Article 1 - Position and purpose

1. The Cooperatio Program (“Program”) is, under Article 7 (1) of the Rules for the System of Internal Evaluation and Quality Assurance of Charles University (“University”), a program to support science and research through which the conceptual development of the creative activities of the University is ensured while respecting freedom of scholarly researching and artistic production at the University.

2. The Program is a primary, non-competitive tool for the institutional support of creative activities at the University funded from financial means within the institutional support for the long-term conceptual development of a research institution. ¹

3. The main objectives of the Program are as follows:

   a.	To foster the position of the University as a significant and internationally competitive research institution with an important contribution to the quality life of the society and to the sustainability of life in general;
   b.	To ensure conditions for the development and high quality of scholarly areas which are subject to permanent research at the respective establishments of the University, and for good practice to be shared among neighbouring research fields;
   c.	To support communication, coordination and cooperation of all University faculties and institutes (“Unit”) where the respective research field is developed, and to reduce fragmentation of creative activities at the University;
   d.	To contribute to the fulfilment of the Strategic Plan of the University in the area of creative activities;
   e.	To intertwine research fields with the programmes of study and study areas in order to deepen the relation between creative and educational activities.

Article 2 - Basic provisions

1. The Program is implemented in five-year cycles; the first cycle commences on 1 January 2022 and terminates on 31 December 2026.

2. The Program is to be carried out at all Units of the University; it comprises all research areas which are to be permanently developed at the University; all academics and researchers along with doctoral students are to take part in the Program.

3. The Program funds are to support research areas composed of research fields, and institutional activities of the Units.

4. The link between a research area and a respective research field is part of the internal classification.²

5. A respective research area involves academics, researchers and doctoral students under paragraph 2 whose creative activities are to contribute to the development of the respective research fields.

6. Research areas and research fields to be supported from the Program funds within the particular cycle are approved, upon the proposal of the Rector and before the cycle begins, by the Research Board of the University having considered positions of the respective Units including their undertaking as to the research fields they intend to develop within the cycle. Specifying a particular research field means that, at the same time, the Unit enters into the respective research area encompassing the selected field. Changes in the approved structure of supported research areas and fields in the course of a respective cycle, along with changes in the involvement of Units, may be implemented only in justified cases upon an affirmative opinion by the Research Board of the University.

7. The inclusion of a Unit into a respective research area gives rise to the following duties:

   a.	To develop and promote the research area in compliance with the purposes of the Program, the objective of the development of the research area and the agreement on the development of the research area;
   b.	To participate in the activities of the Board of the research area (“Board”) and to provide to the Board necessary assistance;
   c.	To carry out permanent creative activities in research fields where the Unit has been engaged within the respective research area;
   d.	To indicate, in compliance with the rules set in Article 12 (1) a), academics and researchers who represent the Unit in developing the respective research area and to keep and maintain their register;
   e.	To provide funds annually under Article 3 (2) a) during the whole period of implementation of the Program for research fields where the Unit is engaged within the research area;
   f.	To be assessed within the framework of the internal evaluation of creative activities at the University regarding the research fields in which the Unit is engaged within the research area; the rules for the assessment are to be set by an autonomous Rector´s Directive.3

Article 3 - Financing

1. The total amount of funds for the Program and the rules for their allocation among Units are set for every calendar year in compliance with the principles for the division of revenues of the University (“Principles”).⁴

2. The funds to be provided under the Principles for the implementation of the Program are made up as follows:

   a.	98,5 % are funds distributed by the Units under the Principles stipulated by the Directive herein, and
   b.	1,5 % are funds intended to ensure the activities of Boards and are part of the budget of the Rectorate; these funds are allocated in compliance with the rules set by an autonomous Rector´s Directive.

3. The allocation of funds provided to Units for a respective calendar year according to the schedule of contributions and subsidies⁵ is subject to the rules as follows:

   a.	A minimum of 70 % must be directly divided among individual Units to support research fields and research areas where the respective Unit has been engaged;
   b.	A minimum of 5 % of them must be allocated to tools supporting strategic priorities of the Unit in creative activities6;
   c.	Complementary and overhead costs may create a maximum of 20 % from the total amount of non-investment funds7.

