The Academic Assembly of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic met today at the National House in Vinohrady. It proposed to appoint the physicist Radomír Pánek as the new President of the Academy of Sciences for the next four years by a majority of votes in the first round of the election. The mandate of the current chairwoman, Eva Zažímalová, ends in March next year, by which time the candidate will be discussed by the government and then appointed to the post by the president.
The guests of the Academic Assembly, which is the highest body of the Academy of Sciences and meets twice a year, include, among others, the First Vice-Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic Jiří Drahoš, the First Vice-Chairwoman of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic Věra Kovářová, the Vice-Chairman of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic Karel Havlíček, the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic Jiří Kozák and others.
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One of the most important items discussed so far was the election of a candidate for the position of President of the CAS for the term 2025-2029. Pavel Baran withdrew his candidacy directly at the Assembly.
The Assembly, which consists of directors of 54 departments of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, representatives of scientists, universities, state authorities, industry and commerce, and physicist Radomír Pánek, selected the four candidates. Out of 242 voting members of the Assembly, he received 128 votes in a secret ballot.
Director of the Institute of Plasma Physics of the CAS Radomir Panek researches thermonuclear plasma physics and advanced technologies for fusion reactors (tokamaks). In the past he led the COMPASS tokamak installation project. Since January 2024, he is the Chairman of the General Assembly of the European Consortium EUROfusion, which coordinates fusion research in Europe, and a member of the Scientific and Technical Committee of the European Commission EURATOM. He served two terms as Vice-Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the European Fusion for Energy Agency in Barcelona from 2020 to 2024. Until 2023, he was the European Union representative on the Scientific and Technical Advisory Board of ITER, the world's largest international research project. Radomír Pánek lectures at Charles University and Czech Technical University.
Among the main visions of Radomír Pánek is to support excellent results, but also the teams that are the necessary basis for achieving them. His goal is to increase the research budget and competitive salaries. He would also like to strengthen public and political confidence in science. Other points on his agenda include supporting the next generation of scientists and ensuring that scientists can reconcile their personal lives and careers. Radomír Pánek also plans to focus on research ethics and equal opportunities. He wants to establish equal partnerships with universities and increase the Academy of Sciences' representation in European advisory bodies and international organisations. Technology transfer without unnecessary bureaucracy is also a priority for him.
The new Research Act: fundamental comments of the CAS on autonomy and administrative burden
In her opening speech, the President of the CAS, Eva Zažímalová, evaluated the discussion of the new draft law on research, development, innovation and knowledge transfer. She appreciated the fact that the legislative team of the Minister for Science Marek Ženíšek had incorporated the comments of the Academy of Sciences. Among other things, the extent of application of the entire Administrative Code to the decision of the provider or the explicit specification of the provision of system support in the explanatory memorandum of the Act. "However, the concept of the provider, which is to be approved by the Government of the Czech Republic, remains a fundamental reminder. We are concerned that this mechanism may, in certain circumstances, limit scientific autonomy and cause an increase in the administrative burden," said Eva Zažímalová.
The President of the CAS, whose second term of office ends on 24 March 2025, also appreciated the increase in the total budget for science by approximately CZK 3 billion for 2025.At the same time, however, she pointed out that the share of state budget expenditures on science, research and innovation in relation to GDP has fallen by more than a fifth compared to 2020. "This means that the three billion extra compared to this year has only halted a further decline in this spending. Our common ambition should therefore be to significantly increase this share to bring us closer to scientifically and technologically advanced countries," emphasised the President of the CAS.
Today, the Academic Assembly is also discussing the Report on the economic situation of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic and its budget proposal for 2025 or a new programme to support excellence called the Academy of the Future, which includes, among other things, specific support for scientists returning after a parental break.
CAS/ gnews - RoZ
PHOTO - X AV ČR
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