Thanks to the amendment to the Higher Education Act, which was approved today in its third reading by the Chamber of Deputies, the conditions for doctoral studies will be significantly improved. The aim is to increase the quality of this level of study in the long term and to eliminate the number of unsuccessful graduates. Clearer and stricter criteria for selecting candidates for doctoral studies will be introduced, their total number will be reduced and, as a result, they will be able to be given greater care. The amendment also redefines the position of the National Accreditation Office and strengthens its independence.
"The amendment to the Higher Education Act fundamentally improves conditions for doctoral students in the Czech Republic. The newly guaranteed income of at least 1.2 times the minimum wage will ensure that doctoral students have decent conditions and enough space to fully concentrate on their scientific work without having to seek side income outside their field of study. We are thus creating a solid foundation for cutting-edge research and the growth of a new generation of scientists in the Czech Republic," says the Minister of Education, Youth and Sports Mikulas Bek. It will also now be possible to award scholarships to recent graduates (typically for outstanding results, e.g. a red diploma).
The amendment also introduces changes to the quality assurance of higher education institutions aimed at correcting some of the shortcomings of the 2016 regulation. Therefore, the amendment newly regulates the position of the National Accreditation Office and strengthens its independence. The Czech Republic will thus fulfil a key condition for meeting the quality assurance standards in the European Higher Education Area. The strengthened independence of the Authority is essential to ensure objective and transparent assessment of the quality of higher education in the Czech Republic and its competitiveness at the international level.
Another novelty introduced by the amendment to the Higher Education Act is the motivation to study in the Czech Republic for students from abroad. Universities will no longer have to set a fee for studying in a foreign language in a doctoral programme. At the same time, changes are being made to scholarships - to support various mobility programmes, it will be possible to award mobility scholarships to, for example, graduates or participants in lifelong learning or employees of universities.
The amended law will also introduce stricter penalties for the unauthorized use of a university graduate's degree.
A legislative amendment to the Higher Education Act is now heading to the Senate. If the Senate approves it, it must still be signed by the President of the Republic.
MOE/ gnews - RoZ
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