4. A proposal of rules upon which the funds allocated to a respective Unit are to be divided is submitted for approval by the Dean to the Academic Senate of a Unit, or by the Director to the Research Board of a Unit. In preparing the draft rules the following aspects should be considered, if possible:

   a.	the Strategic Plan of the University and the Unit;
   b.	conclusions of the internal evaluation of creative activities of the University; 8
   c.	plans for the development of research areas in which the Unit has been engaged;
   d.	recommendations of the Board of a respective research area in compliance with Article 7 (2) b);
   e.	conclusions of the evaluation under Article 6 (1) b); and
   f.	representations by coordinators of respective research areas (“Coordinator”) in which the Unit has been engaged.

5. A proposal for the division of funds among individual research areas and research fields, and the use of funds for institutional activities under paragraph 3 b) and c) within a respective Unit for a respective calendar year, is to be submitted for approval by the Dean to the Academic Senate of a Unit or the Director to the Research Board of a Unit.

6. The Dean or the Director of a Unit are obliged to ensure access to the rules under paragraph 4 and the division of funds under paragraph 5 to members of the academic community of a Unit. Such duty to inform can be fulfilled for example through posting the relevant documents on the public part of the webpage of a respective Unit.

7. The funds of the Program may be used to cover personal expenses and scholarships for workers and students under Article 2 (2) as well as other workers and students of the University who participate in the creative activities or support them through their own actions.

8. The Dean or the Director of a Unit are responsible, in relation to a respective part of the Program, for the observance of the rules determining the institutional support of the long-term conceptual development of the research organisation set by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, and for the regular spending and economic utilisation of the provided funds in compliance with the respective decision. ⁹ For this purpose, the Dean, or the Director, performs continuous control over spending financial resources.

9. Form the second year of a respective cycle of the Program, Deans and Directors of Units submit to the Rector an annual frame outline of the use of Program funds by their Unit in the preceding calendar year in the arrangement set in paragraph 3. Details for the outline are stipulated in an autonomous Rector´s Directive.

10. Should there be serious deficiencies in the implementation of the Program ascertained by a University body or panel the Rector may, upon recommendation of the Research Board of the University, submit a proposal to the Academic Senate of the University to restrict or suspend the financing for the Units or research areas concerned.

11. Funds assigned to maintain the activities of Boards are composed as follows:

    a.	means allocated as fees for Coordinators;
    b.	means allocated as fees for Coordinators´ deputies and other members of the Boards, or fees for work for Boards which are subject to decision of the Coordinator in the respective research area.

Article 4 - The plan for the development of a research area

1. A plan for the development of a research area approved by the Research Board of the University is substantial for the support of the research area, research fields and activities in a respective cycle of the Program.

2. The Plan for the development of a research area is compiled by the Board; in doing so the Board, if possible, should consider the conclusions and recommendations resulting from the internal evaluation of creative activities at the University ¹⁰preceding the implementation of a respective cycle of the Program. If such approach is inapplicable, the Board is to critically consider the position of the respective research area in a national and, in particular, international comparison.

3. The Plan for the development of a research area contains the following items:

   a.	A list of units and their establishments engaged in the respective research area;
   b.	A description of the main research directions to be followed by workers and students associated in the research area including indications of their relevance in an international environment;
   c.	A set of activities and measures to develop research fields within the respective research area so that the purposes of the Program could be carried out including their frame schedule and indicators.

4. A proposal of the Plan is to be submitted by Coordinators of research areas to the Rector along with the affirmative position of Deans and Directors of Units engaged therein and their respective Research Boards. The Rector refers the proposal to the Research Board of the University.

5. Should the Research Board of the University refuse to approve the Plan for the development of a research area the Board is obliged to provide reasons for its disapproval. Then the Rector without any delay begins negotiations with all parties concerned so that a new proposal could be submitted to the Research Board of the University. In the case of repeated disapproval, the Rector is to decide regarding further procedure and is to inform the Research Board of the University of his decision.

Article 5 - Agreement on the development of a research area

1. Details of activities within a respective research area, of rules for spending funds allocated thereto by Units, or of any potential limitation of competence, powers and duties of a Coordinator, his or her Deputy and/or Board beyond the framework of the Directive herein, are governed by an agreement to be undersigned by Deans and Directors of the Units engaged, a Coordinator concerned and the Rector.

2. An agreement on the development of a research area may be modified through an amendment concluded in compliance with paragraph 1.

