Prof. Ing. Zdeněk Kovář, CSc.
Rector of the Technical University of Liberec († 14. 12. 2014)
The Czech Rectors Conference (CRC) origin roots from the Czech and Slovak University Rectors Club (RC) officially founded in Žilina, Slovakia, at the Transport and Communication University on 26 April 1990, following a meeting of five Czech rectors held at the Czech Technical University in Prague on 14 March 1990. It was established by seven members – four Czech university rectors (Tomáš Čermák, Ostrava Mining University; Stanislav Hanzl, Czech Technical University in Prague; Arnošt Hönig, Brno University of Technology; Věněk Šilhán, Prague University of Economics and Business) and three Slovak university rectors (Norbert Frištacký, Slovak Technical University in Bratislava; Pavol Kluvánek, Transport and Communication University in Žilina; Miroslav Kusý, Comenius University in Bratislava). The first RC President was Professor Milan Jelínek, the first rector of Masaryk University in Brno in the post-communist era. In the planning period of building the administration pool for the RC in Brno, which is on half way between Prague and Bratislava, he managed to find an active collaborator in the person of Professor Martin Černohorský – the Silesian University in Opava rector – who agreed to take responsibility for that and whose effort resulted in the RC Secretariat open in Brno Masaryk University premises on 1 March 1992. Professor Černohorský was officially in charge of the RC Secretariat operation becoming thus a member of RC leaders (Vice-President) bearing the title of Chancellor.
In the next development phase two sections – RC Czech Section and RC Slovak Section – formed (26 September 1992) within the RC while the RC remained a unit. The two RC sections evolved into two Rectors Conferences – Czech Rectors Conference (CRC) and Slovak Rectors Conference (SRC). The RC Slovak Section made the decision of reforming into SRC at its first ever assembly on 25 November 1992. The RC Czech Section needed three sessions until it reformed.
At the first meeting held on 22 October 1992, the RC Czech Section elected Professor Zdeněk Kovář, Technical University of Liberec rector, for its President. Professor Černohorský kept being responsible for RC Secretariat operation. Having discussed the matter beforehand with rector Kovář, he presented the second assembly held on 12 January 1993 a proposal of the Czech Rectors Conference establishment. It provoked a lengthy discussion with the prevailing opinion of maintaining the word of “club” in its name (Czech Rectors Club). Nevertheless, draft statutes that had been made could be modified to comply with discussion results and made available to all participants of the third session of the RC Czech Section held on 28 January 1993 in the premises of Czech Technical University in Prague. On behalf of President Kovář who could only arrive one hour late for his serious duty reasons, Professor Černohorský opened the session recommending discussion on draft statutes of the Czech Rectors Conference as the first point of agenda and, if approved, the third RC Czech Section assembly would change into the first Czech Rectors Conference meeting immediately. The proposal turned true as 24 present rectors (26 of 27 were present) voted for the Czech Rectors Conference while the Czech Rectors Club received 2 votes and the Czech Rectors Conference Statutes were approved unanimously. Steered by Professor Stanislav Hanzl, Czech Technical University in Prague rector, as meeting host, rector Kovář was elected the first CRC President and rector Černohorský the first CRC Chancellor.
The approval of the Statutes and the elections of the President and the Chancellor meant the official establishment of the Czech Rectors Conference as of 28 January 1993.
Czech Rectors Conference had grown into a position that it was less difficult to push through the idea of it being mentioned in the Higher Education Act as a part of the Czech higher education institutions leading bodies along with the Council of Higher Education Institutions of the Czech Republic. Similar success the Czech Rectors Conference recorded in its international activities. Most negotiations resulting in establishing international contacts were held by the CRC President, Chancellor or Secretary General. They managed to resume both working and friendly contacts between the CRC and the HRK (Hochschulrektorenkonferenz – German Rectors Conference seated in Bonn) and similar were the interactions with France (Paris), Austria (Vienna) and Hungary (Budapest), apart from the closest Slovakia (Bratislava).
