Faculty of Arts of Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem Faculty of Arts of Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem Faculty of Arts of Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem Faculty of Arts of Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem

Evaluation of Research

The primary mission of the Faculty of Arts at UJEP, as the sole higher education institution in the north-western Czech region with a focus on humanities and social sciences, independent research activities, and an original scholarly orientation, is to create conditions for broad access to higher education through both full-time and part-time study programmes. This mission aligns with the faculty’s vision of effectively responding to the specific needs of a region that has long exhibited characteristics of a structurally disadvantaged area.

The core purpose of the Faculty of Arts is to educate future experts in the fields of humanities and social sciences, cultural heritage preservation, and teacher education. In fulfilling this mission, the faculty collaborates with the Faculty of Education and other UJEP faculties by providing specialized disciplinary courses within joint study programmes. Thus, the Faculty of Arts serves not only as an educational and research institution but also as a key cultural and social centre in the region. It actively cooperates with a variety of institutions and organizations both within and beyond the region, including international partnerships.

The faculty's primary research themes emphasize both national and international contexts, social relevance, and societal impact. These research efforts are oriented toward areas that reflect the specific characteristics and needs of the region while also aligning with the university’s third mission.

The long-term objectives of the disciplines cultivated at the Faculty of Arts, classified according to the OECD Frascati Manual, are as follows:

FORD 5. Social Sciences

5.6. Political Science and Political Studies

Research topics pursued within these fields contribute significantly to shaping contemporary academic trends through their methodological approaches. Institutional support for these activities is provided primarily by the Czech Science Foundation (GAČR) (see section 3.7).

  • Research on elections and voter behaviour, including issues related to radicalism research and instruments for its prevention.
  • Issues concerning various aspects of cross-border cooperation with an impact on public policies and crisis management.
  • Research on women's political representation at various levels of governance.
  • Research on the quality of democracy at the national, regional, and local levels of governance.
  • Research on civic education and civil society as measures to prevent the radicalization of contemporary society.

FORD 6. Humanities and Arts

6.1. History and Archaeology

Research topics focus on issues related to border regions and cultural heritage. They are primarily supported by NAKI projects (see section 3.7):

  • Cultural transfers and relations in the Czech-German environment. The research analyses the specifics of coexistence between national majorities and minorities in different historical periods and within the context of political, social, economic, and cultural history.
  • The cultural heritage of the region. The research is oriented toward documentation of monuments, theories and practices of heritage conservation, and the restoration and preservation of cultural values.

The topics are designed to define the cultural and historical identity of the region, contribute to the university’s third mission, and actively reflect contemporary research trends.

6.2. Language and Literature

Philological research focuses on two main areas and is supported by institutional funding from GAČR:

  • Interdisciplinary-oriented intercultural German studies.
  • Theory and practice of German language teaching.

Both topics contribute to the development of cross-border contacts and activities, including the enhancement of language competencies, which impacts employment opportunities and entrepreneurship.

6.3. Philosophy and Ethics

Creative activities, considering the university’s third mission in a socially and economically disadvantaged region, are concentrated on:

  • Ethical and aesthetic aspects of postmodern society, communication theory, and education in social science subjects at primary and secondary schools (subject didactics).
  • Environmentalism issues and activities focused on the public sphere. The topic contributes to the development of cultural exchange and communication in the border region.
  • Political thought, with an emphasis on its historical roots in ancient political theory and subsequent influence on political concepts essential for modern society. Research in this field is based on long-term collaboration with the Collegium Politicum (CP), an international research network focused on the study of ancient political theory and its reception in the history of political thought, as well as its impact on modern Europe.
  • The history of philosophy, with a focus on its ancient foundations. Research in this field is conducted in collaboration with the Czech Plato Society and the International Plato Society.
  • Applied philosophy: humans and the environment, and the ethical and political understanding of human cohabitation with other than human forms of life.

In creative activities within FORD 5, basic and applied research are interconnected, with a predominance of basic research. Most research topics in FORD 6 are characterized as basic research, with the exception of some creative activities related to the cultural heritage of the region, where contract research is also applied.

Applied research projects

Regarding the specifics of applied research in the humanities and social sciences, the faculty implements projects primarily in the programme of applied research of the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic, National and Cultural Identity, of the Technology Agency of the Czech Rebublic and of thhe programme Interreg Sachsen-Tschechien.

