On Thursday 23rd June 2022, the second edition of the event "Sounds of Science" took place at Národní dům na Vinohradech. Organized by the French Embassy in the Czech Republic and the French Institute in Prague, the evening offered a stunning time mixing music and sciences.

Brilliant scientific lectures have been given by three leading French scientists brought together in Prague for the occasion:

• Jean-Marie Lehn (Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1987)
• Jean Tirole (Nobel Prize in Economy 2014)
• Thomas Ebbesen (Kavli Prize for Nanoscience 2014).

In addition to the event in Prague, Sounds of Science 2022 took place in Brno as well on June 24th 2022: the three French scientists gave their talks in the premises of the Mendel Museum's Augustinian Abbey Refectory in Brno (organized with the MUNI Seminar Series team of Masaryk University.)

In the frame of Sounds of Science, our French scientists have been interviewed by Daniel Stach for the Hyde Park Civilizace TV program on Česká televize. Watch again Jean Tirole's and Thomas Ebbesen's interviews. 

REPLAY (in two parts)

In the frame of the French Presidency of the council of the European Union, the MSMT, the DZS and the French Embassy in the Czech Republic organized an event bringing together universities, local and national authorities and representatives of civil society to discuss these questions with a particular focus on the role of European university alliances, « a source of inspiration for the wider higher education community » (Proposal for a Council Recommendation on building bridges for effective European higher education cooperation, 2022).  

How can EUA help design reproductible approaches to tackle this challenge? What has already been done? More generally, how does the frame offered by the European Union can contribute to changing our overall approach to this central issue?

In its recent communication on a European strategy for universities (January 18th, 2022), the European Commission highlights its will to support all higher education institutions in Europe, to provide them with the necessary tools to adapt to a changing environment, to thrive and contribute to the resilience and recovery of Europe. As such, universities should become « lighthouses of our European way of life » and « actors of change in the twin green and digital transitions ».

As recognized knowledge powerhouses, universities are now expected to actively connect with local communities and societies at large to contribute to answering social challenges, in particular in connection to the SDGs. This requires that universities transform the way they educate students by promoting project-based learning and encouraging local engagement as well as the way they do research: how do we empower learners to address complex societal and promote sustainability in our communities and beyond? How do we build a transformative research agenda that takes into account our surrounding ecosystems?

Welcome words by Alexis Dutertre, Ambassador of France to the Czech Republic ; Prof. MUDr. Milena Králíčková, Rector of Charles University ; Jaroslav Miller, Deputy minister, MŠMT ; Michal Uhl, Director, DZS

Keynote speech on social engagement in the academic community Michaela Šojdrová, Member of the European Parliament

First panel discussion: How to systematically embed civic engagement in training
Speakers include: Palacky University, Sorbonne Université, Student Chamber of Higher Education Council, ČVUT

Second panel discussion: Research and innovation with and for society.
Speakers include: Center for knowledge and technology transfer - Charles University, Technology Center of the Czech Academy of Sciences, IKEA

Moderator: Aleš Vlk, former adviser to the Minister of Education of the Czech Republic and co-founder of the online magazine on science and research Vědavyzkúm. 

In the framework of the 2022 cycle of events « FEM2:2 Das Jahr de l'égalité », the Goethe-Institut and the Institut français in Prague organised a panel discussion on gender equality in science, with a special focus on the field of STEM, in partnership with Charles University and its Kampus Hybernská.

Why do we need gender balance in every area of science? What misconceptions and difficulties are women and girls facing?  In science systems and institutions, how do we move from mere gender awareness to effective and transformative actions? What are the key levers to trigger the necessary changes? The panel discussion focused on sharing experiences between three speakers coming from different professional and cultural backgrounds and promote best practices from the field as triggers for real-life changes.

Welcome words by Prof. MUDr. Milena Králíčková, Rector of Charles University 
 
Panelists :

• Colette Guillopé is a French mathematician, Professor at Université Paris-Est-Créteil-Val-de-Marne (UPEC, France). She is the former president of the associations « Femmes & mathématiques » (1996-1998) and « Femmes & Sciences » (2004-2008).
• Viktoria Niebel is a social scientist and local science manager in the EU-funded project RESET - Redesigning Equality and Scientific Excellence Together at the Equality Office of the Ruhr University Bochum. Between 2017 and 2021 she was Equal Opportunities Officer for scientific employees.
• Tereza Petrusková, is an Assistant Professor at the Charles University, Faculty of Science, Department of Ecology. She is behavioural ecologist, focusing her research on songbird vocalisation and bird territorial behaviour. At the moment, she serves as the European secretary of the Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.

Moderator: Aleš Vlk, former adviser to the Minister of Education of the Czech Republic and co-founder of the online magazine on science and research Vědavyzkúm.

The panel discussion was followed by the screening of the French documentary "La science a mauvais genre" ("Misgendering science" - in French with English subtitles). 

64 min – Directed by Laure Delalex – Authors Thomas Levy and Laure Delalex – Production J2F Production and APC Productions, with the participation of France Télévisions

« Today, women represent only a third of jobs in science, and sometimes less than 15% in sectors such as mathematics or digital technology. Why and how did we get here? How to change mentalities and change the situation? This film explores these questions through the portraits of four women scientists: Solène, a mechanical engineer at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique; Mathilde, researcher in biology near the Arctic Circle; Agathe, computer developer, and Zoé, student at the Ecole polytechnique. »

Here for more information about the documentary

Press review

To go further in the reflexion, discover here the press article written by Karolina Poliaková about this panel discussion (article in czech). The article was published both on the science oriented website Vedavyzkum.cz and as part of Forum, the online magazine of the Charles University in Prague. 

Slides de présentation des intervenants (en anglais) disponibles en téléchargement ici

Cet évènement en ligne, organisé par le Ministère tchèque de l'Education, de la Jeunesse et des Sports, par l'Ambassade de France en République tchèque et par le Centre technologique de l'Académie tchèque des sciences, s'est tenu le 2 décembre 2021. Vingt ans de coopération et d'expérience dans le cadre du programme bilatéral de mobilité Barrande, sans oublier les programmes antérieurs, ont été passées en revue. Aussi, les possibilités de futures coopérations dans le cadre du programme Horizon Europe ont été présentées.