Under section 36 (2) of Act No. 111/1998 Sb., to regulate higher education institutions and to change and amend other laws (the Higher Education Act), the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports registered the Grant Rules of Charles University under Ref. No. MSMT-38084/2016  on 14 December 2016.

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                                                                                        Mgr. Karolína Gondková

                                                                       Director of the Higher Education Department

Grant Rules of Charles University of 14 December 2016

Under sections 9 (1) (b) and 17 (1) (k) of Act No. 111/1998 Sb., to regulate higher education institutions and to change and amend other laws (the Higher Education Act), as amended, and Article 12 (4) of the Constitution of Charles University, the Academic Senate of Charles University has adopted the following Grant Rules as an internal regulation:

Article 1 Introductory Provision

These Rules govern the details¹ concerning internal grant financing (“Grant Financing“) at Charles University (“the University”). Grant Financing is one of the ways of securing financial means for scientific, research, development, innovative, artistic, or other creative activities carried out at the University.²

Article 2 Grant Financing

1. The system of Grant Financing at the University is composed of the following parts:

   a.	the Grant Agency of the University (“GA UK”);
   b.	specific university research projects (“SVV Projects”).

2. The following bodies are involved in securing Grant Financing:

   a.	the Grant Council of the University3 (“GR”); and
   b.	the Supervisory Board of Grant Financing (“DR”).

3. Grant Financing under these Rules is sourced from the financial means for specific university research⁴ allocated to the University, and any other financial means earmarked from the University budget. The distribution of these financial means between the GA UK and SVV Projects is set out in the budget of the University. Any property purchased with  these financial means is the property of the University.

4. The Rectorʼs Office is in charge of the administrative management of Grant Financing.

Article 3 GA UK

1. Subject-area boards of the GA UK for the humanities, natural sciences, and medicine are also involved in the organisation of activities of the GA UK.

2. The implementation by the GA UK is governed by the Principles of Activities of the GA UK (“the Principles”) issued as a directive by the Rector after consideration by the Research Board of the University.

3. The Principles regulate the elements stipulated in these Rules, and, as appropriate in accordance with these Rules, the details of the electronic manner of implementation by the GA UK, as well as other details.  

Article 4 The Grant Council of the University

1. The GR is a permanent advisory body to the Rector for the distribution of financial means earmarked for the GA UK (“Grant Financial Means”).

2. Unless the Rector determines otherwise, the members of the GR include a Vice-Rector, and chairs and deputy chairs of the subject-area boards of the GA UK. The Rector may appoint other members of the GR from among distinguished scholars after consideration by the Research Board of the University. A dean or a vice-dean of a faculty or a director of another unit of the University may not be members of the GR.

3. The Rector appoints the members of the GR, including its chair, for a period of three years. The Rector may remove a member of the GR if he fails substantially to fulfil his obligations.

4. Above all, the GR:

   a.	prepares a draft of the Principles and after their issuance oversees their observance;
   b.	coordinates the activities of subject-area boards of the GA UK (“Subject-Area Boards”);
   c.	coordinates the cooperation with evaluators and reviewers (Article 6 (7)) of grant projects;
   d.	proposes maximum amounts of financing for grant projects for individual Subject-Area Boards;
   e.	proposes the amount of financial means for the work of the GA UK; these financial means may also be used to pay for the activities of evaluators and members of Subject-Area Boards who carry out the tasks of reviewers, and, where appropriate, other activities necessary to secure the quality evaluation of grant projects;
   f.	submits proposals for awarding or not awarding a grant, or continuing, phasing out, or terminating a grant project based on the relevant documents submitted by Subject-Area Boards; in the case of awarding a grant, or continuing or phasing out a grant project, the proposal must include a proposed allocation of financial means;
   g.	prepares the evaluation of completed grant projects based on the relevant documents submitted by Subject-Area Boards;
   h.	gives its opinion concerning any conflicts arising in the activities of a Subject-Area Board or among Subject-Area Boards;
   i.	deals with suggestions and comments regarding the activities of the GA UK.

5. The maximum amount of financing under paragraph 4 (d) and financial means under paragraph 4 (e) is determined by the total amount of Grant Financial Means for the GA UK set out in Article 2 (3).

6. Meetings of the GR are convened and chaired by the chair of the GR, who may authorise another member of the GR to chair the meeting. The minutes of the meetings of the GR are taken and published in the usual manner.

