Brno is one of the most progressive centres of science and innovation in Central Europe and is an ideal place to build a scientific career. There are top scientific and research institutions, especially in the fields of biology, medical sciences, materials research and nanotechnology. Local scientific workplaces are among the most successful in the Czech Republic and Europe in obtaining international grants and local and foreign talented scientists work here.
Why is Brno a city of science, research and innovation?
We are leaders in many fields
Brno is gaining a reputation in the Czech Republic and abroad as the best location for research in the areas of advanced materials and technologies, environmental sciences and global change, treatment of cardiovascular and neurological diseases, or for investigating the toxic effects of chemicals and natural toxins on living organisms and many others. Local scientific and research centres are also very successful in European competition.
In recent years, local centres have been successful in creating and obtaining funding for major projects, especially from the European Union's Horizon 2020 programme, which expand the possibilities for cooperation with partners from the Czech Republic and abroad to strengthen excellence in selected topics and to improve infrastructure. These include, for example, the coordination of national competence centres, involvement in the CETOCOEN Excellence and RICAIP teaming projects, or in large research infrastructures, especially in physical and environmental sciences and research dedicated to health.
Science and business are combined here
Basic research is essential in science, but its application in the commercial sector often brings significant benefits to the region. The priority of the City of Brno is to create suitable conditions for cooperation between academic institutions and companies and to support the growth and development of companies whose core business is unique technology or innovation.
There are smart people
From the employers' point of view, Brno can be ranked as one of the most favourable addresses in the Czech Republic.
There are currently 10 European Research Council (ERC Grant) grant holders in Brno. This prestigious instrument funds research projects that push the boundaries of existing knowledge in any thematic area. Eight grants are implemented in local scientific and research centres, the remaining two holders work in local centres as heads of research groups, but the ERC grant is dealt with in an institution outside the South Moravian Region.
We proudly acknowledge the legacy of the remarkable personality Gregor Johann Mendel (1822–1884), an important scientist and abbot of the Old Brno monastery, who the whole world knows as the founder of genetics. Brno is also closely connected with the physicist Ernst Mach and the logician Kurt Gödel.
Almost 65,000 students study here at public universities, and another 13,000 international students spend part of their studies here thanks to international mobility programmes. A high-quality offer of education attracts people to Brno not only from the Czech Republic, but also from abroad. A large number of them find their first job here after completing their studies and then settle here. The integration of qualified workers from abroad and their family members is supported by the City of Brno through the Brno Expat Centre.
We create an environment that supports talent
The City of Brno considers the development of scientific potential among talented pupils, students and scientists to be one of its priorities. It financially supports or co-organizes a number of projects, activities or events that help to bring this topic closer to a wide range of inhabitants. These include, for example, the increasingly popular Days of Electron Microscopy, the Game Access Festival, Brno Space Week, the Festival of Science and others. Together with our partners, we try to increase the number of pupils and students engaged in science with the potential to build a career in local scientific and research centres. We financially support the Brno Observatory and Planetarium, VIDA! Science Centre or scholarship programmes to support talented doctoral students with Brno Ph.D. Talent. Since 2011, we have been cooperating with talented students of Brno universities on tackling burning issues using the Inter-University Student Competition MUNISS.
We care about the scientific community
We organize regular networking events, announce special projects for talent development or to support cooperation between the public, private and academic sectors. The city management also regularly visits scientific research centres to be informed about current needs, problems or initiatives.
What we’ve achieved so far
We support talented doctoral students in technical and natural sciences
Brno Ph.D. Talent is a competition that offers unique support for promising doctoral students of natural sciences and technical fields. The scholarship programme motivates talented students of doctoral studies, supports the development of their skills in the field of strategic research management and strengthens and their link to the region. The programme includes the provision of stable financial support in the form of a scholarship, the provision of a comprehensive career development programme and the creation of a community of active young scientists cooperating with the city of Brno. More on jcmm.cz
Memorandum of Cooperation of the City of Brno with the Centre for Research on Toxic Substances in the Environment (RECETOX)
The Memorandum of Cooperation between the City of Brno and the prestigious RECETOX research centre is a prime example of close cooperation between the public and academic sectors. The cooperation is in the field of research into factors threatening health, for example in the monitoring of dust particles and CO2 concentrations in primary and nursery schools, and also in the sharing of data from long-term CELSPAC research.
Cooperation of the SIX Research Centre in planning the future smart district of Špitálka (project H2020 RUGGEDISED)
Using modern technologies and innovative approaches, the first smart district will be created in Brno. The SIX Research Centre coordinated the initial analysis in the project, focusing on the areas of Electrical Grid and E-Mobility, ICT and Security, Mobility, Sharing Economy, Smart Thermal Grid and Smart Waste Management. More on respitalka.brno.cz.
We want to have the best scientists here and put ideas into practice
The City of Brno financially supports the creation of junior scientific groups under the leadership of the so-called Junior Research Group Leader "JRGL" thanks to cooperation with CEITEC BUT. These groups will focus primarily on innovative research in the field of nanotechnologies, microtechnologies, biotechnology and materials sciences. The result of their research will ideally be specific applications of scientific knowledge, and the city thus supports the establishment of young spin-off companies, i.e. with a share of the university. The support of JRGL groups conceptually follows the scholarship programme Brno Ph.D. Talent.
We support the emerging platform Brno.AI
A platform that connects local academic and business players in the field of AI with public administration to launch projects that will help make the region more efficient through machine learning and big data. For more information, please contact barta@jic.cz.