Article 6 - Evaluation

1. The fulfilment of objectives of the Program is subject to evaluation which is to include the following aspects:

   a.	Regular monitoring in the form of discussion regarding the recent development in a respective research area, and a prospect for the upcoming period; the discussion is arranged as part of the Board meeting convened by the Rector with participation of Deans and Directors of Units engaged in the respective research area, or by representatives thereof, usually a Vice-Rector or Vice-Dean. For such purpose, the Board is to prepare a relevant document containing recommendations for Deans and Directors of Units engaged specifying measures to be adopted in order to attain the objectives of the Program within the respective research area and to implement the Plan of its development. The Department of Science and Research of the Rectorate is to produce an outline of indicators of creative activities within the respective research area;
   b.	Interim evaluation of Units carried out in the third year of a respective cycle of the Program according to rules set by an autonomous Rector´s Directive, where the background documents are used that are prepared within the national evaluation in accordance with approved methodology;
   c.	Internal evaluation of creative activities at the University implemented under the rules set by an autonomous Rector´s Directive. 11

2. Evaluation is based upon principles stipulated in Article 3 of the Rules for the System of Internal Evaluation and Quality Assurance of Charles University.

3. The outcomes from the evaluation are to be used primarily as a basis for the development of research areas and research fields and for the preparation of the upcoming Program cycle.

Article 7 - Competence and powers

1. The development of a research area in compliance with the purposes of the Program, the Plan of the development of a research area and an agreement on the development of a research area is governed by the Board headed by a Coordinator.

2. Competence of the Board primarily covers conceptual and coordinating issues relating to the development of a respective research area. The Board, in particular,

   a.	prepares the Plan of the development of a research area, and supports its fulfilment by its activities;
   b.	formulates recommendations for Deans and Directors of Units engaged specifying measures to be adopted in order to attain the objectives of the Program and of its Plan of development;
   c.	formulates recommendations for Deans and Directors of Units engaged regarding the use of financial resources provided for the respective research area;
   d.	formulates recommendations for Deans and Directors of engaged Units relating to the planned purchases of electronic information resources relevant for the respective research fields;
   e.	looks after the relevant and correct internal classification of research fields, sub-fields and their links with programmes of study and branches of the granting of associate professorship and full professorship, as well as after external classification to the extent stipulated by an autonomous Rector´s Directive; 12
   f.	prepares background documents and opinions for evaluation under Article 6 (1) and for other purposes upon an application of a body of the Unit engaged in the research area, or a body of the University.

3. Activities of the Board are managed by a Coordinator whose powers include the following:

   a.	To provide feedback, in writing, regarding the draft rules for the division of funds among individual research areas and fields under Article 3 (4);
   b.	To propose, in cooperation with Board members, annual bonuses for Deans and Directors of engaged Units for their creative activities, and scholarships 13 for workers and students of the respective Units, up to 10 % of the total expected wage costs covered from funds allocated for the respective research area unless an agreement under Article 5 stipulates a higher share; should the Dean or Director decide not to affirm the proposal the negative decision must contain reasons in writing.
   c.	To decide regarding amounts of bonuses for other Board members for their work for the Board paid from funds under Article 3 (11) b).

4. If a Coordinator is unable to perform his or her position the competence and powers under paragraph (3) devolve on the Deputy Coordinator.

5. The Board may request that bodies or workers of the Units engaged provide information and opinions so that the Board can execute its powers.

Article 8 - Composition

1. The Board is regularly composed of a minimum of five and maximum of twenty members of whom one holds the position of Coordinator and another member holds the position of Deputy Coordinator.

2. Only academics and researchers of the University who have attained internationally recognised results may be members of the Board.

3. Where more Units are engaged in more research areas at least one academic or researcher from each Unit sits on the Board.

4. The Coordinator and his or her Deputy are to be academics or researchers with a work load at the University of at least 0.5.

5. The position of Coordinator and Deputy Coordinator is incompatible with membership in the Board of another research area, the position of Rector or Dean.

Article 9 - Formation

1. Members of the Board of a research area implemented only at one Unit are nominated by the Dean or Director; the nomination includes the designation of those members who are to hold positions of Coordinator and Deputy Coordinator. Where more Units are engaged in a research area respective Deans and Directors submit nominations as a result of their agreement and consideration, if applicable, of conclusions and results of a respective cycle of evaluation of creative activities at Charles University ¹⁴so that the quality of research fields at individual Units is taken into account.

