Projekty a grantová spolupráce

Kontakt: doc. Jan Vlachý

Kontakt: doc. Jan Vlachý

Cílem ABTOMATu je nalézt a posoudit alternativy bauxitu pro výrobu hliníku z regionálních nízko-kvalitních a druhotných surovin specifické pro oblast zemí EU a EFTA. ABTOMAT se zaměří na návrh, vývoj a komplexní hodnocení multi-produktových metalurgických procesů pro výrobu oxidu hlinitého, sloučenin na bázi Al2O3 a hliníku, z diasporu, strusky, červeného kalu, jílu, prachu a topazu. Procesy budou navrženy na základě kombinovaného přístupu implementující principy cirkulární ekonomiky, zero-waste a LCCA. Projekt zkoumá nový koncept pro snížení envir. stopy výroby primárního hliníku prostřednictvím využití strusky jako suroviny a červeného kalu jako materiálu lože, nosiče kyslíku a katalyzátoru při zplyňování biomasy k podpoře přeměny biomasy a tím k účinnému získávání Fe a dalších kovů. Nadto Výstupe bude návrh postupu/metodiky, unikátní datový soubor LCCA indikátorů, a obchodní model pro implementaci navržených symbiotických výrobních systémů v zemích EU a EFTA.

Kontakt: dr. Ivan Souček

Cíle projektu:

 1) rozvoj modelovacích nástrojů a konsolidace datových zdrojů pro komplexní modelování dopravně-energetických scénářů; 2) pomocí scénářů modelovat dosažení cílů v oblasti OZE a ochrany klimatu, a na jejich základě zpracovat datově a modelově založené podklady pro koncepční a strategické rozhodování veřejné správy; 3) pravidelně vyhodnocovat plnění stávajících i chystaných cílů a povinností v oblasti využití OZE, snižování emisí GHG a rozvoje čisté a udržitelné mobility postupně rozvíjeným integrovaným bottom-up a top-down modelováním dopravně-energetického systému; 4) vyhodnocovat dopady do sektorů energetiky a dopravy a nepřímé efekty do celé ekonomiky a 5) přispívat k vytváření efektivních veřejných intervencí na podporu čisté a udržitelné mobility v ČR.

Kontakt: doc.  Lenka Švecová

Cílem projektu je vyvinout novou technologii a zařízení, zvyšující míru automatizace vyhodnocení vybraných rizikových faktorů fyzické zátěže pracovních operací v kontextu Průmyslu 4.0. Novost tohoto řešení bude spočívat v druhu a komplexitě sbíraných a zpracovávaných biometrických a ergometrických dat a možnostmi vyhodnocení signálů. Novost technologická spočívá ve využití rozvíjejících se sítí internetu věcí (IoT) a senzorických technologií a je připraveno na sítě blízké budoucnosti, například 5G V tomto případě je za produkt je považováno vyvinutí nové technologie, zařízení s navazujícím SW vybavením včetně metodiky užití. Nově vyvinuté řešení pokrývá i aspekty bezpečnosti práce ve vazbě na kolaborativní robotiku.

Kontakt: doc. Lenka Švecová

Projekt iDZ Praha je spolufinancován Evropskou unií. Cílem projektu je podpora implementace aktivit a opatření naplánovaných v dlouhodobém záměru vzdělávání a rozvoje vzdělávací soustavy v HMP, které povedou ke zlepšení kvality vzdělávání na území Prahy.

Registrační číslo: CZ.02.02.XX/00/23_018/0015142

Plakát projektu

Kontakt: dr. Monika Hřebačková

SHUTTLE is an Erasmus Strategic Partnership project the UCT School of Business carries out in close collaboration with the European universities in Portugal, Poland and Finland, and a number of industry stakeholders as associated partners.In an effort to adapt to technological change and the demands of the labour market, the project primarily promotes

the acquisition of transversal skills aligned with Education 5.0 fostering key leadership skills such as business, digital, intercultural, collaborative and self leadership;

the implementation of interactive formats and designs into HE curricula through an interactive multimedia platform;

and the students’ and teachers’ partnering with advanced generative AI-based technologies.

Thus, the project defines steps for upskilling pedagogies and technologies in HE and brings a set of five modular interactive e-books on skill intelligence to complement certified or approved modular skill-based courses. Furthermore, it provides transnational teacher and student trainings, international workshops on transformative pedagogies, integrating Education 5.0 and AI-assisted tools; and brings together experts to share best practice at an international conference.

