The past 20 years have profoundly changed the Czech research landscape, German-Czech research cooperation and the European Research Area. In order to even out the existing performance gap between EU-13 and EU-14 member states, the Max Planck Society (MPG) is pursuing the people-centred funding programme. One of the aims of the Dioscuri Programme is to reduce the so-called brain drain. This is the term used when highly qualified researchers leave certain regions and migrate to others. The Dioscuri Programme also has the advantage that Dioscuri Centres are linked to the MPG, which uses proven and innovative strategies to support young researchers on their path to scientific excellence and independence. Up to five Dioscuri Centres of Scientific Excellence are to be established at Czech host institutions in the coming years.
The first three researchers will set up their own research groups at Czech host institutions:
- Dioscuri Centre for Spin-Caloritronics and Magnonics at the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Prague led by Helena Reichlová
- Dioscuri Centre for Single-Molecule Optics at the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences led by Barbora Špačková
- Dioscuri Centre for Stem Cell Biology and Metabolic Diseases at Masaryk University in Brno led by Peter Fabian
The funding of a Dioscuri Centre supports outstanding researchers to establish an innovative and internationally visible research group in the region. The group receives up to 300,000 euros per year for an initial period of five years and is scientifically supported by experienced partners from Germany. The host institution provides the equipment required for research as well as additional financial resources and offers the leader of the Centre a long-term career perspective. Funding is provided in equal parts by the BMBF and the MEYS.
Following the launch in Poland in 2019, where eight Dioscuri Centres have been established thus far, Czechia is the second country in which the transnational Dioscuri Programme is being implemented.
For more information
- Max Planck Society (17.05.2024): Strengthening the European Research Area
