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In addition to students and faculty, Brno University of Technology is also made up of administrative and support staff whose work keeps the university running. The “Behind the Scenes at BUT” series introduces non-academic staff members who have dedicated their careers to the Brno University of Technology. Zdeňka Pavlačková heads the Research and Development Department, which primarily functions as a support center for researchers. In addition to her close-knit team, she is motivated by the knowledge that she is helping to create the conditions for high-quality science at BUT. Zdeňka Pavlačková is motivated by the notion that she helps create quality environment for scientists at BUT. | Author: Václav Koníček
The department’s name might suggest that we conduct research ourselves, but our team is dedicated to supporting research. A better name would therefore be Research Support Department. We are essentially a service center for researchers. For example, we ensure that legal obligations regarding the reporting of results are met, as well as all administrative requirements for habilitation and professorial proceedings.
Although it involves a lot of administration, the work also has a creative dimension. As part of research evaluation, we focus on developing methodologies, selecting appropriate metrics and indicators, and monitoring global trends in research. This is also reflected in establishing the methodology for redistributing institutional support among faculties. This amounts to approximately 600 million annually, so it is always a sensitive topic. In addition, we are involved, for example, in organizing a student grant competition to support specific research projects, supporting the BUT Scientific Council (VR), and other topics that are constantly emerging.
There’s a lot to do, so we have to be very efficient. The agenda has expanded tremendously during my tenure. Almost everything that used to be done by three people is now handled by my colleague Marika Pošvářová, while Kristýna Kalmárová, Jana Kačerová, and I focus on the tasks that have been added in the meantime. Yes, that includes analytical work, reporting results to RIV, internal evaluation of creative activities, collaboration with the International Scientific Council (ISAB), preparing proposals for nominations or awards, working in various working groups of the EULiST and CESA alliances, and activities related to the initiative for the reform of science evaluation (CoARA).
In cooperation with Vice Rector Weiter, under whose authority our department falls, I focus primarily on conceptual issues – establishing a research quality assurance system, which also includes a research evaluation system. Furthermore, I propose projects that will be implemented in our department in the coming years. These include, for example, establishing support for strategic research areas, setting up the management and sharing of research equipment, and organizing mini-conferences.
I’m glad to have a great, close-knit team that works well together even outside of work. All four of us are the kind of people who are motivated by making a difference and doing things right. And I think we all realize that we are the service center for the faculties and University Institutes, that we are here for them, not the other way around. Another motivating factor is the university’s direction itself, which makes sense to us from the perspective of science and research. In 2023, Zdeňka Pavlačková participated on the establishment of the International Scientific Advisory Board (ISAB). | Author: Václav Koníček
When I think of “science and research at BUT,” I don’t think of a single field, but rather a wide range, where I can clearly see that the university excels in many areas. Of course, the first thing that comes to mind is engineering—our “T”—but we are also very successful in many fields of the natural sciences and the social sciences. We mustn’t forget the arts either—our department also partially manages and analyzes the Register of Artistic Outputs (RUV), in which we are exceptionally successful.
Our department is primarily concerned with painstaking administrative work – communicating with faculty administrators, continuing with paperwork, and processing documents. There is more intensive contact with candidates for professorship, who must give a lecture at the Scientific Board meeting. I sit there as the secretary and can thus familiarize myself with current scientific findings and the areas our people are working on, which is great. I’m fascinated by how passionate many of them are about their field, how their eyes light up when they present their work. At the same time, it’s clear that they don’t take the process lightly and treat it with respect.
Originally, I was pursuing a Ph.D. in the Applied and Landscape Ecology program at MENDELU. I enjoyed academic life, but due to the economic crisis, I couldn’t continue at the university. I then moved into the field of grant management within the area of the environment and rural development, which led me to CEITEC headquarters. It was there that I began focusing on analytics and the science and research agenda. My path then led me to the Rector´s Office at BUT, where I have remained ever since.
I would definitely highlight the establishment of the International Scientific Advisory Board of BUT (ISAB) in 2023. I appreciate that this platform was created and now operates on the basis of, I would say, professional friendship. When all these extremely experienced experts—including the former rector of TU Wien, the former vice-rector of ETH Zurich, and the former provost of the University of Tampere—arrive, I feel like we’re welcoming old friends. Their feedback is very valuable—of course, it’s not possible to immediately implement all their advice in our environment, but it’s very beneficial.
The internal evaluation in 2024 served as preparation for last year’s national evaluation of BUT and involved a tremendous amount of work—both at the Rector´s Office and at the faculties. Individual departments were evaluated, and the preparation involved processing a great deal of data and information, organizing seminars, and intensive communication with the faculties. Furthermore, there was the process of nominating and coordinating roughly fifty evaluators, who had to be screened to ensure they had no conflicts of interest. Some had to decline participation, so we had to search for and vet new candidates. On top of that, there was updating the website, event management, catering, hotel arrangements, the accompanying program, and even figuring out transportation—one evaluator kept getting lost… simply everything you can think of when organizing an event of this magnitude. Zdenka Pavlačková's department was also responsible for coordinating the internal evaluation of BUT in 2024, including the coordination of approximately 50 evaluators. | Author: Václav Koníček
Probably more the former, although I’ve already given up on the idea that I could plan everything and then have it all go exactly as planned. Things often change as we go along. Still, it’s definitely good to have a plan—I always have an organizational chart and make mind maps. I’m the kind of organized person who wants to see everything through to the very end. So I have chaos on my desk, but at work, I don’t think so.
My boyfriend, my sons, and I travel a lot; we have three dogs and a cat, and I’m also an avid gardener. That’s actually how I make up for not working in my original field, which is ecology. I love organic farming and gardening. In addition, I’m the deputy mayor of a small village, where I handle smaller environmental projects. I like that I can immediately see the impact of our work, for example when planting a tree-lined avenue or restoring a wayside cross.
In my opinion, the academic world is not an ideal environment for women—especially among the older generation at some faculties, I feel that engineering is very masculine. Even abroad, I see that there are always more men in higher positions. I look forward to the day when this is no longer the case, and I see that we already have wonderful role models among female scientists here; off the top of my head, I can think of Andrea Konečná, Lucy Vojtová, and Dinara Sobola, who are all brilliant and inspiring scientists.
In the administration at the Rector´s Office, I don’t perceive the environment as particularly male-dominated; it’s fairly balanced here, even though right now we have only one female vice-rector in leadership, who, in my opinion, doesn’t have it easy in a purely male environment. I’m also looking forward to the day when we have some female deans.