Tertiary professional schools

Tertiary professional schools (vyšší odborné školy) follow the same rules as for teachers of lower educational levels.

Higher education institutions

Conditions of service for academic staff and other staff at higher education institutions (vysoké školy) are set out in the Labour Code and other generally binding national labour regulations. In addition to the Labour Code and other generally binding legal regulations, the current higher education personnel policy is governed by the Higher Education Act.

The governing body of a higher educational institution can specify the conditions according to its needs and they are set in internal regulations of individual institutions. According to the Higher Education Act and concerning the general labour legislative, a higher education institution has to issue an internal pay regulation which is then accredited by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports.

If there are trade unions in the workplace, the service conditions are subject to negotiation. All these local specifications, however, must still respect the framework set by the generally binding legal regulations.

The responsibilities of the senior academic officials (rector, dean) also imply their responsibilities for compliance with the conditions of service at higher education institutions according to the general labour legislation.

Planning policy

Tertiary professional schools

For the planning policy of tertiary professional schools (vyšší odborné školy), see the section Planning Policy in Early Childhood and School Education.

Higher education institutions

The Higher Education Act lays down the obligation of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports to publish the Strategic Plan of the Ministry for Higher Education for the Period from 2021 and the plan for the implementation of the Strategic Plan every year. In the Strategic Plan, principal priorities and goals relating to the development of higher education are worked out. Individual higher education institutions (vysoké školy) are obliged to publish their Strategic plans and every-year implementation plans connected. Strategic plans of individual public higher education institutions are one of the factors based on which the level of subsidies for these HEIs is determined.

Entry to the profession

Tertiary professional schools

For recruitment of tertiary professional school teachers (vyšší odborné školy), see Entry to the profession in Early Childhood and School Education.

Higher education institutions

Under the Higher Education Act, the positions of members of academic staff at public higher education institutions (vysoké školy) are filled through application procedures which are detailed in each institution's internal regulations. Such a procedure is not required in the case of the re-employment of an academic employee in his/her current post. The announcement that applications are being received for an academic post must be posted on a public website of the higher education institution or one of its constituent parts at least 30 days before the deadline for the submission of applications.

Professional status

Tertiary professional schools

For the professional status of tertiary professional school teachers (vyšší odborné školy), see Professional status in Early Childhood and School Education.

Higher education institutions

Academic staff are subject to general labour legislation (only the employees of the state schools with the status of civil servants are governed by specific legislation). The status of academic staff is set by the Higher Education Act and in detail by the internal regulations of an institution. The types of contracts available to academic staff at higher education institutions (vysoké školy) are the same as in the case of teachers of lower educational levels. Other specialists may take part in teaching based on work contracts done outside the employment relationship. The internal regulations of a higher education institution specify the status of the visiting professor (hostující profesor) and the professor emeritus (emeritní profesor).

The Higher Education Act recognises the following academic rights and freedoms of academic staff:

• the freedom of scientific, research and artistic work and to publish its results
• the freedom to teach in a spirit of openness towards various scientific opinions, scientific and research methods and artistic styles
• the right to a free choice of study area within the study programmes offered and the freedom to express one's own opinions in teaching
• the right to elect representative academic bodies
• the right to use academic insignia and to perform academic ceremonies

A member of the academic staff is a member of the academic community of a given higher educational institution (HEI). At a public HEI, he or she has the right to be nominated and elected to the academic senate of the HEI or of the faculty and to be a candidate for dean (děkan) or rector (rektor) (the dean is appointed by the rector, the rector is appointed by the President of the Republic). Members of the academic community can be nominated to other academic bodies, including a scientific or artistic council, a council for internal evaluation (if established) and a disciplinary commission.

A member of the academic staff can be charged with the function of the vice-rector, deputy dean, director of a research institute or manager of other parts of higher education institutions (e.g. the head of the department).

As a representative of the academic community, he/she can also be a delegate to the Higher Education Council which is one of the two national higher education bodies (the Czech Rectors' Conference is the second one).

Only the professor (profesor), extraordinary professor (mimořádný profesor) or the associate professor (docent) as a member of the academic staff of the individual HEI can guarantee the quality and development of Master's study programmes or Doctoral degree study programmes provided by a higher education institution (or by its part). As for the Bachelor's study programmes, they can also be guaranteed by members of the academic staff with Ph.D. degree (or CSc. as an alternative).

According to the Government Regulation on Standards for Accreditation in Higher Education, a Code of Ethics is one of the requirements necessary for obtaining institutional accreditation for a given higher education institution.

Salaries

Tertiary professional schools

For pay terms of teachers at tertiary professional schools (vyšší odborné školy), see Salaries in Early Childhood and School Education.

