Openly about ethics, diversity, and freedom of research
12. November 2025On October 24, 2025, the first of a series of thematic workshops was held at the Faculty of Management and Economics of TBU in Zlín in preparation for obtaining the HR Excellence in Research Award. The meeting, dedicated to Pillar 1 – Ethics, Integrity, Gender, and Open Science, was attended by 16 faculty members.
The participants worked in four groups and discussed eight key principles: research ethics and integrity, freedom of scientific research, open science, gender equality, diversity, the role of the researcher, the free movement of researchers, and research sustainability.
The measures proposed during the discussion included:
- Establishment of a faculty ethics committee and creation of a document entitled Standard of Ethical Research.
- Systematic support for gender equality, including a draft guide for returning from parental leave.
- Better integration of foreign colleagues, e.g., minutes of meetings in English and support for Czech language courses.
- Development of a culture of open science and greater awareness of UTB repositories.
- Support for mobility and international cooperation, e.g., introduction of a buddy system for PhD students.
- Emphasis on research sustainability – economical operation, environmentally friendly behaviour, and building renovations.
For more information about the proceedings and conclusions, please visit this link.
The workshop demonstrated that the faculty already complies with the principles of the European Charter for Researchers in several areas, while also acknowledging where there is room for improvement. The knowledge gained will serve as a basis for a GAP analysis and the subsequent creation of an HR Award Action Plan.
We would like to thank all participants for their active approach.