General information for the National Recovery Plan (Czech only)
Components under the supervision of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (Czech only)
The EXCELES program is a program of support in Research & Development & Innovation (hereinafter referred to as “R&D&I”) in accordance with s. 2 (2) (g) (1) of the Act No. 130/2002, on the Support of Research, Experimental Development and Innovation from Public Funds and on the Amendment to Some Related Acts (the Act on the Support of Research, Experimental Development and Innovation). This program is the sole implementation tool for component No. 5.1 - Excellent Research and Development in the Health Sector of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MEYS), as the owner of the component, is responsible for its implementation in accordance with point III. (3) Resolution No. 467 of the Government of the Czech Republic from May 17th, 2021, on National Recovery and Resilience Plan, and is also the provider of support for projects implemented in the program EXCELES under the above-mentioned Act on Support for Research, Experimental Development, and Innovation).
The EXCELES program was designed in cooperation with members of the expert group of the Research, Development and Innovation Council and other representatives of the expert community. The program´s goals are based on analytically identified national needs to support research and achieve excellence in specific priority areas of health research. At the same time, the program goals fill in a gap in the national R&D&I support system, are complementary to the parallel R&D&I support measures at the national level, and are complementary to other components of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan and relevant calls of the Operational Programs (“Výzkum, vývoj a vzdělávání” and “Jan Amos Komenský”). The EXCELES program also takes into account the requirement of a number of other relevant strategic documents, in particular, Innovation Strategy of the Czech Republic 2019 - 2030 (“Innovation and Research centers” priority area), National Research, Development and Innovation Policy of the Czech Republic 2021+ National priorities of oriented research, experimental development and innovations („ Healthy population priority area “) or Strategic Framework "Health 2030". The program is also addressing partial and systemic weaknesses of health research as identified in the Koncepce zdravotnického výzkumu do roku 2022 (Available only in the Czech).
Following the analytical findings, the MEYS has defined priority areas of R&D&I to be supported by the program. The goal is to increase research capacities in order to respond to the current trends and needs in R&D&I in relation to the occurrence of serious diseases with statistically highest mortality or with high direct (medical) and indirect (social and economic) costs, the impact and complications of these diseases connected with covid-19, as well as and the social and economic impact of the systemic health risks associated with these diseases.
Priority areas of R&D&I supported in the EXCELES programme are the specific biological, medical, and social sciences disciplines or other related scientific, technical, and technological disciplines focused on:
a) The study of infectious diseases and virology;
b) Oncology;
c) Neurosciences or the study of neurodegenerative and other types of neurological diseases;
d) Metabolic and cardiovascular diseases;
e) The Social and economic impact of systemic health risks, i.e. a collectively on the issue of:
- the functioning of public administration, communication between public administration and the public, and behaviour of society in the situations of health risk,
- the effectiveness of the healthcare system, lifestyle, and other social and economic determinants of health risks,
- economic recovery from health and security crises in terms of economic policy, labour market and unemployment, human capital and education, or addressing the increase in poverty.
Programme for Public Research & Development Support for
Priority Areas of Medical Sciences and Related Social Sciences – EXCELES
(the full text of the Resolution of the Government of the Czech Republic No. 796, on “Programme for Public Research & Development Support for Priority Areas of Medical Sciences and Related Social Sciences – EXCELES”, including the approved text of the program)
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Programme administrator:
Research and Development Support Unit – 321
Department of Higher Education and Research Support – 32
Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports
Karmelitská 529/5, 118 12 Praha 1
Programme contact email: programLX@msmt.cz
Department Secretary: + 420 234 811 547
Contact person: Ing. Jana Hakenová
Phone: + 420 234 811 560
Available Mon to Fri, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
