“The discussion of the participants was very stimulating and relevant to current topics related to applied research and the subsequent application of inventions into practice,” says Martin Smekal, Head of CeTTAV.
The panel on the present and future of applied research included Deputy Minister for Science and Research Prof. Ing. Štěpán Jurajda Ph.D., Director of the Department of Precision Agriculture, Research and Education of the Ministry of Agriculture Master. Jan Radoš, Chief Director of the Ministry of Industry and Trade Ing. Petr Očko, PhD., Chairman of the TAČR prof. Ing. Petr Konvalinka, CSc., who discussed together with representatives of research organizations Ing. Martinem Smekalem, Head of the Centre for Technology Transfer of the CAS (CeTTAV) and Ing. Liborem Krausem, President of AVO.
Štěpán Jurajda focused on the topic of evaluation of research organizations (ROs). He confirmed that a change in the M1 and M2 modules will be necessary as it is inappropriate for research organisations with applied results to be evaluated by the number of publications. The scale for this assessment needs to be adjusted and the methodology needs to be revised. He also recalled that the Minister had set up a working group and would regularly organise roundtable discussions on technology and knowledge transfer.
Petr OÄko presented the upcoming subsidy opportunities in the TREND and Country for the Future programmes. The MIT is now in the phase of evaluating the 5-year monitoring period for research organisations and will set the amount of institutional support for research institutions in the following years. He supported the modification of the evaluation of ministerial research organisations according to the new indicators. He also mentioned the establishment of a platform of providers of special-purpose support in R&D in the ministries.
Martin Smekal from CeTTAV showed how the Academy of Sciences goes about applying research results in practice. He presented the latest vision of technology and knowledge transfer of the CAS. He emphasized the focus on exceptional technology and knowledge and the long-term development and cultivation of an environment for knowledge transfer. At the end of his presentation, M. Smekal reflected on measures that would contribute to an even broader application of scientific results in practice.
Petr Konvalinka informed about the upcoming calls for this year; the schedule of all subsidy titles is available on the TA ČR website. He also recalled the programme to support research in the defence industry, projects from which could be announced from 2025. In the years to come, the Ministry of Agriculture will also focus on innovation in its sector of activity and intends to promote innovation in state administration bodies.
The next topic was the R&D&I (science, research and innovation) budget. All participants in the discussion agreed that there is a long-term funding gap in R&D. Since 2020, the total budget has only increased by €1bn. CZK (from CZK 38 billion to CZK 39 billion, i.e. by about 3%), while inflation over this period has already exceeded 20%.
The discussion was concluded by AVO President Libor Kraus with the words: “I am glad that we all agreed on the need to support applied research and that AVO can count on cooperation with representatives of both the public administration and the CAS in the future”.