Kontakt: dr. Marek Botek

Digital Wellbeing for Higher Education Lecturers
Erasmus+ Cooperation partnerships in higher education
2021-1-SK01-KA220-HED-000032017

The overall objective of Digital Wellbeing for Higher Education Lecturers (DWEL) is clear: design, develop and implement a new approach to train HEI lecturers and managers in digital wellbeing. The end result will be to improve educators’ own digital competences, while also boosting the capacity of HEIs to manage the digital transition in a way that marries high quality teaching with the wellbeing of those involved.

Lecturers in particular face a higher risk of digital overload or burnout than ever before. Long hours sitting in front of artificially lit screens, improvised home settings, the challenge of communicating effectively online and the constant flow of communications from bosses, colleagues and students present them with a radically new set of challenges.

Our smart objectives are:

• Produce 3 new resources that enable the integration of policy and practice to support digital wellbeing for lecturers and encourage proactive behaviour at personal level;
• Rigorously use, test and refine the resources in collaboration with 72 managers/department heads and 96 lecturers, optimising their effectiveness and preparing our consortium partners for immediate implementation;
• Ensure strong uptake of the resources with a persuasive promotion campaign so that 240 HE managers, department heads & lecturers use the resources in the project lifespan, with hundreds more after completion.

Kontakt: doc. Jan Vlachý

Virtual Visiting Professors
Erasmus+ Strategic Partnerships for Higher Education
2020-1-CZ01-KA226-HE-094462

In the context of constraints appearing due to the COVID-19 crisis, it has been demonstrated that teachers as well as students are capable of accommodating to teaching and learning patterns different from the traditional ones. Once new methods, techniques and organizational measures are put in place and combined with the necessary mental adjustments, what would have been formerly considered limitations turns out to be completely new opportunities. One such COVID-19-related limitation-turned-out-to-be-opportunity may be the internationalization of undergraduate education.

The project's objectives thus include the identification and elimination of obstacles to teaching joint classes of students transnationally, establishment of viable process frameworks to facilitate complete preparation and implementation of such courses, and development of a set of courses including complete teaching materials to enable validation of the concept and meaningful initiation of such a program.

Participants will primarily comprise undergraduate students of economic and business programs at the partner universities, taught in both English and the national language, and in full-time as well as part-time form. Incoming exchange students from other universities will also be eligible for enrolment and it is expected that at least one joint study group will be taught in each of the courses every year. Teaching and technical staff from all three universities will also be trained in the development and application of open education resources to be used for development of course materials, and will be prepared to continue as trainers in their organisations.

The project will develop a total of nine undergraduate university courses, including syllabi and full sets of teaching and self-study materials taking the form of open education resources, suitable for the simultaneous teaching of diverse transnational student groups and sufficiently flexible to be integrated in the partner universities' different study programs, as well as potentially those of other partners

The nine new courses, offered by the partner universities from Fall 2022, will include (syllabi created under the project linked for download):

• Regional Economics
• International Logistics
• International Trade Operations
• Supply Chain Management
• Pricing
• Financial Derivatives
• Financial Markets and Risk Management
• Managerial Decision-making
• Principles of Marketing

Outputs will also include methodologies, resolving joint implementation of the courses in different organizational and program environments, and facilitating the development of open education resources. Three of the courses will be taught as pilots during the project with student participants from all the partner universities, thus validating the concept, capability to deliver, and quality of execution.

Outputs from the project will have numerous short-term and longer-term benefits and impacts. First and foremost, they will allow students from the partner universities to enrol in courses taught in diverse international study groups by international faculty with no disruption to their regular schedules. This will make internationalization more accessible and inclusive to a much wider section of undergraduate students, as well as to faculty, paving the way to making internationalization a mandatory standard in program design and assessment. The methodologies designed under the project will also facilitate arrangements for other universities' students to join in the courses, motivate other universities to join with their teachers and courses, and establish a technical and didactic framework for more courses and course materials to be developed and taught using a similar format.  

Kontakt: dr. Monika Hřebačková

The aim of the project is to support educators and learners to apply open-access digital tools and platforms more widely and creatively for high-quality and impactful digital content creation in line with the EU Framework for the Digital Competence of Educators (DigCompEdu).

We bring together educators, life-long learners in universities and companies, and industry players to co-create agile and easy-to-use mobile learning assignments and modules that introduce a variation and meaning to online learning and build learners’ competencies in collaborative digital storytelling and social engagement.