Ministry of Culture Czech Republic

  • DH23P03OVV028 – “FINIS CONFESSIONIS”. The Baroque of the Eastern Ore Mountains. Sacred Architecture and Artistic Decoration and Natural Landscape. (Mgr. Jakub Pátek, Ph.D., 2023-2027)
  • DH23P03OVV048 – Most – A City That Did Not Disappear (Mgr. Josef März, Ph.D., 2023-2027)
  • DH23P03OVV009 – Cultural, historical and natural aspects of terroir in the Czech Republic (PhDr. Jiří Koumar, Ph.D., 2023-2027)
  • DG18P02OVV066 – Hortus Montium Mediorum – Documentation, Research and Presentation of the Cultural Heritage of Selected Localities of the Eastern Central Bohemian Uplands (Mgr. Jakub Pátek, Ph.D., 2018-2022)
  • DG16P02B021 – The Documentation of Historical Buildings Used for Hops Processing; Researcher: National Heritage Institute (PhDr. Kamil Podroužek, Ph.D., 2016-2020)
  • DF12P01OVV046 – The Art Exchange in the Ore Mountains Region between Gothic and Renaissance (PhDr. Ĺubomír Turčan, 2012–2015)
  • DF12P01OVV009 – The Documentation, Digitization and Presentation of the Endangered Cultural Heritage in the Border Region of North-western Bohemia (PhDr. Kamil Podroužek, Ph.D., 2012–2015)
  • DF11P01OVV014 – The Social, Cultural and Ideological Transfers in the History of Border Region of North-western and North Bohemia and Their Role in its Development and Sustainability (doc. PhDr. Tomáš Velímský, CSc., 2011–2015)
  • DF11P01OVV034 – The Sites Stories. Topography of the Contemporary National Memory (doc. PhDr. Kristina Kaiserová, CSc., 2011–2015)

TAČR – Technological Agency of Czech Republic

  • Database of Historical Quarries and Mining Sites in the Bohemian Switzerland National Park and Labe Sandstone Protected Landscape Area (PhDr. Kamil Podroužek, Ph.D., 2021-2023)

Interreg Sachsen – Tschechien 2021-2027 (Free State of Saxony, Sachsische Aufbau Bank Objective 3)

  • 100583614 – Democracyon the Brink? Disinformation vs. Media Literacy (doc. Mgr. Lukáš Novotný, Ph.D., 2022)
  • 100406805 – Having courage – living and shaping our region (doc. Mgr. Pavel Maškarinec, Ph.D., 2021-2022)
  • The Czech-Saxon Literary Landscape as a Platform for Learning and Play (doc. PhDr. Kristina Kaiserová, CSc., 2022)
  • Our World Heritage – the mining cultural landscape of the Ore Mountains/Erzgebirge (prof. PhDr. Michaela Hrubá, Ph.D., 2016-2020)
  • The Saxon-Czech Relationship through the Changes of Time – an auxiliary teaching publication (Doc. PhDr. Kristina Kaiserová, CSc., 2011–2014)

Norwegian funds

  • Documentation of a Church in Konojedy (Association for Monuments Restoration in the Úštěk Region) (2009-2014)

Horizon 2020

  • Children Born of War: the Past, Present and Future (doc. Mgr. Martin Veselý, Ph.D., Michal Korhel, M.A., 2014-2020)

Projects supported by a provider

Contract research 

Revenues from the contract research are mainly produced by the Centre of Documentation and Digitisation of Cultural Heritage. Within the OP VaVpl Modern Educational and Scientific Research project of the Faculty of Arts of Jan Evangelista Purkyně University (2011-2014), the Centre was equipped with high-quality documentation technology. Research ordering party include the Heritage Institute, Institutes of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, higher education institutions, public institutions and private individuals.
Contract research

Revenues from non-public sources from research work

(besides grants or contract research)
The Institute of Slavic-Germanic Studies (USGS) has been subsidised since 1992. The USGS also cooperates with the Bohemicum-Ackermann-Gemeinde Institute in Munich. Together they organize the Colloquia Ustensia events where they present the research activities of the Institute and other faculty departments in the form of lectures.
Revenues from non-public sources from research work

Research results with existing or prospective impact on society

Specific results with a potential economic impact are the methodologies certified by the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic which are focused on effective modern documentation of various types of historical monument objects. Quality documentation of monuments serves as a base for subsequent stages of the project documentation and design work which contributes to the quality projects and saves resources during the restoring of monuments. The actual restoration of the monuments leads to the development of tourism.

Significant applied research results with an impact other than an economic one on society

Most of the faculty’s applied results have other than the economic result on society yet they are significant in terms of social relevance.

The methodology of standardized procedure for an exhibition presentation for the first time comprehensibly elaborated a procedure for preparation of exhibition presentations and accompanying school programmes focused on publicly shared culture of remembrance of the communist regime in the Czech Republic.

An exhibition Without Borders. The Art exchange in the Ore Mountains region between Gothic and Renaissance with an extensive critical catalogue presented a long-term research into the historical and artistic development of the Ore Mountains region. It took place in the the National Gallery in Prague. The exhibition catalogue was evaluated as an excellent result and the whole project was evaluated as excellent with an international impact.