Quite a lot of effort was needed for achievements, today considered natural, such as the Czech Rectors Conference being the Full Collective Member of the European University Association that originated from a merger between the Association of European Universities (CRE) and the Confederation of European Union Rectors Conferences (Confederation). As soon as the CRC had been established, its representatives were regularly invited to CRE Council meetings. It could be considered extraordinary that as early as in 1996 the CRE 47th Bi-Annual Conference took place in the Czech Republic (Palacký University in Olomouc, October 1996). Thanks to the systematic negotiations of its representatives, CRC has been accepted for the Confederation observer already since 1994 and since 1996 it has received the status of the associated member. If the list of CRC international activities should continue the length would be formidable containing names of many other players who claim credit for developing CRC international contacts. The Czech Rectors Conference holds a fast position as a fully-fledged partner of Rectors Conferences in the whole Europe.
It should be also mentioned that the CRC was the first Rectors Conference from non-EU member countries hosting the Confederation of European Union Rectors Conferences Board meeting (Masaryk University in Brno, May 1997). The CRC should also be given credits for hosting 2001 summit of European ministers of education by Charles University in Prague in May or for 2006 EUA Conference taking place in Brno hosted in October by Masaryk University. Another CRC big success is also 2009 EUA Convention held in Prague in March before the ministers of education May summit. The noted event held in the period of the Czech Republic EU Presidency was hosted by Charles University in Prague, along with the CRC.
Another exceptional progress favourable for the CRC and not only the CRC is that based on the CRC proposal Professor Václav Hampl, Charles University in Prague rector and that time the CRC Vice-President for creative activities, later the CRC President, was elected EUA Board member for the four-year office period of 2011-2015 by the EUA General Assembly (Denmark, Aarhus, April 2011). The similar situation was repeated in 2017. On the CRC proposal Professor Hana Machková, rector of the Prague University of Economics and Business, was elected EUA Board member for the four-year office period of 2017-2021 by the General Assembly (Norway, Bergen, April 2017).
Since its establishment, the CRC has held 176 CRC Plenum Meetings and 193 CRC Presidium Meetings. The State of emergency was declared in March 2020, when a pandemic of COVID-19 caused by a new type of coronavirus broke out. Consequently, the April 155th CRC Plenum Meeting and the 164th CRC Presidium Meeting had to be cancelled. CRC Presidium Meetings took place from 23 March 2020 to 2 June 2020 in the form of videoconferences. The second wave of the pandemic of COVID-19 broke out in October 2020. Consequently, the December 158th CRC Plenum Meeting and the 167th CRC Presidium Meeting had to be cancelled.
The number of CRC members has grown from the original 27 (all public and state higher education institutions in the Czech Republic) to 45 (all 26 public higher education institutions, both state higher education institutions and 17 private higher education institutions). The CRC Secretariat has kept its location in the Masaryk University headquarters building in Brno since its creation employing only one person as the CRC Secretary General till mid-October 2009. Since 15 October 2009 till 31 July 2018, the CRC Secretariat employed the CRC Secretariat Assistant along with the CRC Secretary General. Since 1 August 2018 the CRC Secretariat has consisted of three employees – the CRC Secretary General and two CRC Secretariat Assistants.
