A lecturer at the Department of Management and Business Administration of Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University, a participant in the project “EmpoWering EDUC for Inclusive Development of the ERA,” implemented under the Horizon Europe programme, took part in an academic exchange programme at Masaryk University (Brno, Czech Republic).
The purpose of the academic exchange was to study Masaryk University’s experience in developing a research environment, responsible assessment of research activity, support for researchers and doctoral students, technology transfer, development of university innovations, and international project cooperation.
The main part of the stay was devoted to work with the Research Office of Masaryk University, headed by Michal Petr, as well as the Centre for Research Culture, Evaluation and Doctoral Studies, headed by Monika Kuchlei Siberova. During the meetings, the university’s approaches to assessing the results of research activity, shaping research culture, supporting researchers at different stages of their academic careers, and developing doctoral studies were examined in detail.
A separate area of work concerned technology transfer and the commercialization of research results. During a meeting with the head of the Technology Transfer Office of Masaryk University, Radoslav Trautmann, the mechanisms of university–business interaction, support for innovative developments, and the creation of conditions for the practical implementation of research results were discussed. There was also a meeting with Veronika Stepankova, a representative of the South Moravian Innovation Centre, during which attention was focused on the development of university spin-off innovation companies and the mechanisms for turning research developments into innovative products and services.
An important component of the academic exchange was communication with Robin Burda, a research fellow at the Department of Political Science of Masaryk University and a participant in the project “ATHENA Seed (Advanced THinking and ENhanced Analysis platform).” The meeting was devoted to the development of international project cooperation, in particular the formation of international consortia and the preparation of joint project initiatives.
The academic exchange made it possible to gain a comprehensive understanding of the organization of research and innovation activities at Masaryk University and to trace the interconnection between research culture, the system of research assessment, support for researchers, the development of doctoral studies, technology transfer, and international project activity.
The practical nature of the exchange was particularly valuable: during working meetings, it was possible not only to become acquainted with the relevant approaches but also to discuss the possibilities of adapting them to the Ukrainian university environment. Following the academic exchange, three analytical reports with recommendations were prepared, which systematize the experience gained and formulate proposals for the possible application of certain practices at Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University. Participation in the academic exchange programme became an important step towards deepening international cooperation, professional development, and the exchange of practices in the field of research, innovation, and the development of a modern university in the context of the European Research Area.