CEITEC partners approve the project’s final format

23. Sept. 2009

The final format of the CEITEC project (Central European Institute of Technology) was confirmed today by the official signatories of the partnership agreement between the seven institutions, who have been involved in the preparation of the project. The project, which is seeking funding from the European Operational Program, Research and Development for Innovation, will be handed into the Ministry of Education on the 15th of October. And if the European commission approves the project, it will start in 2010.

The aim of the project is to create a centre for education and science in Brno. The core will be made up of 9 research programs founded by cooperating research groups. The results of the scientific teams’ work, which could be revolutionary new materials for use in surgery and medicine or plants, which can clean up environmental pollution, contribute to improving quality of life and health.

From the left: Karel Rais, rector BUT; Petr Fiala, rector MU; Vladimír Večerek, rector VFU; Miroslav Havlíček, vice-rector MUAFB; Petr Lukáš, director IPM, AV ČR;

„The CEITEC project has had a clear scientific goal from the start. In order to implement the project it was necessary to find the best management and structural solutions, which was achieved thanks to the coordinated efforts of all seven partners in the preparation phase. „Together we prepared a project, which will lead to the creation of a centre of long-term scientific excellence in Brno. We’re now ready to submit the project for national and then European evaluation“ said the rector of Masaryk University, Petr Fiala.

The Rector of Brno University of Technology, Karel Rais added, „The expenses associated with the implementation of the project have been reduced to 6,6 Billion CZK, mainly thanks to the optimalisation of equipment and the ability of the scientists to agree on joint use of otherwise expensive equipment. There are also partitioned laboratory units, which can be used by CEITEC scientists and other institutions and possibly even companies, who would not be able to get a hold of such expensive equipment.“

The preparation team managed to attract cooperation agreements with significant Czech and International Institutions and also commercial companies. „Even if we are only in the preparation phase of the project, we are already in contact with international scientists who’ve shown an interest in working for CEITEC“ stated Tomas Hruda, the project director.