Resolution

Slovak Rectors Conference (SRC) and Czech Rectors Conference (CRC) adopted at their Common Meeting the following resolution:

1. Having become familiar with the situation in both countries since the last common meeting held in Bratislava on December 3 and 4, 2015, SRC and CRC consider important mutual awareness of the situation and development of Slovak and Czech higher education institutions, which is a prerequisite for possible cooperation in the field of higher education, science and research.
2. The common goal of SRC and CRC is a fully-fledged representation of their higher education institutions in the European Higher Education Area and the European Research Area. The higher education institutions of both countries want to be a part of the debate on the status of higher education institutions in the future Europe and urge politicians to incorporate in their visions also the position and mission of higher education institutions that are unique in combining the so-called knowledge triangle – education, research and innovation. SRC and CRC agreed that in terms of legislation, notably the Higher Education Act, the principle of autonomy of higher education institutions, including the management of financial flows, and equal access to funding resources for science and research are the most important in the two countries. A high-quality system of accreditation, objective evaluation of the quality of higher education institutions and their internationalization are considered equally important.
3. SRC and CRC note that long-term under-funding of education, research and development is undoubtedly one of the common problems of the two countries. Both SRC and CRC see serious problems in evaluating the results of science and research as there is not yet a good methodology for evaluation of research organizations in either country. The higher education sectors of the Slovak Republic and the Czech Republic also face the same new challenges such as globalization, demographic development and technological progress, and are aware of the need to educate students which will be able to adapt to necessary changes throughout their working lives. All this through the efficient use of public and private resources, although the incomes of higher education institutions of both countries are lower than the EU or OECD average.
4. SRC and CRC share the proposal of the European University Association and the partner universities, formulated in the document "Ambitious Funding for Excellence in Europe post-2020", to increase the funding of research in Europe after the year 2020 within the 9th EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation. Excellence must stay the main criterion for the selection of projects and also geographic diversity should be taken into account. However, even the project proposals of the highest quality are threatened by the reduction of the framework programme budget and success rate of new-member-states higher education institutions is still low.
5. SRC and CRC agreed to continue in the tradition of common meetings and confirmed that the next meeting would be held in charge of SRC in the Slovak Republic on June 6 and 7, 2019. Cooperation within the European University Association, of which SRC and CRC has been full collective members since its inception in 2001, is considered important in this context as well. In addition, CRC has its representative in the Board of the European University Association (EUA Board), which is of course to the profit of higher education of both countries.

Prague, 9 June 2017