Digital storytelling as a method combines a rich variety of digital communicative elements, which effectively reflect a need for novel digital solutions to adapt people as well as businesses, and their products to the COVID-19 era. In the project, the digital storytelling topics focus on different types of sustainable industries, peculiar to the needs of the partners’ respective regions, such as cultural heritage sites, smart city solutions, geoparks, and ecotourism.

INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM - video

Kontakt: prof. Zuzana Dvořáková

The project creates the content of a modular qualification concept (10 topics / modules). The modular offer brings theoretical and practical knowledge for trainers, teachers, and training organizers in the field of digital education.

The content of the modular offer is the transfer and absorption of knowledge through new media and their key role, further description of necessary didactic and methodical procedures, method of compiling the offer according to knowledge and skills of the target group, and the method of implementation in synchronous or asynchronous form through the internet.

Kontakt: dr. Marek Botek

BioComp aims to describe and prioritize specific skills/competences in the Biobased economy (BBE), additional to the existing ESCO skills description and to develop an on-line tool based on Learning Scenarios to create personalized training programs for workers in the BBE.

This project is primarily aimed at Vocational Education and Training (VET), with a focus on further training of workers in the Biobased (circular) economy. After this project, workers can create their own individual training scheme, for their unique situation. This will lead to optimizing their training pathway and to better economic results for the companies.

Further objectives are:

• to have a view on the present and future needs of VET trainers and SMEs for BBE-materials;
• to facilitate VET schools and training centers and local businesses to intensify their cooperation in the field of BBE (training);
• to have the 40 most relevant competences regarding BBE at hand, according to ESCO systematics;
• to use different learning scenarios to set up individualised training programs to improve learners’ competences and skills regarding BBE;
• to explain and to promote the possibilities of BioComp to VET teachers and trainers, to stimulate them to use the communication platform and to look for international cooperation in further circular economy activities.

Kontakt: dr. Monika Hřebačková

Expected results and outputs of the project:

• Conceptual framework for coaching-oriented approach in teaching and autonomous learning in LSP (languages for specific purposes)
• Resources to support students’ autonomous learning of LSP (in English, German and Spanish), available online
• Sample materials and modules for self-study and to integrate into LSP classes or LSP related projects, enhancing autonomous language learning skills
• Case studies
• Training material for teachers of LSP

Project rationale:

The objective of the CORALL project is to launch a transnational initiative − developed in the framework of a strategic partnership − to support students in becoming more autonomous learners and train teachers of LSP in how to help learners to become more autonomous. Besides the University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, the project partnership includes the Budapest Business School (Hungary), Berliner Hochschule für Technik, Berlin (Germany), Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences, Helsinki (Finland), University of Economics in Bratislava (Slovakia), and Instituto Politecnico da Guarda in Guarda (Portugal).

In order to meet these objectives, the project aims to support learners’ language development in LSP through developing their autonomous language learning skills in an online environment. Teachers of LSP will benefit from the partner institutions’ practices and expertise, while the overall project will promote lifelong learning and contribute to the universities’ strategic aim of internationalization.

As it is generally accepted that autonomous language learning is more effective than non-autonomous, when students become more autonomous language learners, they also become more effective learners. Although the general level of students’ competency for autonomous learning and teachers’ competency to develop students’ autonomous learning is different in the participating institutions, each partner institution, its teachers and students will benefit from the project. Teachers of LSP will benefit from the partner institutions’ practices and expertise, while students will have the opportunity to cooperate and collaborate with students of the other institutions and the overall project will contribute to the universities’ strategic aim of internationalization.

A further objective of the project is to create resources to support autonomous language learning which will not only be available for the language teachers and students of each participating institution but will constitute open educational resources (OER). The observation of international good practices revealed that many universities in Europe have online self-access centres to enhance their students' autonomous language learning (though not yet in the participating universities), but no international joint initiative has been realised in this field yet. Consequently, an international cooperation would make the project more meaningful than an individual institution's initiative, for the following reasons: 1) the experience of partner universities could be used, 2) the resources could be shared on a common platform which would allow further cooperation between students and educators of universities with similar profile, 3) the experience of the partner universities could be integrated, 4) the impact of the resources created in the framework of the project would not be limited to one institution’s teachers and students.

Kontakt: dr. Ivan Souček

Bio4Blend se zaměřil na zavádění biopaliv na srbský trh a na překážky, které tento proces provázejí. Projekt zkoumal dopad legislativy a navrhoval řešení inspirovaná praxí Evropské unie, aby podpořil rozvoj udržitelných paliv v Srbsku.