Higher education institutions

The pay terms for academic staff at public and private higher education institutions (vysoké školy) are governed by the Labour Code and internal pay regulations of the relevant higher education institution. Internal pay regulations of private higher educational institutions are not prescribed by the Higher Education Act. However, relevant legislation relating to the type of legal form of legal entity is in place.

The pay scale, placing of academic staff into pay categories and the amount paid to individual staff members is the responsibility of each public or private institution. However, if the pay is not set by a collective agreement, it has to be at least at the minimum rate of the guaranteed pay set by the Government Regulation on the Minimum Wage. According to this regulation, the academic staff at higher education institutions are classified into two highest categories where the lowest level of guaranteed monthly wages is CZK 29 400 (EUR 1 155) in the 7th pay category and CZK  37 800 (EUR 1 485) in the 8th pay category (EUR/CZK 25.46, data as of 20 February 2024). In each case, the wage must be higher than the minimum wage ((CZK 18 900 (EUR 742) per month, as of 20.2 2024)). 

Within the frame of the internal regulation, the academic staff may also enjoy various benefits over and above the basic pay in the form of special allowances, e.g. for the performance of an academic function up to 60 % of the tariff pay. The benefits can also take the form of individual allowances (in case of long-term good performance up to 50 % and case of excellent, generally recognized experts, up to 100 % of the basic rate pay), or in the form of an agreed sum.

The average pay of academic staff of public higher education institutions funded from the state budget (2022):

Note: EUR/CZK 25.46  – 20 February 2024 (Czech National Bank)

Source: Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports. Statistical Yearbook – Education. Employees and Wages Funds

The pay rates of the academic staff of state higher institutions are subject to pay regulations that apply to budgetary and contributory organisations. Academic employees who are employed in service are subject to the appropriate service regulations.

Working time and holidays

Tertiary professional schools

Working hours and holidays for employees of tertiary professional schools (vyšší odborné školy) are organised in the same way as for employees of upper secondary schools (střední školy). See Working time and holidays in Early Childhood and School Education.

Higher education institutions

The working hours of academic staff are set down in the most general terms in the Labour Code (40 hours per week). Depending on the level of their qualifications, academics participate in the creation and implementation of study programmes, in decision-making and creative research, development, art and other activities. There is no general legislation relating to the actual workload and the extent of the teaching activity.

Specific duties of academic staff are formulated in the internal regulations of a higher education institution (vysoká škola) and their employment contract. They are implemented following the schedule of the academic year, according to the requirements of study programmes or within the duties assigned to the teacher by his/her employer. In addition to teaching and creative activities, they can include e.g. consultation with students, assessment of students, participation in enrolment proceedings and state final examinations, supervision of students' final theses, etc.

Academic staff are entitled to 8 weeks of leave as set by the Labour Code. According to the Higher Education Act they can request 6 months of leave once in 7 years if there are no serious educational factors to prevent this. The full pay is paid through the period of sabbatical leave.

Promotion, advancement

Tertiary professional schools

For the advancement of teachers of tertiary professional schools (vyšší odborné školy) see Promotion, advancement in Early Childhood and School Education.

Higher education institutions

An academic's career usually moves through the categories of assistant (asistent), senior assistant (odborný asistent), associate professor (docent) and professor (profesor) and he/she may theoretically begin their career at any level. The conditions of placing academic staff into individual categories are set by the higher education institution (vysoká škola).

Most often, the professional career of academics begins at the assistant or senior assistant level after they have completed their Master's studies and a period of practice or after doctoral studies.

Academic staff in the position of the associate professor and professor have the relevant academic degree in general. The conditions of appointment are set by the Higher Education Act:

The position of an associate professor is acquired through habilitation (the procedure for the appointment of a docent) and he/she is appointed by a rector based on a recommendation of the faculty Scientific Council. In a habilitation procedure, the scientific and artistic qualification is examined mainly based on a habilitation thesis and its defence and on other scientific, professional or artistic works, and educational qualifications are examined based on the assessment of the habilitation lecture and previous teaching experience. The minimum requirement is a higher education qualification (with the possibility of an exemption in artistic fields) and candidates usually have a doctoral degree (Ph.D.).

A professor is appointed by the President of the Republic on the recommendation of the higher education institution's scientific council, submitted through the Minister of Education. In the process of appointing a professor, the educational, scientific or artistic qualifications of the candidate are assessed. The candidate will already be a distinguished and respected scientific or artistic personality in his/her field. He/she will give a lecture in which he/she will present a concept of scientific or artistic work and teaching in the field. A condition for launching the procedure is the prior appointment as an associate professor.

To enhance their qualifications, academic staff primarily focus on improving their professional knowledge (scientific work, post-doctoral studies, and foreign internships). The teaching qualifications of academic staff may be improved through in-service training, or through taking various courses in higher education pedagogy.

Retirement and pensions

Retirement for the population in general is governed by the Act on Pension Insurance (in force since January the 1st 1996).