Programme 2024
The programme for the 2025 conference will be announced later. Thank you for your understanding.
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12:00–13:00
Registration
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13:00–13:15
Opening of the conference
- Martin Bareš, Rector MUNI
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13:15–15:00
Flexibility In Higher Education From Bellow
Flexibility is often considered an important and desirable advantage in the context of academic work. However, flexibility can take different forms with ambiguous effects - for example, it can reinforce the 'rigidity' of academic work, thereby increasing workload. The aim of this article is to discuss the main forms of flexibility in work environments and career pathways and to reflect critically on their positive and negative impacts on the mental health and productivity of academics. Drawing on our more than a decade of research in Czech universities with the PSU CAS team, we will focus on work flexibility in relation to our main research areas: mental health of male and female academics, work-family harmonisation, career pathways, academic leadership and unethical behaviour in the workplace. We ask: Under what conditions do hybrid forms of work promote the mental health of academics and when, conversely, are they a source of burnout? Is spatial and institutional flexibility a condition for academic excellence? How is flexibility related to unethical workplace behaviour and the quality of academic leadership? When is flexibility a resource and when is it a risk?
Panel discussion:
- Dana Brandenburg, Česká spořitelna Foundation
- Katarína Rovenská, SK RVŠ
- Renáta Tomášková, University of Ostrava
- Vít Tokarský, Law Office
Moderated by: Karel Šima
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15:00–15:30
Coffeebreak
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15:30–17:00
Flexibility Of The Higher Education System - Vision, Possibilities, Reality
Flexibility in higher education has traditionally been seen as the ability of learners to choose what, when, how and where they study. In this panel, we would like to focus on flexibility from the perspective of the actors who set the rules on whether the above flexibility will be possible, on the one hand, and from the perspective of the actors who have to navigate these rules - i.e. from the perspective of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports and the National Accreditation Office for Higher Education, on the one hand, and the representatives of universities, on the other. We will ask questions like: What role should and does the state play, what vision and priorities does it have in terms of steering higher education towards greater flexibility? How do representatives and agents of higher education institutions see this? How do they manage to apply, manage and develop flexibility in the current framework, or what would they need to change?
Panel discussion:
- Radka Wildová, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports
- Jiří Nantl, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports
- Tomáš Fliegl, National Accreditation Office
- Daniela Jobertová, Council of Universities
- Libor Čapek, University of Pardubice
- Miroslav Svoboda, Anglo-American University
Moderuje: Monika Šumberová
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17:00 - 17:30
Coffeebreak
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17:30–18:30
Flexibility In Higher Education: Inspiration From Abroad
How much flexibility is enough? An example of a national experiment on interinstitutional flexible learning design – the Netherlands.
- Eltjo Bazen, Chief Product Owner Quality Assurance at HU UAS Utrecht and self-appointed ESG-ambassador
New Zealand represents a highly egalitarian society believing that its tertiary education system is one that can meet the needs of everyone who desires to participate, regardless of their background or life goals. This includes high school leavers that are getting ready for their very first job, people needing a second chance after disengaging from education, older adults retraining to meet the needs of a changing labour market, and people of all ages who want to pursue their learning. The system also must be prepared to address the newly emerging needs of employers and match them with the skillset of upcoming digital generations – that all in the environment of fast developing tech-savviness and high diversity. This presentation provides a snapshot of how New Zealand tertiary system actively addresses the current and future needs to produce well prepared individuals that can be successful in their chosen work field.
- Eltjo Bazen, Chief Product Owner Quality Assurance at HU UAS Utrecht and self-appointed ESG-ambassador
- Monika Barton, AMBIS, vysoká škola, a. s.
Moderated by: Jan Beseda
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19:00–23:00
Evening Programme
A social evening including a gala banquet will be prepared for the conference participants in the historic lecture hall and café of the Telč University Centre. You can also look forward to an accompanying music programme.
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9:00–10:20 (1st round)
SESSION A: Flexible Innovation In Learning - What Can We Change Easily, Quickly And Without Interfering With Accreditation?