A specialized map The Endangered Cultural Heritage in the Border Are of North-West Bohemia maps the technical and constructional condition of individual buildings in this area. The map is an open application for further data updates. The specialized map The Spatial-temporal change of the landscape below Milešovka mountain and its cultural heritage maps the unique Baroque landscape, its development and condition of preserved monuments.

Significant applied research results

The evaluated unit’s most significant interactions with the non-academic application/corporate sphere

The typical users of the results are mainly elementary and high schools, public administration and local authorities, specialized memory institutions, interest groups and private individuals.

  • The Czech-Saxon textbooks for the regional schools (Regional Authority of the Ústí Region)
  • The programmes for German teachers (Regional Authority of the Ústí Region)
  • Travelling exhibitions with a school programme for grammar schools (Regional Authority of the Ústí Region)
  • An exploration of the Jimlín Castle (Regional Authority of the Ústí Region)
  • An exploration of Renaissance houses (The city of Litoměřice)
  • A preparation of the Historical Atlas of the City (The city of Ústí nad Labem)
  • A preparation of the exhibition Our Germans (Collegium Bohemicum o.p.s.)
  • Documentation of a church in Konojedy (Association for Monuments Restoration in the Úštěk region)
  • A research of the regional electoral geography (Regional Authority of the Liberec Region)
  • A research of the political participation (Regional Authority of the Ústí Region)

System and support of technology transfer and intellectual property protection

The Faculty of Arts uses the Centre for Documentation, Digitization and Cultural Heritage for a transfer of technologies (an application carries out via surveys and methodologies), the Centre for Support of German Language Education and Intercultural Education (application in the form of courses, educational and cultural activities), the Civic Education Centre for the Civic Education Sector and Education for Civil Society (application in the form of courses, surveys and analyses).

The most significant individual awards for R&D&I

  • Associated professor Jaroslav Rokoský – The Egon Erwin Kisch Award for an academic monograph Útěk z Leopoldova. Věznice, odboj, doba. Padesátá léta v Československu; Egon Erwin Kisch Foundation, 2021
  • Professor Renata Cornejo, Ph.D. - Award for Outstanding Contribution to Intercultural Literary Studies (2020); Society for Interculal German Studies /Společnost pro interkulturní germanistiku (GiG)
  • Assistent professor Jan Musil – Award of Zdeněk Horský, Society for the History of Sciences and Technology, 2019
  • Without Borders. The Art of the Ore Mountains between Gothic and Renaissance (2016) – catalogue evaluated as an excellent outcome
  • Professor Dr. Georg Schuppener – Top scientist 2017 and 2018, granted by the Faculty of Arts of the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Trnava
  • Professor PhDr. Radek Fukala, Ph.D. – 2017 – the major Miroslav Ivanov Prize for an important work of non-fiction literature

Recognition by the international R&D&I community

The Faculty of Arts is represented in the editorial boards of relevant journals with an international impact, especially in history, political science and German studies, and it also develops its own publishing activity. The participation in international conferences is commonplace. Guest lectures by foreign experts are supported here, some contacts are maintained long-term, e.g. professor Searle received the title of doctor honoris causa. Representation in companies’ subsidiaries corresponds with the focus of the departments.

Participation of the evaluated unit’s academic staff on the editorial boards of international scientific journals in the 2014–2023 reporting period
The most significant invited lectures by the evaluated unit’s academic staff at institutions in other countries during the 2014–2023 reporting period
The most significant lectures by foreign scientists and other guests relevant to the R&D&I field at the evaluated unit during the 2014–2023 reporting period
The most significant elected membership in foreign of professional societies relevant to the R&D&I field at the evaluated unit during the 2014–2023 reporting period

The most significant activities in the popularisation of R&D&I and communication with the public

The Faculty is aware of its indispensable role in communicating cultural and historical heritage to the residents of the (structurally disadvantaged) region and carries out a variety of activities in this regard. The results of the faculty’s scientific activities are presented in the public sphere through targeted strategies: these include exhibitions, lectures and discussions, appearances by academics in the media, as well as various reports and cultural activities that it organizes or participates in. The faculty makes use of significant anniversaries and regularly organized events with educational and scientific impact on society (e.g., the founding of Czechoslovakia, Science Weeks, Science and Technology Week, Night of Scientists, Open House Days, KULT Theatre Festival, etc.). The Faculty collaborates on these activities with the media (Czech Television, Czech Radio, Regional TV Ústí, commercial television) as well as regional and municipal cultural institutions (Hraničář - public cultural institution, Činoherní studio – the playhouse in Ústí nad Labem). It also places significant importance on events targeted at specific social groups (seniors and children – University of the Third Age, Teen Age University). However, it should be noted that many of these activities were limited or excluded due to COVID and the measures taken in response.