Hlavní cíle projektu:

• identifikovat legislativní a tržní překážky při zavádění biopaliv v Srbsku;
• porovnat srbské postupy s osvědčenými mechanismy v EU;
• navrhnout doporučení pro jejich sladění s evropskou praxí.

Kontakt: dr. Patrick Francis Kapila

CzechAid Funding

Objectives

In the preparatory phase of the project, communication with the management of the School of Business at CBU and a comparison of study programs and specializations took place. Based on the preparatory phase of the project, which confirmed the interest in the development of cooperation on the part of the CBU management and the School of Business UCT, the main objectives were set:

Support for improving the quality of education, science and research at CBU with a focus on strengthening sustainable economic and social development, bilateral relations between the Czech Republic and Zambia, and support for Zambia's development priorities, especially the 8 NDP according to Zambia's Vision 2030.

Establishing relationships and developing long-term pedagogical and scientific research cooperation.

Within the set goals, there will be a bilateral exchange of experience and methodologies in the academic, pedagogical, scientific and subsequently publishing areas, on the basis of which innovative elements will be specified and implemented in the educational programs at CBU. In cooperation with the CBU and other entities (e.g. the Czech Embassy in Zambia, charitas.cz in Zambia, etc.), further contacts will be established for possible networking with the economic sectors.

Our Partner

Copperbelt University (CBU) is the second largest public university in Zambia, established by an Act of the Zambian Parliament in 1987. It is located in the city of Kitwe in the Copperbelt Province. It was originally called the Business Campus of the University of Zambia in Ndola. The Business School formed the basis for the creation of CBU. The Business School is currently one of the ten faculties of CBU. It currently offers only Bachelor's degrees. It is an institution that has long strived for growth and is open to innovation and international cooperation.

Project Activities

The first step towards supporting the improvement of the quality of teaching at CBU will be an initial visit to the partner university and finding out the structure and content of the study programmes – workshops to be hosted. The workshops will involve exchange of experience, sharing of examples of good practice and situational pedagogical analysis. Based on the exchange of views on innovation, thematic areas, subjects or teaching materials will be identified in which it is possible to innovate and implement the discussed starting points with regard to the attractiveness and applicability of the outputs.

Block teaching is also a deliverable during this visit – the first contacts with students and academics.

In addition, international working teams will be established for individual selected professional topics of mutual interest. The initial task in the field of science will involve looking at the existing and planned research and publication activities at both faculties in order to find the same or similar focus. Topics for bachelor's, master's and doctoral theses will be selected in cooperation with Czech and Zambian researchers – to be consulted with experts from the industry/with industrial experience who are members of the UCT team. Topics related to Zambian entities and locations can also be assigned within the project. Further cooperation can be established, for example, examinations and the establishment of international examination committees with virtual foreign participation.

The above is meant to lay the foundation for the development of long-term relationships and cooperation in pedagogical and scientific research activities.

In the next phase of the project, there will be a working visit and a professional excursion to the Czech Republic; other joint pedagogical activities. At this stage, possible corrections of methodologies and materials are planned. The project teams will also purposefully create space for the active involvement of women in project activities. The visit will conclude with an evaluation of the results of the existing cooperation and a proposed memorandum on future pedagogical and scientific research cooperation.

Both exchanges will include planned excursions, establishing further contacts in the academic and economic spheres and meetings with other stakeholders.

Kontakt: dr. Patrick Francis Kapila

Biogas for Sustainable Livelihoods and Green Youth Entrepreneurship intends to address energy and fertilizer needs for rural communities and promote better livelihoods through youth entrepreneurships in Zambia. This Project is championed by a youth organisation called Hysper Youth Enterprise.

Biogas for Sustainable Livelihoods and Green Entrepreneurship Project has a business model that integrates supply chains for more than six commodities that function as a catalyst to create job and market opportunities for both rural and urban populations. This project is inclusive to the lower income people either as suppliers of raw materials, producers, wholesalers, retailers, sales agents and consumers with mutual benefits. The project process has forward and backwards linkages between commodities that have synergies in pig production, Biogas production, fodder production and solid organic fertilizer production.

Biogas for Sustainable Livelihoods and Green Entrepreneurship project has a strong commitment and places a high priority towards youth development and empowerment, underscoring the importance of youth participation in the local Entrepreneurship development.