The interactive workshop will focus on discussing measures that can be used to flexibly innovate degree programmes without the need for interventions in accreditation files and lengthy approvals. We will build on the experiences of the participants present, but also on the findings of the project Through the Eyes of Learners.
Within the framework of the Eyes of the Learners, we conducted qualitative probes in several study programmes of diverse focus at two universities. Although each programme is specific, learners repeatedly raised similar issues that can have a major impact on their motivation and hinder in-depth learning. Often these are suggestions that can be addressed without changing the curriculum and often without major interventions in individual courses, but rarely become the focus of our attention.
Based on the findings of the project and your experiences, we will work together to identify practical tips that you can use as inspiration at your own institution.Moderated by: Šimon Stibůrek & Pavla Burgos
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SECTION B: Flexibility Of Institutions In Building A Safe Space
Discuss the responsibility for creating a safe space and also the ability to leave it, which is particularly crucial in the context of art schools. What is the relationship between creating a safe space and the role of the teacher and the learner? How can they work together to create an environment where learners feel safe and supported? Is it possible that too much focus on safe space can lead to limiting freedom of expression and creativity? Are colleges as institutions flexible enough in setting the balance between safety and openness in their processes, especially in providing feedback at various levels?
Moderated by: Miroslav Dopita
Presentation 1 Presentation 2 Presentation 3 Presentation 4 Presentation 5 Presentation 6
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10:20–10:40
Coffeebreak
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10:40 - 12:00 (2nd round)
SESSION A: Flexible Innovation In Learning - What Can We Change Easily, Quickly And Without Interfering With Accreditation?
The interactive workshop will focus on discussing measures that can be used to flexibly innovate degree programmes without the need for interventions in accreditation files and lengthy approvals. We will build on the experiences of the participants present, but also on the findings of the project Through the Eyes of Learners.
Within the framework of the Eyes of the Learners, we conducted qualitative probes in several study programmes of diverse focus at two universities. Although each programme is specific, learners repeatedly raised similar issues that can have a major impact on their motivation and hinder in-depth learning. Often these are suggestions that can be addressed without changing the curriculum and often without major interventions in individual courses, but rarely become the focus of our attention.
Based on the findings of the project and your experiences, we will work together to identify practical tips that you can use as inspiration at your own institution.Moderated by: Šimon Stibůrek & Pavla Burgos
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SECTION B: Flexibility Of Institutions In Building A Safe Space
Discuss the responsibility for creating a safe space and also the ability to leave it, which is particularly crucial in the context of art schools. What is the relationship between creating a safe space and the role of the teacher and the learner? How can they work together to create an environment where learners feel safe and supported? Is it possible that too much focus on safe space can lead to limiting freedom of expression and creativity? Are colleges as institutions flexible enough in setting the balance between safety and openness in their processes, especially in providing feedback at various levels?
Moderated by: Miroslav Dopita
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12-12:15
Coffeebreak
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12:15 - 13:15
Benefit Or Risk? Flexibility In Academia And Career Paths
Flexibility is often seen as an important and desirable asset in the context of academic work. However, flexibility can take different forms with ambiguous effects - for example, it can reinforce the 'frictionlessness' of academic work, thereby increasing workload. The aim of this article is to discuss the main forms of flexibility in work environments and career pathways and to reflect critically on their positive and negative impacts on the mental health and productivity of academics. Drawing on our more than a decade of research in Czech universities with the PSU CAS team, we will focus on work flexibility in relation to our main research areas: mental health of male and female academics, work-family harmonisation, career pathways, academic leadership and un/ethical workplace behaviour. We ask: Under what conditions do hybrid forms of work promote the mental health of academics and when, conversely, are they a source of burnout? Is spatial and institutional flexibility a condition for academic excellence? How is flexibility related to unethical workplace behaviour and the quality of academic leadership? When is flexibility a resource and when is it a risk?
- Kateřina Zábrodská, Institute of Psychology, The Czech Academy of Sciences
- Jiří Mudrák, Institute of Psychology, The Czech Academy of Sciences
- Kateřina Machovcová, Institute of Psychology, The Czech Academy of Sciences
Moderated by: Kateřina Oleksíková
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13:15-13:30
Closing Of The Conference