Colloquia Ustensia: A summer school organized by the Institute of Slavic-Germanic Studies in cooperation with Ackermann-Gemeinde (1992-2023).

Wissens- und Wissenschaftsgeschichte in imperialen, nationalen und post-nationalen Kontexten: A workshop for doctoral students organized by the German-Czech and German-Slovakian Historians’ Commission, Leipzig, 2021.

In cooperation with the Regional Museum and Collegium Bohemicum: Involved in the preparation of a new permanent exhibition titled Naši Němci – Unsere Deutschen (Our Germans). The exhibition features 22 exhibition halls presenting the history of the German-speaking population of the Czech lands from the early Middle Ages to the 20th century. The exhibition is designed with prominent interactive elements and is accompanied by a catalogue. Link 2

Panel exhibition Zklamání, strach a naděje. Život v Ústeckém vládním kraji v letech 1938-1946 (Disappointment, Fear, and Hope. Life in the Ústí Government District from 1938 to 1946), introducing the history of the region from the separation of the borderlands to the expulsion of Germans, accompanied by the monograph by Martin Veselý, Ústí nad Labem, Autumn 2021.

Exhibition Naděje, zklamání a strach. Život na Děčínsku v letech 1938-1945 (Hope, Disappointment, and Fear. Life in the Děčín Area from 1938 to 1945), Regional Museum in Děčín, 15,000 visitors (3D exhibition across four exhibition rooms and corridors of the museum, presenting life in the Děčín region during WWII, accompanied by the catalogue Hope, Disappointment, and Fear. Life in the "Sudetenland" from 1938 to 1945, main author Martin Veselý, June 2022 - January 2023).

Conference (open to the public) Pivo v turbulentních časech (Beer in Turbulent Times): In cooperation with the Falkenštejn Brewery, a conference linking the academic sphere, the public, and the brewing industry. The output was the collective monograph Beer in Turbulent Times, main author Martin Veselý, Krásná Lípa, April 2023.

The Humanitky.cz project (CRP: Cooperation of faculties of Arts in the field of increasing the quality and prestige of the humanities and social sciences) brought together the faculties of Arts of three Czech universities. The University of Hradec Králové, the University of Ostrava and the J. E. Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem show together the diversity of humanities and social sciences and the wide range of applications of their graduates. During the project, popularization videos on humanities and social sciences were created.

Appearances in television and radio programmes:

Organization of the 12th Congress of Czech Historians: Professional meeting of historians from the Czech Republic, 20-22 September 2022, Ústí nad Labem. This nationwide event with significant foreign participation included lectures, roundtables, and other activities that were open to the public and aimed at presenting current trends in historical research.

The Department of German Studies collaborates with the Austrian Cultural Forum in Prague to organize author readings for the general public, as well as popularizing lectures in cooperation with various institutions in the Czech Republic (Institute of Czech Literature, Czech Academy of Sciences, North Bohemian Scientific Library, Collegium Bohemicum in Ústí nad Labem, Moravian Library in Brno, etc.) and abroad (especially in Germany).

  • Prof. PhDr. Renata Cornejo, Ph.D.: “ Ein(e) Fremde(r) und doch – ich selbst”. German-Language Women’s Literature from Czechoslovakia After 1968. Popularizing lecture for the general public, organized by the Institute of Czech Literature, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague (14 February 2023).
  • Doc. Dr. phil. Miroslav Němec: Protestsongs der 1970er und 1980er Jahre in der ČSSR und der DDR (Protest Songs of the 1970s and 1980s in Czechoslovakia and the GDR). Popularizing lecture within the Czech Culture Days at the University of Greifswald (3 November 2022).

Other:

  • Exhibitions and accompanying programmes for the anniversary of Czechoslovakia 1918
  • Public lectures in the field of Philosophy, Political Science, Ethics (Hraničář, public cultural venue)
  • Authors public reading organised by the Department of German Studies (Hraničář, public cultural venue)
  • Public debates on current issues (Czech Television) – 1, 2, 3.
  • Specialised lectures as part of the KULT Theatre Festival – 2.
  • Popularization in the Form of Reports (Regional TV Ústí nad Labem)
  • Implementation of the film project about human rights One World in Schools (People in Need o.p.s.)
  • Translations of theatre plays from German “Cross the Borders” (Drama studio Ústí nad Labem)
  • The University of the 3rd Age, Teen Age University
  • Presentation within the events of Week of Science and Technology (University Library), Week of Science (Academy of Science, Czech Republic), Week of Science and Art (Jan Evangelista Purkyně University)
  • Presentation within the student praxis of Cultural Heritage Documentation and Digitization Centre – 1, 2, 3, 4.

Faculty of Arts of UJEP

J. E. Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem

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