Meet the Faculty of Science, Masaryk University
The Faculty of Science was established in 1919. The faculty is founded on the tradition of
Gregor Johann Mendel (1822–1884), the world-famous father of genetics. During the course
of its existence, the faculty has successfully produced many prominent figures (luminaries,
notable scientist, standouts) in biology, chemistry, geography, geology, physics, and
mathematics. To this day, it primarily remains a research-oriented faculty, offering university
education closely linked to both primary and applied research and high school teaching of the
following sciences: mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, and Earth sciences.
To date, the Faculty of Science is credited with several scientific achievements of international
significance. Specific areas of research focusing on the harmonic development of the
individual natural sciences are the priority objectives. A substantial part of the faculty's
research activity is also devoted to non-specific research, closely linked to instructions in
doctoral degree programmes.
Faculty’s Mission
 We strive to teach and train next generation of scientists and teachers.
 We carry out basic and applied research and make discoveries.
 We integrate research in a multidisciplinary and international manner.
 The main goals of basic and applied research are to acquire knowledge and
experience.
 We make an effort to apply our discoveries for the benefit of the humanity.
Education
The Faculty of Science provides education in all natural sciences: Biology, Chemistry,
Geography, the Earth sciences, Physics; and Mathematics.
At present, there are 54 bachelors, 64 masters and 40 doctoral majors of studies.
The Faculty has about 3700 students, 800 of them doctoral students.
The studies are based on the ECTS credit system, and Masaryk University has been awarded a
prestigious ECTS label.
The high scientific output of the faculty is evidence of the excellent professional skills of
academic staff and is instrumental in maintaining state of the art laboratories that are
available to students as well. Broad cooperation with international institutions gives many
students an opportunity to spend part of their studies abroad.
Study Programmes
The Faculty of Science provides higher education in all fundamental majors of natural
sciences, such as biochemistry, biology, chemistry, geography, geology, mathematics, and
physics.
There are 158 accredited majors of study in bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree
programmes, designed to educate specialized researchers in sciences, and also future
secondary school teachers.
Double-major studies are also available thanks to interfaculty agreements with the Faculty of
Arts, Faculty of Education, Faculty of Economics and Administration, Faculty of Informatics
and Faculty of Sports Studies.
Doctoral Degree
The primary goal of the graduate studies is to prepare students to engage in original research
after acquiring thorough knowledge and understanding of a discipline. All graduate
programmes are focused on scientific research and independent, creative practical or
theoretical work in fundamental and applied research and development. The standard period
of the graduate study is four years, which may be extended to a maximum period of seven
years. Studies are pursued according to an individual study plan under the guidance of a
supervisor and are completed by passing a standard examination and by defending a
submitted dissertation.
Employment Possibilities of our Graduates
Master’s degree programme graduates find employment as educators, as researchers in both
primary and applied research at universities, government research institutes, institutes of the
Czech Academy of Sciences, and in the commercial sector. The best graduates may continue
their studies and enroll in either full-time or combined doctoral studies.
Graduates of accredited Teacher training for secondary education follow-up master's degree
programmes and are fully qualified and eligible for teaching positions in majors such as
mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, geography, and cartography.
Master’s degree programme graduates find application as educators and as research workers.
Research and Development
The Faculty of Science performs fundamental research to expand the knowledge base and to
create the starting point for applications with innovative contributions. The faculty also
fosters cooperation both with the government and private sector in terms of applied research
and development (R&D). The R&D takes into account the needs of society, oriented towards
enhancing the quality of human life. This approach encompasses scientific activities in
interdisciplinary branches such as life and materials sciences and environmental research, as
well as in basic research disciplines.
The research is carried out through close links with doctoral studies organized in 9 main
programmes - Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Geography, Geology, Mathematics, Physics,
Advanced materials and nanosciences, and Life sciences.
At present, around 400 scientific projects from various grant providers are carried out at the
MU Faculty of Science with few examples given below.
One of the major research funding resources are the EU structural funds that supported
development of two major R&D centres at the Faculty – RECETOX and CEPLANT. These
receive further support from the National large research infrastructure roadmap. In 2018, the
faculty continued working on other projects funded from the EU structural funds (Operational
Programme Research, Development and Education - OP VVV). These include infrastructure
buidling (projects CETOCOEN +, RECETOX RI, Bioanalytical Technology Infrastructure,
Chemistry Infrastructure, ECOPOLARIS) as well as grants supporting development of doctoral
research programmes in Chemistry, Bioanalytical Technology and Physics. In August 2018, the
implementation of two other important OP VVV projects started including the preclinical
research of novel compounds attractive for commecionalization by innovative pharmaceutical
companies (PRECLIN Progress project) and contributing to development of the strategic Czech
nuclear fuel repository (GEOBAR).
We are also successful in the calls from the EU framework programme. Faculty of Science has
carried out eleven EU H2020 projects during 2017-2018, and currently received positive
decision on four other H2020 grants starting in 2019 that will address various aspects of
environmental impacts on health of human populations (projects OBERON, ERGO,
ONCOBIOME, HERA).
Basic research at Faculty of Science is from large part supported by competitive grants from
the Czech National Science Foundation (GAČR). Currently, four Centres of Excellence
supported by GAČR run at the Faculty focusing on basic research in the fields of plant
diversity, algebra and geometry, advanced bioanalytical technologies or European centre for
ichthyoparasitology. In addition, individual researchers at faculty run 60 standard GAČR grant
projects, 9 junior grants awarded to starting PIs and 2 bilateral international GAČR projects.
Among other activities, Faculty of Science currently prepares the EU H2020 Teaming project
CETOCOEN EXCELLENCE, which aims to strengthen the international position in the field of
environmental health by creating a Centre of Excellence together with major European
partners like UCL - University College London, Swiss ETH, and the European BBMRI biobanks
consortium.
During last ten years (2007-2017), researchers of the Faculty published around 7 000 research
papers or reviews in the impacted journals of the ISI Web of Science that all together received
more than 80 000 citations. The Faculty of Science thus creates about 50 % of the scientific
output of the entire Masaryk University.
Figure: Polar research in Antarctica is carried out by the scientists of the Faculty of Science at
the Johann Gregor Mendel Station. This station was founded and is operated by Faculty of
Science MU.
Technology Transfer
The Faculty of Science benefits from the establishment of the Technology Transfer Office
(TTO) at MU. The TTO assisted Faculty of Science in filing 50 national and 29 international
patent applications and 33 utility model applications. Thanks to this, Faculty of Science was
granted 40 Czech and 31 international patents and 32 utility models. In cooperation with TTO,
5 spin-off companies were established and several trademarks were registered. The TTO team
helped to launch a number of successful commercialization projects at Faculty of Science.
Students can enroll in courses taught by TTO lecturers, and employees have an opportunity to
attend workshops and meetings with commercial partners. TTO promotes research results of
Faculty of Science scientists on a long-term basis – e.g., in the field of protein engineering,
plasma surface modifications, or forensic anthropology.
The dissemination of knowledge acquired through research is one of the main functions of
the research faculty. In recent years advanced economies have placed great emphasis on the
transfer of new technologies and knowledge to the industrial sector.
Our faculty is an important link in the "education -> science, research and development ->
investment -> transfer to industry -> product" chain.
Outreach to School Students, Teachers and Public
The faculty has a long established reputation for delivering excellent outreach activities to
primary and high school students and teachers.
Outreach activities are available during the year both in-house, in the field, and at schools.
We offer a wide variety of science and maths events for pupils and teachers, such as longterm
correspondent seminars, one-day competitions, weekends and days for prospective
students and the public.
Every year The Night of Scientists attracts many visitors.