The increase in scientific centers is, according to the state agency, taking away money from research

Dobřany (Plzeň Region) - A large number of scientific and research centers in the Czech Republic paradoxically reduces funding for research itself. An increasing portion of state support is directed only towards the operation of centers, while the overall volume of money for science is stagnating or only growing slightly, said Rut Bízková, chairwoman of the Czech Republic's Technology Agency (TA), to ČTK. Therefore, the agency proposes changes in funding. Miroslav Holeček, rector of the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen, also stated that the funding of centers is a serious problem and that the state is unclear on the matter.
    Until last year, 48 scientific and research centers were established in the Czech Republic, thanks to billion-euro European subsidies. According to the TA, which is responsible for financial support for research and development for practical use, there is less money for specific projects for businesses. According to Bízková, funds are being shifted to centers, leaving less for national programs. Moreover, centers created with EU subsidies must also have national support; otherwise, they risk failing to meet the conditions of the subsidy and losing money from the union.
    "The funding of research centers is a serious problem for the entire country, and the ministry is unclear on this matter," stated the new rector of the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen, Holeček, a longtime director of the university's research center for new technologies. According to him, the grant agencies are facing an enormous influx of projects from new centers, and the money will not be sufficient.
    Thus, the TA already proposed two years ago in the draft law on research and development support that centers should be evaluated based on performance. According to Bízková, centers must focus more on profitability, contractual research, and obtaining funds from abroad. Currently, they are reportedly not being forced to do so. "Most of the time, these are organizations originally focused on fundamental research. They are evaluated by publications, which do not generate income, and become a threat," the agency's chairwoman stated. If the centers were to obtain resources outside of the state budget, they would receive more from the state coffers according to the agency's proposal.
    There are 26,000 researchers in the public sector in the country. However, according to Bízková, the Czech Republic is not large enough to afford tens of thousands of scientists who only work on publications discussed at conferences. Furthermore, after the completion of all centers, the number of researchers is expected to increase by 4,000, mostly PhD students. The chairwoman of the TA believes that the Czech Republic should attract them from abroad, for instance, from Vietnam or Israel.