The activities of the University are based primarily on the Higher Education Act (Act No. 111/1998 Sb., on higher education institutions and on amendments to other acts), which stipulates the basic principles of the functioning of higher education institutions and defines their purpose.

Other national acts and regulations that govern the University’s activities include:

Act No. 106/1999 Sb., on free access to information;

Act No. 101/2000 Sb., on protection of personal data and on amendments to related acts;

Act No. 218/2000 Sb., on budgetary rules and on amendments of related acts;

Act No. 130/2002 Sb., on the support of research and development from public funds and on amendments to related acts;

Act No. 500/2004 Sb., the Code of Administrative Procedure;

Act No. 137/2006 Sb., on public contracts.

Government Regulation No. 397/2009 Sb., on an information system for research, experimental development and innovation;

Government Regulation No. 274/2016 Sb., on standards for accreditation in higher education.

Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports Decree 42/1999 Sb., on the content of the application for accreditation of a degree programme.

The system of internal Charles University regulations includes:

• the internal regulations of the University,

• Rector's directives, and

• directives issued by the Bursar.

At the level of faculties and other parts of the University, the system of internal regulations is complemented by:

• the internal regulations of the faculties or other parts, and

• directives issued by the Dean or by the directors of the other parts.

The internal regulations of the University regulate the organization and activities of Charles University and delineate the status of members of the academic community. A university’s regulation of its own affairs with the help of its internal regulations is an expression of the right of public higher education institutions to practise self-administration; the internal regulations are adopted by the Academic Senate of the University. Once adopted, the internal regulations are also recorded by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports. The internal regulations of a university must be in compliance with the Higher Education Act and other legislation. The basic internal regulations are prescribed by the Higher Education Act. All other internal regulations of Charles University are determined by the University’s Constitution.

Unless regulated by legislation or by an internal University regulation, the internal regulations of a faculty regulate matters falling within the self-governing powers of the faculty and its relations with the University. The draft faculty internal regulations are submitted by the Dean to the Academic Senate of the faculty. Once approved by the faculty Senate, the faculty internal regulations must be approved by the Academic Senate of the University. The faculty internal regulations must be in compliance with the provisions of the Higher Education Act and the internal regulations of the University.

Besides University internal regulations, directives issued by the Rector, Bursar, Deans or the directors of other parts apply at the individual faculties or other parts. All these directives specify and implement the content of the internal regulations of the University, of the faculties and the other parts, and must be in compliance with them.