Brno, 5 December 2024
Marie Fojtíková
Czech Rectors Conference Secretary General
Rector of the Technical University of Liberec († 14. 12. 2014)
Rector of Czech Technical University in Prague († 14. 6. 1996)
Rector of Czech University of Life Sciences Prague
Rector of Charles University
Rector of Tomas Bata University in Zlín
Rector of Czech University of Life Sciences Prague
Rector of Masaryk University
Rector of Charles University
Rector of Charles University
Rector of Czech University of Life Sciences Prague
Rector of Masaryk University
Rector of Charles University
President
Vice-President for education
Vice-President for creative activities
Vice-President for economic and social affairs
Vice-President for public relations and foreign affairs
Vice-President for legislative and organizational affairs
President
Vice-President for education
Vice-President for creative activities
Vice-President for economic and social affairs
Vice-President for public relations and foreign affairs
Vice-President for legislative and organizational affairs
The term of Rector's office and therefore also the CRC Membership and the CRC Presidium Membership of Jiří Málek has finished on 31 January 2022. The proposed part of the CRC Vice-President by-election for the term of office since 1 March 2022 to 31 July 2023 was held electronically in the week since 7 to 11 February 2022 so as not to burden the 164th CRC Plenum Meeting (Brno, 17 February 2022) which took place hosted by Masaryk University in a hybrid form (CRC Presidium and the Election Commission in person, others on-line). The election itself took place electronically during that meeting. Václav Snášel, Rector of the VSB – Technical University of Ostrava, was elected the CRC Vice-President for creative activities. Since 1 February 2022 to 28 February 2022 the CRC President, Martin Bareš, was in charge of the CRC Vice-President for creative activities. The term of Rector's office and therefore also the CRC Membership and the CRC Presidium Membership of Vladimír Sedlařík has finished on 14 December 2022. The CRC Vice-President by-election for the term of office 15 December 2022 – 31 July 2023 was held on the 168th CRC Plenum Meeting (Pilsen, 1 December 2022). Milena Králíčková, Rector of Charles University, was elected the CRC Vice-President for education. The term of Rector's office and therefore also the CRC Membership and the CRC Presidium Membership of Pavel Tuleja has finished on 28 February 2023. The CRC Vice-President by-election for the term of office 1 March 2023 – 31 July 2023 was held on the 169th CRC Plenum Meeting, CRC Annual Assembly (Prague, 17 February 2023). Petr Dvořák, Rector of Prague University of Economics and Business, was elected the CRC Vice-President for economic and social affairs.
President
Vice-President for education
Vice-President for creative activities
Vice-President for economic and social affairs
Vice-President for public relations and foreign affairs
Vice-President for legislative and organizational affairs
The term of Rector's office and therefore also the CRC Membership and the CRC Presidium Membership of Jan Hančil has finished on 14 February 2021. The CRC Vice-President by-election for the term of office since 1 March 2021 to 31 July 2021 was held electronically in the week since 22 to 26 February 2021 so as not to burden the 159th CRC Plenum Meeting (Prague, 18 February 2021) which took place hosted by the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague in a hybrid form (CRC Presidium in person, others on-line). Jindřich Vybíral, Rector of Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague, was elected the CRC Vice-President for public relations and foreign affairs. Since 15 February 2021 to 28 February 2021 the CRC Presidium was composed of five members only – Petr Sklenička, CRC President, Jaroslav Miller, CRC Vice-President for education, Jiří Málek, CRC Vice-President for creative activities, Petr Štěpánek, CRC Vice-President for economic and social affairs, Jitka Němcová, CRC Vice-President for legislative and organizational affairs. The term of Rector's office and therefore also the CRC Membership and the CRC Presidium Membership of Jaroslav Miller has finished on 30 April 2021. It was decided at the last CRC Presidium Meeting with his presence (169th CRC Presidium Meeting, on-line, 6 April 2021) that the CRC Vice-President by-election will not be held and that the CRC President, Petr Sklenička, will be in charge of the CRC Vice-President for education for the rest of the term of office (1 May 2021 – 31 July 2021).
