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"contract" – Strategy for
Research and Doctoral
Studies (2022–2027)
Faculty of Education
The contract is a strategic document based on the Internal Research and Doctoral Evaluation (IRDE)
carried out at Masaryk University (MU) in 2022. The content of the contract is linked to recommendations
obtained from the IRDE, to MU's priorities and shared values, or to the faculty/institute's own strategies
in research and doctoral studies. With this document, the faculty or university institute enters into an
agreement with the Rector of MU and undertakes to implement the strategy for research and doctoral
studies.
The contract contains the faculty's mission and a more detailed description of the implementation of the
main goals by which the faculty wants to fulfill the individual strategies. Complementary materials are
− Annex 1: An overview of objectives in the form of a table to serve as an action plan; and
− Annex 2. A strategy, a presentation that summarizes the MU management's statement on the
IRDE recommendations and shared values in research and at the same time on the relevant
benchmark.
1. Mission and main objectives
The Faculty of Education has set itself several main goals that will contribute to its development and
success. It profiles itself as an institution that is able to contribute to solving current social challenges in
the areas of its activity. Its main objectives therefore include:
a) addressing socially relevant topics in the field of education and related fields, which will be the
subject of attention of basic and applied research and development projects, the outputs of which
will have an impact on practice,
b) increasing the quality of research and creative activities with an emphasis on results that enter
the national and university evaluation of science and research,
c) developing topics with an international and interdisciplinary overlap, and will therefore also
support interdisciplinary cooperation with foreign partners,
d) Improving the quality of doctoral studies, which is an integral part of research and
development.
Moving towards the above-mentioned goals in the field of research and doctoral studies will lead to an
emphasis on the role of the Faculty of Education in society.
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2. Description of the
implementation of the main
objectives
1. Addressing socially relevant topics
− Topics of social relevance will be incorporated into the faculty's profiling topics (KPI: revised
portfolio of research topics).
− Research topics will be addressed by appropriate methodological procedures - action research,
community based research, etc. (KPI: Creation of research procedures and tools for the
purposes of socially relevant research (methodology).
− The criteria for evaluating social relevance will be specified, on the basis of which the research
results will be created to correspond to these evaluation criteria (KPI: Creation of specific
evaluation criteria and indicators at the level of the Faculty of Education of Masaryk University,
which will allow the evaluation of socially relevant outputs).
− Support for research projects that reflect the needs of society, with an emphasis on
environmental and social sustainability. The faculty will give priority to research activities that
contribute to solving global and local challenges (KPI: Greater involvement in projects and more
frequent proposals for interventions in socially relevant topics - increasing the number of
publications or other types of outputs fulfilling social relevance).
− Developing/promoting assessment approaches that value socially relevant research (KPIs:
Creating specific forms of dissemination of outputs (methodological materials, online courses,
procedures).
− Establishing cooperation with external partners. Development of cooperation with regional
schools and other educational institutions. Transfer of research results into educational practice
and exchange of experience between researchers and teachers from practice (KPI: Creation of
specific forms of dissemination of outputs (methodological materials, online courses,
procedures), including popularization. Greater cooperation with relevant actors (strengthening
cooperation with state administration and self-government, Ministry of Education, Youth and
Sports, South Moravian Region).
− Communication strategies aimed at making the contribution of the faculty to solving social
problems visible. (KPI: Improving the popularization of EDU Facultie's scientific outputs. Creation
of new forms of popularization of research results. Greater visibility in the mainstream media
(radio, television, press). Support, training of researchers who express their opinions on
professional topics in the media).
Obstacles to implementation: reduction of financial resources from the state level, external
factors leading to policy changes in higher education, etc., socially relevant research outputs are
not yet adequately evaluated by methodologies for science evaluation, which can be perceived
as demotivating.
Benchmark: institutions focused on preparation for the helping professions, which, in addition to
education, also emphasize research and the transfer of its results into practice. (e.g. Jamk
University of Applied Sciences – Jyväskyla, Pädagogishe Hochschule Wien).
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2. Quality improvement
− Striving to acquire projects of strategic importance (KPI: Developing a strategy and support for
international project applications. Number of project applications (Horizon Europe Widening,
Interreg, or ERC).
− Creation of an interdisciplinary council for science and research of the Faculty of Education of
Masaryk University with the participation of international experts (KPI: Establishment of an
interdisciplinary board).
− Providing support in the preparation of project applications, both in terms of methodology and
administration (KPI: Increasing the number of quality project applications. Strengthening the
project department at the faculty in order to increase the success rate in submitting projects at
the national and international level. Using RMU support for consultations, training, etc. in writing
and managing research projects).