Young people are recognised as a force for transformational change, and investments in young people are cardinal in achieving equitable economic growth, shared prosperity and reducing poverty. Biogas is going to be the centre for leveraging a number of opportunities, including like clean rural off-grid energy, organic fertilizer, youth skills acquisition, expand job and market opportunities in agribusiness for both rural and urban out-growers.

Borrowing from the adage, this project intends to teach the beneficiary youths to fish, so that they can feed themselves for a lifetime.

Dr. Patrick Kapila will be leading the implementation of project and overseeing the technical aspects of the project.

Assoc. Prof. Lenka Švecová will be handling the business model of the project.

The project „Biogas For Sustainable Livelihoods and Green Youth Entrepreneurship“ is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) with the financial support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic.

Kontakt: dr. Nikolaj Savický

Název výzvy: OPPPR_58. výzva SC 4.2 - Zvýšení kvality vzdělávání prostřednictvím posílení inkluze v multikulturní společnost

Cílem výzvy je zvýšení kvality vzdělávání prostřednictvím posílení inkluze v multikulturní společnosti rozšiřováním vzdělávacích programů o prvky rozvoje sociálních a občanských kompetencí, kompetencí k udržitelnému rozvoji apod.

Vzdělávací aktivity jsou zaměřené:

• Na diskusi a společné hledání odpovědí na otázky zvyšování kvality sociálního prostředí, zejména na objevování příležitostí ke vzdělávání a kultivaci Pražanů napříč prostředím;
• Na podporu respektu mladé generace k historickým hodnotám Prahy jako otevřenému, multikulturnímu a kreativnímu městu a vyhledávání podnětů ke spolupráci s jeho ostatními obyvateli na ochraně zdejšího kulturního i přírodního dědictví;
• Na rozvoj praktických schopností žáků ke spokojenému soužití v metropoli a pro posilování kompetencí žáků k participaci na věcech veřejných.

Contact: (dr. Dagmar Charvátová) 

The current political crisis in Europe causing the huge wave of refugees shows changes in the behavior of the European populations towards the refugees and the changes in volunteering and charitable giving (philanthropy). We recently saw record amounts donated to nonprofit organizations and direct aid to Ukraine across European countries. At the same time, there has also been a massive increase in the number of volunteers involved in helping Ukrainian refugees (e.g., in logistics and housing). The massive wave of new refugees can cause social tensions when integrating these people into major societies.

Moreover, the intensity of philanthropic support decreases with time since the initial impulse. It happens though the causes and the trigger of the needs prevails. The massive wave of solidarity with Ukraine refugees and the Ukraine rose in Europe after 24.2.2022 and led to accepting practices and norms that were not acceptable until then.

V4 countries were criticized for their attitudes when solving the migration wave into Europe in the mid-2010s while changing their attitudes now. We aim to answer the following questions and propose solutions for social inclusion.

• What are the cultural, economic, psych., and political values leading to philanthropy?
• How does the philanthropy change with the intensity of an event?
• How can NPOs and the public sector use the willingness to help to solve crises (like improving the immigration situation and social cohesion)?
• Who are the people that volunteer to help Ukraine refugees?
• Does increased giving to Ukraine lead to decrease in other donations?

The project is co-financed by the governments of Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia through Visegrad Grants from the International Visegrad Fund. The mission of the fund is to advance ideas for sustainable regional cooperation in Central Europe.




Research outcomes

Contact: dr. Dagmar Charvátová

Our work on the Visegrad Grant project directly impacts the small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) sector through innovations in education and connects significant institutions in education and economics in the region. The partnership brings a wide range of expertise, new ideas, approaches, and experience to the project, which aims to support SMEs in innovation and development.

The project's main objective is to develop education for SMEs in Visegrad countries (V4). The prepared course aims to understand how companies are launched and managed considering the SME specifics, with the following main objectives:

• strengthening the abilities and competencies of students to launch startup businesses in V4 regions,
• stimulating the cross-border entrepreneurship cooperation in the V4 region,
• building new business networks for SMEs, startups, and research institutions within and outside the V4.

The educational methods will contain joint teamwork of the participating countries' students, the use of digital assets, and online platforms. The new course will be developed to use modern and integrated teaching methods.

The participating institutions' students will thus not only gain knowledge, but will collaborate on specific project-based tasks, experience international teamwork, meet company representatives, and gain practical knowledge. The students will be able to apply their theoretical subject knowledge in practice and gain international and intercultural experience. Virtual collaboration also develops students' digital and 21st-century skills and professional language competencies.

Summarily, the project prepares students for practice and improves their employment opportunities.