Successful scientific grants are set to end. Let them continue, urges the learned society

The Learned Society of the Czech Republic has urged the government to continue funding the ERC CZ program, which supports top domestic research. Concerns were raised about the lack of budget allocation for the program in the upcoming state budget, potentially jeopardizing one of the most effective research support tools in the country. The society emphasized the importance of the ERC CZ program in financing high-quality scientific projects that have excelled in international evaluations. Experts argue that discontinuing the program would hinder the ability of Czech scientists to establish their own research groups and compete internationally. The Ministry of Education confirmed that funding for the ERC CZ program was requested but not included in the proposed budget, leading to calls for increased research funding during budget discussions.