− Introduction of an incentive program to support high-quality, excellent outputs, also for students
in doctoral programs (KPI: Increasing the number of publications in foreign impact journals by
doubling, maintaining the current situation in the field of book publications published by
publishers recognized by MU as prestigious).
− Interconnection of research topics with the priorities of the EU/CR (KPI: Inclusion of new
research topics reflecting the priorities of the EU/Czech Republic into the research portfolio of
the faculty in the fields that the faculty develops).
− Support for publishing in international author teams (KPI: The number of publications with
foreign co-authors (increased by at least twofold).
− Creating conditions for attracting excellent researchers to strengthen research teams and
departments at the Faculty of Education (KPI: The number of foreign researchers at the Faculty
of Education (increase to at least 5 people).
− Support in the creation of excellent results and "free hands" in the work during their preparation,
taking creative leave (KPI: Number of submitted applications for creative leave (at least 1-2 per
year), number of results that have been created within them).
Obstacles to implementation: Insufficient funding (low investment in research, lack of
scholarships and grants), lack of experts (departure of researchers with creative potential
abroad), low motivation of researchers.
3. Developing interdisciplinarity
− Revision of research topics of the Faculty of Education of Masaryk University with regard to the
possibilities of interdisciplinary grasp (KPI: New research topics with relevance to the Faculty of
Education of Masaryk University interconnected across departments and disciplines (inclusion,
diversity support, digital technologies and their role in education, pedagogical innovations,
environmental education).
− Support for joint grant applications, both interdisciplinary and interfaculty (KPI: Increasing the
number of submitted project applications with interdisciplinary overlaps to 1.5 times).
− Strengthening of experts from related disciplines in doctoral study boards (KPI: Increase in the
number of experts from related disciplines in all doctoral study boards by one person).
− Creation of research teams across disciplines and support of their professional activities (KPI:
Number of established research teams (2-3) for interdisciplinary cooperation).
− Developing collaborative formats for sharing knowledge and experience to promote
interdisciplinarity in research (KPI: Doubling the number of interdisciplinary seminars, colloquia,
round tables).
− Involvement of experts from the Faculty of Education in a team of researchers from other
faculties of MU or other (foreign) institutions (KPI: Increasing the number of experts from other
disciplines in the research teams of the Faculty of Education by one person if possible).
Obstacles to implementation: different methodological approaches, organizational demands.
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4. Developing internationalization
− Identification and establishment of cooperation with foreign institutions and researchers.
Development of international partnerships, e.g. Jamk University of Applied Sciences –
Jyväskyla, Pädagogishe Hochschule Wien, University of Minnesota, Ulster University (KPI:
Doubling of contracts and memoranda of cooperation).
− Support in submitting applications for international research projects (KPI: Increasing the
number of applications for projects with an international overlap by at least two (Horizon
Europe, COST).
− Providing grants and scholarships for study stays and research internships abroad – outgoing
and incoming (KPI: Twofold increase in the number of foreign mobilities, visiting foreign
researchers – Fulbright, bilateral agreements and other sources).
- Support for the organization of conferences with international participation (KPI: Increasing the
number of conferences organized with an international overlap by at least three).
- Support for the participation of researchers of the Faculty of Education in collaborative forms of
presentation of scientific results (KPI: Multiple increase in the number of foreign internships of
researchers of the Faculty of Education of Masaryk University and their participation in foreign
conferences).
Obstacles to implementation: Insufficient financial resources, high costs of internships
abroad, insufficient language skills.
5. Increasing the quality of doctoral studies
− Revision of the offer of doctoral study programmes (KPI: Creation of a smaller number of more
robust DSP units).
− Increasing the quality and strengthening of the international experience of trainers. The Faculty
will strive to professionalize the supervisors of doctoral students, ensuring their professional
growth through special training and international internships (KPI: A smaller number of quality
supervisors. Creation of a trainer standard specifying the requirements for trainers. Organizing
workshops, seminars).
− Involvement of DSP students in projects and creative activities of supervisors (KPI: Increasing
the number of DSP students involved in acquired research projects).
− Strengthening the international dimension of doctoral studies. The faculty will support doctoral
students in gaining experience abroad. (KPI: Number of foreign internships, foreign conferences
and lectures by doctoral students).
− Support for students in the DSP with the aim of improving their socio-economic situation (KPI:
Increasing the income of students in the DSP by their involvement in research projects,
teaching activities at workplaces, etc. – WPA/ ACTJ).
Barriers to implementation: Low scholarships for PhD students, limited resources for
research, lack of experienced and qualified supervisors, limited support for career development.
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