7. The GR is quorate if a majority of its members are present. A resolution of the GR is adopted if at least two thirds of the members of the GR present voted in its favour.

8. The GR may invite other experts, who do not have the right to vote, for consultation.

9. Resolutions of the GR represent recommendations to the Rector.

10. The results of calls for proposals of the GA UK and SVV, approved by the Rector, are published on the publicly accessible part of the University website. The list of awarded projects is available on the websites of the GA UK and SVV.

Article 5 Supervisory Board of Grant Financing

1. The DR is concerned with the observance of the relevant legislation, internal regulations of the University, and the Principles in the activities of the GA UK, and in this connection the DR monitors the activities of the GR and the Subject-Area Boards.

2. The DR continuously monitors the economical use of Grant Financial Means, including the specific use of financial means allocated to individual grant projects.

3. Members of the DR are entitled to inspect all documents of the GR and of the Subject-Area Boards of the GA UK. They may also take part in individual meetings of the GR and Subject-Area Boards, but they do not have the right to vote.

4. When fulfilling its responsibilities, the DR deals with suggestions and comments regarding the GA UK.

5. The DR will inform the Rector, without delay, of any deficiencies found and will suggest how to correct them.

6. The DR has six members, one of whom is nominated by the Academic Senate of the University (“the Senate”), one by the Research Board of the University, the third member being the Chief Financial Officer, and the remaining three members represent the fields under Article 3 (1). A member of the GR or a member of a Subject-Area Board may not be a member of the DR.

7. Members of the DR are appointed by the Rector.

8. The Rector will appoint a member of the DR nominated by the Senate or by the Research Board of the University as chairman of the DR.

9. The term of office of members of the DR is three years. The Rector may remove a member of the DR if he fails substantially to fulfil his obligations.

Article 6 Subject-Area Boards of the GA UK

1. Members of Subject-Area Boards are appointed by the Rector in particular from among persons nominated by the research boards of the faculties and higher education institutes; each research board may nominate a maximum of four candidates. At least one member of the Subject-Area Board is not an employee of the University.

2. The Subject-Area Board will elect its chair and deputy chair from among its members. The deputy chair will substitute for the chair in his absence; and in other cases to the extent determined by the chair.

3. The term of office of members of the Subject-Area Board is three years. The same person may be a chair or deputy chair of the Subject-Area Board for a maximum of two successive terms of office.

4. The Rector may, upon a proposal of the chair of the Subject-Area Board, remove a member of the respective Subject-Area Board. The chair of the Subject-Area Board will submit such proposal if the member of the Subject-Area Board substantially fails to fulfil his duties.

5. The Subject-Area Board considers applications to continue grant projects, and proposals for new grant projects, and arranges for their assessment.

6. When dealing with applications to continue a grant project, the Subject-Area Board will, with regard to the evaluation by reviewers, propose:

   a.	continuation of the grant project with the allocation of financial means in the expected amount;
   b.	continuation of the grant project with the allocation of financial means in a lower than expected amount;
   c.	termination of the grant project where the annual implementation report shows serious deficiencies or if the use of the financial means seriously violated instructions, or if changes have been made to the research team in breach of Article 7 (2) or (3) and no other changes have remedied the situation;
   d.	phasing out the grant project where its termination would result in a serious devaluation of the results reached; the Subject-Area Board will propose allocating a minimum amount of financial means to complete the grant project.

7. When dealing with applications for new grant projects, the Subject Area-Board will, with regard to the evaluation by the reviewer and evaluators, rank them, and, for the projects proposed for acceptance, it will indicate the amount of financial means proposed. A reviewer is appointed by the Subject-Area Board for a group of field-related grant project proposals. At least two evaluators are designated by the Subject-Area Board for each application for a grant project; several applications may be assigned to one evaluator.

8. In addition, the Subject-Area Board carries out in particular the following activities:

   a.	monitoring the use of allocated Grant Financial Means for individual projects;
   b.	evaluating all completed grant projects on the basis of their assessment;
   c.	within its competence, dealing with suggestions and comments regarding the activities of the GA UK.

   While carrying out its activities, the Subject-Area Board cooperates with the GR.

9. The meetings of the Subject-Area Board are convened and chaired by its chair. The minutes of the meeting of the Subject-Area Board are taken and submitted to the GR and DR.