President
Vice-President for education
Vice-President for creative activities
Vice-President for economic and social affairs
Vice-President for public relations and foreign affairs
Vice-President for legislative and organizational affairs
President
Vice-President for education
Vice-President for creative activities
Vice-President for economic and social affairs
Vice-President for public relations and foreign affairs
Vice-President for legislative and organizational affairs
The term of Rector's office and therefore also the CRC Membership and the CRC Presidium Membership of Ivan Barančík has finished on 31 July 2016. The CRC Vice-President by-election for the term of office 1 October 2016 – 31 July 2017 was held on the next CRC Plenum Meeting (137th CRC Plenum Meeting, Prague, 29-30 September 2016). Jitka Němcová, Rector of Medical College, was elected the CRC Vice-President for legislative and organizational affairs. Since 1 August 2016 up to 30 September 2016 the CRC Presidium was composed of five members only – Tomáš Zima, CRC President, Mikuláš Bek, CRC Vice-President for education, Zdeněk Kůs, CRC Vice-President for creative activities, Karel Melzoch, CRC Vice-President for economic and social affairs, Ivo Medek, CRC Vice-President for public relations and foreign affairs.
President
Vice-President for education
Vice-President for creative activities
Vice-President for economic and social affairs
Vice-President for public relations and foreign affairs
Vice-President for legislative and organizational affairs
The term of Rector´s office and therefore also the CRC Membership and the CRC Presidium Membership of Václav Hampl has finished on 31 January 2014. The CRC President by-election for the term of office 20 February 2014 – 31 July 2015 was held on the next CRC Plenum Meeting (124th CRC Plenum Meeting, CRC Annual Assembly, Střítež close to Jihlava 20-21 February 2014). Tomáš Zima, Rector of Charles University in Prague, was elected the CRC President. Since 1 February 2014 up to 19 February 2014 the CRC Presidium was composed of five members only (without the CRC President) – Mikuláš Bek, CRC Vice-President for education, Zdeněk Kůs, CRC Vice-President for creative activities, Karel Melzoch, CRC Vice-President for economic and social affairs, Ivo Medek, CRC Vice-President for public relations and foreign affairs, Ivan Barančík, CRC Vice-President for legislative and organizational affairs.
President
Vice-President for education
Vice-President for creative activities
Vice-President for economic and social affairs
Vice-President for public relations and foreign affairs
Vice-President for legislative and organizational affairs
The term of Rector's office and therefore also the CRC Membership and the CRC Presidium Membership of Josef Koubek has finished on 31 December 2011. The CRC Vice-President by-election for the term of office 16 February 2012 – 31 July 2013 was held on the next CRC Plenum Meeting (114th CRC Plenum Meeting, CRC Annual Assembly, Prague, 16-17 February 2012). Zdeněk Kůs, Rector of Technical University of Liberec, was elected the CRC Vice-President for creative activities. Since 1 January 2012 up to 16 February 2012 the CRC Presidium was composed of five members only – Václav Hampl, CRC President, Vladimír Večerek, CRC Vice-President for education, Richard Hindls, CRC Vice-President for economic and social affairs, Ivan Barančík, CRC Vice-President for public relations and foreign affairs, Ivo Mathé, CRC Vice-President for legislative and organizational affairs. The term of Rector's office and therefore also the CRC Membership and the CRC Presidium Membership of Ivo Mathé has finished on 14 February 2013. It was decided at the next CRC Plenum Meeting (119th CRC Plenum Meeting, CRC Annual Assembly, Prague, 14-15 February 2013) that the CRC Vice-President by-election will not be held and that the CRC Vice-President for public relations and foreign affairs Ivan Barančík will be in charge of the CRC Vice-President for legislative and organizational affairs for the rest of the term of office (15 February 2013 – 31 July 2013).
President
Vice-President for education
Vice-President for creative activities
Vice-President for economic and social affairs
Vice-President for public relations and foreign affairs
Vice-President for legislative and organizational affairs
The term of Rector's office and therefore also the CRC Membership and the CRC Presidium Membership of Jiří Málek has finished on 31 January 2010. The CRC Vice-President by-election for the term of office 18 February 2010 – 31 July 2011 was held on the next CRC Plenum Meeting (104th CRC Plenum Meeting, CRC Annual Assembly, Ústí nad Labem, 18-19 February 2010). Karel Rais, Rector of Brno University of Technology, was elected the CRC Vice-President for public relations and foreign affairs. Since 1 February 2010 up to 18 February 2010 the CRC Presidium was composed of five members only – Petr Fiala, CRC President, Vladimír Večerek, CRC Vice-President for education, Václav Hampl, CRC Vice-President for creative activities, Václav Havlíček, CRC Vice-President for economic and social affairs, Luboš Chaloupka, CRC Vice-President for legislative and organizational affairs.
