresponding to
minimum of 8 hours. Typical examples include a
day workshop, two half-day seminars, full semester
soft skills course offered at university or other
relevant.
MMD Committee evaluates this criterion on
a yearly basis (academic year), various
trainings in both semesters can be
combined.
Students provide
detail in the Semestral
MMD report. Student
can ask for a waiver in
a given semester if
he/she participated in
extensive soft skill
activities during
previous semester.
7
Governance and management
MMD programme is jointly organized by Faculties involved. Following principles, bodies and task
owners are involved in the governance and management of MMD programme:
Technical principles
• Primary language of communication of MMD programme is English.
• Team in MS Teams is established and used as the primary resource for materials, documents
and communication of MMD programme bodies
Organizational principles
• MMD programme is primarily operated from Faculty of Science, office for Doctoral Studies
with involvement and support from all other Faculties - MED, CEITEC MU, SPORTS, PHARM.
• Daily management is assured by MMD Administrator
• Programme is supervised by MMD Committee consisting of vice-deans and scientific
secretary representing CEITEC. MMD Committee reports to deans of individual Faculties and
to director of CEITEC.
• MMD Board consists of Heads of Doctoral programmes.
MMD Administrator is dedicated person, Early Stage Researchers’ Support Specialist at SCI MUNI
who coordinates with other Faculties and is responsible for regular management with following
responsibilities and duties:
• Developing and updating the information and materials at MMD web and Teams folder
• Communicating and coordinating with PhD administrators at other Faculties
• Organization of MMD procedures for enrolled students
• Preparing materials and working reports for MMD Committee
• Other support to MMD and daily management
MMD Committee has following organization and responsibilities
• Regularly meets twice a year (start of each semester) with following regular tasks:
o Discussion and approval of the Application summary report prepared by the
Administrator (summary of new applications), approval of new enrolments into the
MMD programme
o Discussion and approval of the MMD semestral summary report prepared by the
Administrator (summary after each semester), discussion of eventual programme
updates
o Evaluation and updating the List of MMD Certified Supervisors, eventual corrections
of the list
• Chair of the Committee (elected/approved on annual basis) moderates meetings, together
with Administrator presents the materials for decisions of the Committee. Chair can call for
ad hoc meeting/teleconference or start communication via emails or in MS Teams in case of
relevant, important and urgent needs.
MMD Board consists of Heads of Doctoral programmes that support students participating in
MMD programme. MMD Board
8
• is invited by the Chair of the MMD Commitee to meet on annual basis
• serves an advisory and consultation body to the MMD Committee assuring thus continuous
improvements and alignment of MMD with practices at Faculties and Doctoral programmes.
Processes and implementation
This section describes in brief major processes how is the MMD programme implemented at MUNI.
Advertisement and information sharing
- Information hub – is maintained with all necessary information and guidance available to
students, supervisors and doctoral boards. Web structure and content:
o Overview, intro to MMD
o News, Success stories, awarded graduates
o Why to apply – what will you earn?
o How to apply?
o Instructions – for enrolled students, supervisors, doctoral boards
- Information is also directly provided to new applicants for PhD studies (links are established
from MUNI web interface for new applicants)
- Vice-deans organize ad hoc meetings with Heads of doctoral boards introducing the MMD
- Following the introductory meetings, emails are sent to supervisors with reference to web
page and doctoral boards
- Newsletters and emails are used at individual Faculties
Applications to MMD programme are prepared and submitted by doctoral students
- Each student interested in MMD prepares a structured Application dossier and submits it as
an application. Structure of the dossier differs for new students starting PhD studies at MUNI
and students who already study at MUNI and want to join the MMD:
- Template documents are prepared and are available for download from web (see annex)
- Deadlines for submissions – two times a year:
o Autumn semester – (around) 10th
October (Autumn 2022 – October 5)
o Spring semester – (around) 10th
March
MMD application template for
newly starting PhD students
MMD application template for
students already at MUNI
during MMD launch
Motivation letter
(prepared by the
applicant)
Yes Yes
Documentation of the
open and transparent
international admission
procedure
Yes5
Not relevant
Description of previous
activities related to
Not relevant Yes
5
Format of the documentation of the admission procedure will be specified later. It is expected that Doctoral
Boards will be responsible for providing this information.