10. The Subject-Area Board is quorate if a majority of its members are present. A resolution of the Subject-Area Board is adopted if an absolute majority of members present voted in its favour.

Article 7 Grant Projects

1. The criteria for the evaluation of grant applications and applications to continue a grant project, as well as for the evaluation of completed grant projects, are stipulated in the Principles.

2. A grant application or an application to continue a grant project may be submitted by a student who is enrolled at the University and who pursues his studies in a doctoral programme of study or a master’s programme of study (“Applicant”). The Applicant may submit only one application within the stipulated deadline. An application to continue a grant project may not be submitted if approval thereof would result in exceeding the original duration of the project; the GR may, in cases worthy of special consideration, allow an exception.

3. The application must also state the names and other details of the persons who are to be members of the proposed research team. A student may simultaneously be a member of several research teams, or may be indicated on several applications, but only for three projects maximum; the details are stipulated in the Principles. The members of a proposed research team always include a supervisor of the Applicant or, if the Applicant is not pursuing his studies in a doctoral programme of study, another member of academic staff who is usually the advisor of the student who has been assigned a thesis. The number of students of doctoral or master’s programmes of study in a research team must at least equal the number of other members of the research team. The application must also state the duration of the proposed grant project; grant projects may have the duration of one to three years.

4. The application must state the programme in which the Applicant is pursuing his studies and the field under Article 3 (1) in which the programme belongs.

5. The dates for submitting grant applications or applications to continue a grant project, as well as their formal elements and ways of submission, including in electronic form, are specified in the Principles. A grant application or an application to continue a grant project is submitted to the Rector’s Office, usually through the faculty where the Applicant is enrolled. 

6. The application must include a statement of the dean of the respective faculty, and a statement of the supervisor, or the member of academic staff under the third sentence of paragraph 3. If the dean of the respective faculty opposes the application, he must provide a justification therefor; in such case the application will be kept on file, but will not be evaluated nor otherwise assessed. The application to continue a grant project must include a report on the results achieved and on the use of financial means; the requirements as to the content of such report may be set out in the Principles.

7. The Applicant will be notified as to whether or not a grant has been awarded, or, where appropriate, of continuation, phasing out, or termination of a grant project. In the case of awarding, continuing, or phasing out a grant project, the notification will include information concerning the amount of financial means allocated or, where appropriate, instructions for their use.

8. If the lead researcher is pursuing his studies in a doctoral programme of study, the management of financial means allocated is governed by a contract concluded between the University and the lead researcher. The lead researcher is responsible for the proper and economical use of the financial means allocated.

9. Apart from cases under paragraph 8, the management of financial means allocated is governed by a contract concluded between the University and the member of academic staff under the third sentence of paragraph 3 which is signed by the Applicant as well. The responsibility of this member of the academic staff for the proper and economical use of the financial means allocated, and the position of the Applicant, is governed by the contract.

10. The limits on wages, other personnel costs, and costs for scholarships and bursaries within the grant project are set out in the Principles.

Article 8 SVV Projects

1. The details about the implementation of SVV Projects at the University, the elements of project applications, the requirements and dates for the submission of applications, the evaluation criteria for applications, the distribution of Grant Financial Means for SVV Projects, the limits of specific project costs, and the elements of final implementation reports are stipulated in the Principles of Implementation of SVV Projects, issued as a directive by the Rector after consideration by the Research Board of the University. The Senate gives its opinion on the Rector’s directive under the previous sentence.

2. Article 4 (1), Article 4 (4) (a), and Article 4 (8) apply by analogy to the scope of competence and responsibility of the GR during the implementation of SVV Projects. Other responsibilities of the GR may be set out in the Rector’s directive under paragraph 1.

3. Article 5 (1) - (5) applies by analogy to the scope of competence and responsibility of the DR during the implementation of SVV Projects at the University.

Article 9 Transitional Provision

Members of bodies appointed under previous regulations are considered to have been appointed under this regulation. Their term of office is not affected by this regulation.

Article 10 Final Provisions

1. The Grants Code of Charles University in Prague registered by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports on 27 October 1999, as amended, is hereby repealed.

2. These Rules were approved by the Senate on 25 November 2016.

3. These Rules come into force on the date of registration by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports⁵.

4. These Rules become effective on the first day of the calendar month following the date of coming into force.