President
Vice-President for education
Vice-President for creative activities
Vice-President for economic and social affairs
Vice-President for public relations and foreign affairs
Vice-President for legislative and organizational affairs
At the 95th CRC Plenum Meeting which took place in Uherské Hradiště (17.4.2008) was approved to prolong the Presidium mandate (which had the term of office 1.8.2007 – 31.7.2008) till 31.7.2009.
President
Vice-President for education
Vice-President for creative activities
Vice-President for economic and social affairs
Vice-President for public relations and foreign affairs
Vice-President for legislative and organizational affairs
President
Vice-President for education
Vice-President for creative activities
Vice-President for economic and social affairs
Vice-President for public relations and foreign affairs
Vice-President for legislative and organizational affairs
After the end of Petr Sáha's Rector's term of office Jan Hron was charged with a function of the President (11 May 2007 – 31 July 2007). The rest of the Presidium remained without any change.
President
Vice-President for education
Vice-President for creative activities
Vice-President for economic and social affairs
Vice-President for public relations and foreign affairs
Vice-President for legislative and organizational affairs
The term of Rector´s office and therefore also the CRC Membership and the CRC Presidium Membership of Ivan Wilhelm and Miroslav Ludwig has finished on 31 Januray 2006. The CRC Presidium by-elections for the term of office 24 February 2006 – 31 July 2006 were held on the next CRC Plenum Meeting (84th CRC Plenum Meeting, Olomouc, 23-24 February 2006). Petr Sáha, Rector of Tomas Bata University in Zlín, was elected the CRC President, Jan Hron, Rector of the Czech University of Agriculture, was elected the CRC Vice-President for economic and social affairs, Václav Hampl, Rector of Charles University in Prague, was elected the CRC Vice-President for public relations and foreign affairs. Since 1 February 2006 up to 23 February 2006 the CRC Presidium was composed of four members only – Václav Cejpek, CRC Vice-President for education, Petr Fiala, CRC Vice-President for creative activities, Petr Sáha, CRC Vice-President for economic and social affairs, František Jirásek, CRC Vice-President for legislative and organizational affairs.
President
Vice-President for education
Vice-President for creative activities
Vice-President for economic and social affairs
Vice-President for public relations and foreign affairs
Vice-President for legislative and organizational affairs
President
Vice-President for education
Vice-President for creative activities
Vice-President for economic and social affairs
Vice-President for public relations and foreign affairs
Vice-President for legislative and organizational affairs
According to the CRC Statutes the Presidium is to be of six – the President and five Vice-Presidents (for education, for creative activities, for economic and social affairs, for public relations and foreign affairs, for legislative and organizational affairs). Considering that according to the valid CRC election procedure only 4 Vice-Presidents were elected on 20 June 2003, the CRC Plenum decided that the CRC Presidium Members would be appointed in such a way that all 5 areas defined by the CRC Statutes would be covered. The CRC Presidium decided on its 61st Meeting, held on 4 September 2003, that the function of the Vice-President for economic and social affairs would be covered by the CRC President and that the by-elections would be held on the 72nd CRC Plenum Meeting (the term of office of the Vice-President would be 5 December 2003 – 31 July 2004). The procedure proposed by the CRC Presidium was adopted by the CRC Plenum on its 71st Meeting, held on 4-5 September 2003. On the 72nd CRC Plenum Meeting, held on 4-5 December 2003, Petr Sáha, Rector of Tomas Bata University in Zlín, was elected the Vice-President for economic and social affairs.
