MUNI Mendel Doctorandus welcomes the new semester with new students and a brand-new logo
The MUNI Mendel Doctorandus programme for talented PhD students opened another admission procedure in January 2023. A total of 14 students across the faculties of the Bohunice Campus and CEITEC applied, and members of the MMD Committee reviewed their applications. After the evaluation, all applied students were admitted to the programme. There are, therefore, now a total of 57 students who are members of the MMD family and are enjoying support in their acquisition of interdisciplinary education and soft skills training.
The next round of admissions will be open in September 2023 and will be followed by an informational reminder for those interested in joining the program.
Another innovation in the new semester is a dedicated logo for the MMD programme, which has been created in collaboration with the MU Rector's Office to identify the programme from the outset and link it to J. G. Mendel as the father of genetics. For the new logo, the portrait of J. G. Mendel was used, which not only students and employees could meet throughout last year during the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the birth of this famous Brno-born scientist. Now, this portrait is becoming synonymous with the MUNI Mendel Doctorandus programme. We hope you will like the new logo and that it will be used to promote the programme and as an explicit identifier of the students engaged in it. You can download the logo for your signature here.
If you, too, would like to be part of the MUNI Mendel Doctorandus programme, prepare your application for September 2023, when we will open the next round of the selection process.
The first semester in the MMD programme is over. What was it like?
Mgr. Kamil Sobek from the Department of Geological Sciences answers this question. “I am surprised by the variety and offer of all kinds of educational courses and lectures that are available to students and thanks to MMD I have them “all served on a silver platter”. There is simply no such thing as boredom at Masaryk University in Brno.” He says that “the first semester has given me the opportunity to attend several lectures that have fundamentally influenced the direction I want to take after completing my PhD. The MMD is a great tool to get to know local and international experts from different institutions who provide valuable information and are happy to help you further personal and professional development.”
Summer Schools Powered by CJV:
Creativity in Teaching Summer School
The Creativity in Teaching Summer School is designed for teachers and lecturers at universities and in Higher Education institutions. You can expect The Creativity in Teaching Summer School workshops are highly experiential, requiring everybody to participate in individual and group activities. The programme includes topics as which processes in teaching and learning are creative? Or using creativity theories for teaching?
When:10 – 14 July, 2023
MU Language Centre, Komenského nám. 2, Brno
The English Mediated Instruction / Academic Skills in English Summer School
This English Summer School is designed for teachers, lecturers and academics delivering their degree programmes to multi-cultural groups through the medium of English. This summer school is based on the need for insight into teaching and learning in a second language, given the internationalisation of higher education and the burgeoning use of English as lingua franca.
When: 17 – 21 July, 2023
MU Language Centre, Komenského nám. 2, Brno
MUNI Mendel Doctorandus (MMD) is a voluntary programme organized by Faculties and Institutes of Masaryk University (further described as „Faculties“)
- Faculty of Science (SCI MUNI)
- Faculty of Medicine (MED MUNI)
- Faculty of Pharmacy (PHARM MUNI)
- Faculty of Sports Studies (SPORT MUNI)
- CEITEC MU
MMD is planned to be a prestigious brand (label) acknowledging and bringing additional credits to the best PhD graduates as well as to their supervisors and doctoral programmes at MUNI.
MMD label (including the recognition of the European Doctorate) are provided as a supplement to the official MUNI doctoral diploma recognizing thus the significant assets of the student and PhD programme.
Why should I apply? What are the benefits for students?
- Support for your future career - transferable and soft skills
- Interdisciplinary trainings and additional activities
- Extended internship abroad for minimum 3 months
- Internationally recognized "European Doctorate" + "MMD International Certificate"
The MMD programme is suitable for
- Current PhD students enrolled in the 1st - 4th year of study
- New prospective candidates enrolling to PhD at Faculties involved
How to join MMD?
- Students interested in applying are required to fill in and submit the APPLICATION DOSSIER.
- Download the MS Word template document, fill it and submit it as a single PDF document
- Completed Application Dossiers should be uploaded for evaluation (the link for upload is below on this page)
Important dates:
Deadline for submitting the application: September 2023
Candidates will be informed after evaluation.
Requirements in a nutshell
Each Semester
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Enroll into MMD course in IS MUNI which allows to record all your efforts and progress
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Build soft and transferable skills through diverse courses and seminars (One activity or training per academic year corresponding to minimum of 8 hours)
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Complete and submit the semesteral MMD report
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Participate in interdisciplinary training activities - elective lectures, ad hoc courses at MUNI or at other institutions, on-line courses etc. (Eight interdisciplinary seminars (1-1.5h each) or other activities, such as secondments in research infrastructural facilities, interdisciplinary summer school)
Once during the studies
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Participate at placement abroad of minimum 3 months continuously.
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To obtain the European Doctorate, the placement abroad has to be not interrupted and conducted at another European university.
European Doctorate – thesis presentation and defense
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Presentation and PhD defense are conducted in English, members of your PhD defence committee as well as three reviewers are international experts
For full details on requirements and procedures read the MUNI Mendel Doctorandus Main document.
Need more information about the MMD programme?
How to fill in the application dossier correctly to increase your chances of being accepted into the program? These and other questions were answered in the MMD Online Session. Watch the video to learn more information about the MMD programme and how to complete the application dossier in the best possible way.
Or check section Questions and Answers for students of MUNI Mendel Doctorandus here.
What is the difference? European Doctorate and International MMD PhD Certificate?
European doctorate highlights European collaboration and has specific rules and requirements:
- Three months internship is done without interruption (i.e. minimum 90 days continuously) and it is carried out at another European university
- Professors or experts from European universities are required to be a part of the PhD defence committee
*In both cases, thesis should be written and submitted in English.
International MMD PhD Certificate is broader and more relaxed in conditions:
- Three months abroad can be combined from more shorter stays, at minimum one of the stays is required to be 30 days without interruption.
- Intership(s) are not limited to Europe
- Committee for PhD defence can include international experts and professors from any institutions and countries around the world
Life cycle of MUNI Mendel Doctorandus programme
Prepare and submit application to MMD
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.
Enroll to MMD, fullfil requirements, submit semestral reports
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
- Soft skills courses and activities
- Continuous support from student´s supervisor
- Student´s minimum monthly income
Finish MMD programme by European Doctorate
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)
Interdisciplinary and soft skills trainings offered centrally by MMD
Below is the list of centrally offered MMD interdisciplinary and soft sklil courses and seminars. Attendance of students at the listed activities is recorded weekly by MMD administrators. In addition, MMD students are encouraged to actively benefit from other opportunities offered by third parties (courses and trainings organized by other universities or educational institutions, summer schools, secondments at non-academic partners or in professional research infrastructures)
The MMD Administrator will be present at these four courses and will record your attendance:
Students who are required to enrol RCX and Life Science Seminar in their doctoral program, are now obliged to take only four interdisciplinary courses each semester in addition to these required seminars. All attended lectures must still be listed in the semestral report.
Be a proud member of the MMD programme and add the logo of MMD to your outlook signature. Download logo here.
Registration to MUNI Mendel Doctorandus
Hello, I am Linda Nosková, and I'm your MMD administrator. Do you have any problems within the MMD program?
I will be happy to help you! Email me at: noskova@sci.muni.cz
Educational opportunities offered to PhD students