Czech Academy of Sciences

Czech Academy of Sciences Overview

The Czech Academy of Sciences (CAS), also known as Akademie věd České republiky (AV ČR), has a rich history, tracing its origins back to the Royal Bohemian Society of Sciences founded in 1784 and the Emperor Franz Joseph Czech Academy for Sciences, Literature, and Arts established in 1890. Officially established in 1992 as the Czech successor to the former Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, CAS is a leading non-university public research institution in the Czech Republic. The academy is organized into three scientific divisions: Mathematics, Physics, and Earth Sciences; Chemical and Life Sciences; and Humanities and Social Sciences.

CAS comprises a complex of 54 public research institutions, employing over 8,000 employees, with more than half being university-trained researchers and Ph.D. scientists. The primary mission of CAS is to conduct research across a wide spectrum of disciplines, including natural, technical, social, and human sciences. Researchers at CAS engage in specialized and interdisciplinary studies to advance scientific knowledge internationally while addressing the specific needs of Czech society.

In addition to conducting fundamental and strategic applied research, CAS plays an active role in education, offering doctoral study programs for young researchers and collaborating with universities. The academy fosters collaboration with applied research and industry and promotes international cooperation through joint research projects and scientist exchanges with partner institutions abroad.

CAS is governed by the Academy Assembly, which includes representatives from various research institutes and notable personalities from different sectors. The executive body, the Academy Council, is headed by the President of CAS and is involved in setting science policies. Additionally, Academy Evaluation Committees independently assess the quality of research and research objectives of individual institutes.

The financing of CAS primarily comes from the state budget, adhering to international standards for research funding. The academy also participates in national and international research programs to secure additional financial resources. In a commitment to open access, CAS adopted a policy to make its research outputs freely accessible to the public.

With a history spanning several centuries, the Czech Academy of Sciences continues to uphold research traditions and a mission of contributing to scientific advancements, education, and cultural development in the Czech Republic and beyond.