President
Vice-President for education
Vice-President for creative activities
Vice-President for economic and social affairs
Vice-President for public relations and foreign affairs
Vice-President for legislative and organizational affairs
President
Chancellor
Presidium Member
Presidium Member
Presidium Member
Presidium Member
Since 20 February 2002 when a new CRC Statutes was adopted the function of the Chancellor became extinct. The Presidium is of six – the President and five Vice-Presidents (for education, for creative activities, for economic and social affairs, for public relations and foreign affairs, for legislative and organizational affairs). Considering that according to the CRC Statutes mentioned above the elections of the President and Vice-Presidents for a one-year term of office starting with 1 August and ending with 31 July takes place in May or in June the Plenum decided to prolong the Presidium mandate up to 31 July 2002 without explicit division of Vice-Presidents functions among Presidium Members (exept of function of the Vice-President for legislative and organizational affairs which corresponded to the function of the former Chancellor).
President
Chancellor
Presidium Member
Presidium Member
Presidium Member
Presidium Member
Since 26 May 2000 when a new CRC Statutes was adopted the Chancellor became the Presidium Member. The Presidium is of six – the President, the Chancellor and four more members.
President
Chancellor
Presidium Member
Presidium Member
Presidium Member
Presidium Member
President
Chancellor
Presidium Member
Presidium Member
Presidium Member
Presidium Member
President
Chancellor
Presidium Member
Presidium Member
Presidium Member
Presidium Member
President
Chancellor
Presidium Member
Presidium Member
Presidium Member
Presidium Member
After Stanislav Hanzl's death († 14 June 1996) Jan Hron was charged with a function of the President (15 June 1996 – 6 March 1997). The Presidium remained without any change since the CRC Elections 1996 (9 February 1996) up to 31 January 1997 when two Presidium Members finished their rector's terms of office (Josef Jařab, Zdeněk Kovář). Since 1 February 1997 up to 6 March 1997 the Presidium was composed of three members only – Jan Hron (the Chancellor charged with a function ot the President), Karel Malý, Eduard Schmidt.
President
Chancellor
Presidium Member
Presidium Member
Presidium Member
Presidium Member
President
Chancellor
Presidium Member
Presidium Member
Presidium Member
Presidium Member
Since 25 February 1994 when a new CRC Statutes was adopted the Presidium was of five – the President and four more members. The Chancellor is still a deputy for the President but he stops to be the Presidium Member.
President
Chancellor
According to the CRC Statutes adopted at the constituent CRC Meeting on 28 January 1993 the Presidium is composed of two members only – the President and the Chancellor. The Chancellor is a deputy for the President and is responsible for the CRC Secretariat.
Higher Education Institution abolished since 1 September 2004 and became a part of the University of Defence.
Higher Education Institution abolished since 1 September 2004 and became a part of the University of Defence.
Higher Education Institution abolished since 1 September 2004 and became a part of the University of Defence.
Since 19 September 2018, the HUSPOL Academy, Ltd., previously (until 9.1.2020) European Polytechnical Institute, Ltd., has not been represented in the CRC by its Rector.
Higher Education Institution abolished since 1 September 2016.
Higher Education Institution abolished since 29 September 2015 and became a part of the Business and Law School.
Higher Education Institution entered the insolvency proceeding on 29 May 2015, the state approval and accreditation of the study programs was withdrawn on 28 January 2016.
Higher Education Institution abolished since 1 August 2018 and became a part of the College of Regional Development and Banking Institute – AMBIS.
Higher Education Institution abolished since 1 October 2023 and became a part of the AMBIS University.
Since 1 January 2023, the University College of International and Public Relations Prague has not been represented in the CRC by its Rector.
Higher Education Institution finished its activity in the Czech Republic since 21 November 2014.
Since 1 September 2018, the College of European and Regional Studies has not been represented in the CRC by its Rector.
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