2. Board members are approved by the Research Board of Charles University before the beginning of a respective cycle of the Program upon prior consideration by Research Boards of engaged Units of those nominees who are academics or researchers at those respective Units. Where more Units are engaged in a research area the nomination of Coordinator and Deputy Coordinator is to be considered by all Research Boards of the respective Units. The Research Board of Charles University considers particularly the professional quality of nominees and, if possible, the balanced composition of the Board. ¹⁵

3. The Coordinator and Deputy Coordinator are appointed by the Rector.

4. A proposal to change the person of Coordinator or Deputy in the course of implementation of the Program is to be approved by the Research Board of Charles University upon prior consideration by Research Boards of all Units engaged in the research area. Changes in other Board members are approved by the Rector upon prior consideration by the Research Board of a Unit concerned; where more Units are engaged in the research area the proposal must be discussed with all Units engaged.

Article 10 - Meetings

1. A minimum of two meetings of the Board are held during a calendar year; from the second year of implementation of the Program, one of them is to be convened by the Rector so that evaluation under Article 6 (1) a) can be executed. Other meetings of the Board are convened by the Coordinator; Deans and Directors of Units engaged and the Department of Science and Research of the Rectorate are to be informed thereof sufficiently in advance.

2. Meetings can always be attended by the following persons:

   a.	The Rector or his or her deputy;
   b.	The Dean or Director of a Unit engaged in the respective research area, or their deputies;
   c.	A member of the body or panel of a Unit engaged, or of the University;
   d.	A guest invited by the Coordinator.

3. Minutes of the meeting are drafted.

Article 11 - Documentation

1. Documents drafted under the Rector´s Directive herein create part of the aggregate documentation of the Program which is electronically kept and maintained by the Department of Science and Research of the Rectorate.

2. The aggregate documentation is composed of the following documents:

   a.	The structure of supported research areas and research fields within the Program;
   b.	The composition of Boards along with names of Coordinators and their Deputies;
   c.	The list of establishments engaged in individual research areas;
   d.	Final reports on internal evaluation of creative activities at the University16 and interim evaluation; 17
   e.	Continuous overviews of indicators of creative activities in research areas;
   f.	Rules of Units for the division of funds;
   g.	The division of funds;
   h.	Framework overviews of the spending of funds;
   i.	Plans of the development of research areas;
   j.	Recommendations of Boards for the development of research areas;
   k.	Written proposals and documents drafted by the Board;
   l.	Opinions of Coordinators regarding proposed rules for the division of funds;
   m.	Nominations of Board members;
   n.	Minutes from Board meetings;
   o.	Agreements on the development of research areas.

   Administration of documents under a) to e) is executed by the Department of Science and Research of the Rectorate; documents under f) to h) are kept by Units, and documents under i) to o) by Boards.

3. Documentation of the Program is used for evaluation under Article 6; in order to interlink the documentation with internal evaluation of creative activities at the University documents under paragraph 1 a), c), d), e), i) and j) are drafted in English.

Article 12 - Records

1. Rules and procedures for recording workers and students participating in the Program for a respective Unit, along with recording outcomes of creative activities within the implementation of the Program, are stipulated by an autonomous Rector´s Directive. ¹⁸

2. Records of approved Board members in the personnel recording system are kept by the Department of Science and Research of the Rectorate.

3. Recordings under paragraph 2 are used for evaluation under Article 6.

Article 13 - Management and support

1. Any essential changes relating to individual research areas that are not covered by the Directive herein are to be considered by the Research Board of Charles University.

2. Activities in relation to the Program and procedures under the Directive herein are coordinated by a Vice-Rector designated by the Rector; the Department of Science and Research of the Rectorate is responsible for their technical administration.

3. The electronic Information System of the University is to be used, to the widest extent possible, for activities relating to the implementation of the Program.

Article 14 - Final provisions

1. Should there be, in the course of implementation of the Program, any change to Act N. 130/2002 Sb., to support research and development from public funds, as amended, or adoption or amendment of any other law introducing significant changes to institutional support of science at the University, the Rector is to present an outline of further procedures to Deans, Directors of Units, the Research Board of the University and the Academic Senate of the University.

2. The Draft of the Directive herein was subject to consideration by the Research Board of the University on 29 April 2021, and by the Academic Senate of the University on 30 April 2021.

3. The Directive herein becomes effective on 5 May 2021.

Prague, 3 May 2021

prof. MUDr. Tomáš Zima, DrSc., MBA