9
interdisciplinary and soft
skills training
Letter from supervisor,
support to student,
interest to support MMD
Yes Yes
Letter from doctoral
board, support to
student, interest to
support MMD
Yes Yes
Evaluation of students’ applications and enrolment
- MMD Administrator with Committee Chair compiles the applications and together with
administrators of PhD studies at individual Faculties check the completeness of individual
dossiers
- MMD Administrator then submits the Application summary to MMD Committee who checks
and decides on actual enrolment of individual students
- MMD Administrator then confirms to the approved applicants/students that they can
officially enrol to MMD
- Approved students actually enrol by signing up a specific course MUNI MENDEL
DOCTORANUS (Code XD007 in IS MUNI)
- Confirmation of enrolment to MMD is issued by an email letter to each enrolled student
Monitoring of student´s progress
- Progress of enrolled students is monitored continuously through XD007 course in IS MUNI:
o Participation of students in interdisciplinary and soft skills activities offered through
MMD programme (courses, seminars, lectures) is directly monitored by
Administrator (8 per semester required; participation is directly recorded by IS MUNI
in the XD007 Course – „Docházka“)
o After each semester, student prepares a brief structured Student´s semestral report,
and submits it to the XD007 Course in IS MUNI – “Odevzdávárna” (“Homework
Vaults”). [Texts prepared by a student for formal reporting of their study progress
(Semestrální náplň / Term content) can be used for MMD reporting]
o Student’s semestral report also includes (i) statement from supervisor (email from
supervisor copy-pasted to the report), (ii) confirmation of good financial conditions
provided to a student during past semester (minimum 20,000 CZK net monthly)
- Administrator checks the individual reports and prepares a Programme semestral summary,
which is evaluated by the MMD Committee who decides
o Students with good progress are then encouraged by Administrator to continue
(enrol to the MMD Course in following semester)
o Students with poor performance who do not fulfil criteria or communication is lost
are signed off from MMD programme
- Duty of minimum 3-month secondment abroad is checked by registration of the stay abroad
in IS MUNI (standard procedures at Faculties). During the stay abroad obligations to
participate in interdisciplinary and soft skills courses are waived. Even during his/her stay
abroad, student register the MMD Course and provide Semestral report, in which
secondment abroad is described
10
Monitoring of supervisors´ quality
- Supervisor provides feedback on semestral basis (student´s Semestral report)
- MMD Committee evaluates performance of supervisors at their bi-annual meetings and
updates the List of MMD Certified Supervisors
Finishing of the programme, issuing Certificate of the MMD / European doctorate
- Student who successfully participated in the MMD programme and is ready to submit his/her
PhD thesis for defence, consults with the Administrator formal finishing steps
- Guidance on issuing MMD / European Certificate is provided to all stakeholders (student,
supervisor and doctoral board)
o How to organize European Doctorate defence
o How to wrap-up into the Final MMD Certificate Application
- Student submits the Final MMD Certificate Application
- MMD Committee approves the Final MMD Certificate Application and issues the MMD
Certificate
- MMD Certificate is issued to student as addition to his/her PhD Diploma, Awarding ceremony
is organized annually as a part of PhD Day (September)
Additional issues & bonuses at Faculties
- Faculties have individual arrangements regarding additional awards or bonuses for successful
graduates, Certified Supervisors or Doctoral Boards, which may include, namely:
o additional scholarship to successful MMD Graduate
o additional financial reward (bonus) to supervisor of successful MMD Graduates
o additional financial reward (bonus) to Doctoral board representative(s) involved in
support to or development of MMD programme
- Basic information about additional bonuses is provided on MMD web page
Annexes – documents, forms, templates
List of the templates with links to actual template documents online
01_Application Dossier
02_Application Summary for MMD Committee
03_Confirmation of Enrolment
04_Student´s MMD Semestral Report
05_Programme Semestral Summary Report for MMD Committee
06_Guidance on issuing MMD / European Certificate
07_Final MMD Certificate Application
08_ Certificate (MMD and European Doctorate)
List of MMD Certified Supervisors