The application to MUNI Mendel Doctorandus programme is open to doctoral students at participating faculties of Masaryk University (SCI, MED, PHARM, SPORT, CEITEC) who are enrolled in years 1-4 of the studies (i.e. 1st to 8th semester) during the date of the application deadline.

Student is required to consult his/her intention to participate in MMD with the supervisor, and fill in the Application dossier using the MS Word template (download here). The Application dossier contains following pieces of information:

• Motivation letter (prepared by the applicant)

• Description of previous activities of the student related to:

    interdisciplinary training and courses

    soft skills and career development trainings

• Letter from supervisor – expressing the support to student and interest to support MMD programme
• Letter from doctoral board – expressing support to student and interest to support MMD

The application dossier should be submitted as a single PDF document by uploading it below on this site by the deadline date at the latest.

The application will be evaluated by MMD Committee, and you will be informed about the outcome within 1-2 weeks with further detailed instructions how to enroll and how to become active in MMD.

In case of positive evaluation of the application dossier, student is invited to officially join MMD by enrolling into the XD007 „MUNI Mendel Doctorandus“ course in IS MUNI for a given semester (and then enrolling repeatedly for all following semesters of the student´s participation in MMD).

The XD007 programme (MMD course) in IS MUNI allows to monitor student´s activities and progress in MMD. It is used to register student´s attendance to centrally offered interdisciplinary and soft skill courses and seminars that are listed later on this page. In addition, a brief report (MMD Semester Report) is prepared at the end of each semester and submitted by the student to the XD007 course homework vault.

In addition or as an alternative to the centrally offered trainings, MMD students are also encouraged to actively benefit from other opportunities to get interdisciplinary and soft skills trainings that are provided by third parties. These include - for example – courses and trainings organized by other universities or educational institutions as well as on line courses. Students are also invited to participate at summer schools, secondments at non-academic partners, stays in professional research infrastructures or core laboratories.

At the end of each semester, student prepares a brief Student´s MMD Semestral report (using the template available for download), which is used to confirm compliance with the MMD criteria, i.e.:

• Obligatory 3 month placement abroad
• Interdisciplinary education and trainings (number of hours spent on mentioned activity)
• Soft skills courses and activities (number of hours spent on mentioned activity)
• Continuous support from student´s supervisor
• Student´s minimum monthly income
  

When student is close to finishing PhD studies and submitting the doctoral thesis, final formal activities are needed:

Submit thesis. Doctoral thesis needs to be formally submitted using general processes applied at given Faculty of MU. Thesis must be prepared in English. Student communicates with corresponding study department at his/her Faculty and finalizes/submits the thesis to IS MUNI.

Defend in European Doctorate mode. After the thesis is successfully submitted, student informs the MMD Administrator by email. MMD Administrator sends reminder to the Doctoral Board Head with instructions on formal requirements regarding the European Doctorate. Doctoral Board will assure that defence meets the criteria:

• Presentation and PhD defence are conducted in English.
• Reports on thesis (reviews) are submitted by at least two evaluators who are independent from MUNI. At least one of reviewers are from university or research institutes from different European country other than CZ.
• At least one member of jury (committee for PhD defence) is from European higher education institution outside of CZ or SK.

Get your MMD and European Doctorate Certificates. Congratulations! If you successfully defended, your certificates will be issued!

• Student sends a brief email information that PhD thesis was defended to MMD Administrator, who will communicate with Faculty study department and prepare the Certificate
• MMD and European Doctorate Certificate is issued as additional annex to official PhD Diploma. Awarding ceremony is organized annually as a part of PhD Day (September)