At today's 265th meeting of the MU Academic Senate, Rector Martin Bareš informed about the project called the ComMUNIty Fund.
The competition aims to support the implementation of sustainable, internally and externally transferable projects promoting the social role of Masaryk University. This will be done exclusively in collaboration between students and staff. “We are very pleased that the ComMUNIty Fund has been established at Masaryk University. We would like to encourage students not to be afraid to participate in this new competition and propose projects that will enable them to put their ideas into practice,” said MU Vice-Rector Simona Koryčánková.
This call for projects will be open from 14 November to 31 December. However, there is one important condition to meet. “The essential thing is that students must implement their projects together with a Masaryk University employee,” reminded MU Bursar Marta Valešová.
Submitting a project to the ComMUNIty Fund competition is not difficult – applications are filed electronically via the Project Registration Information System (ISEP). You can find the link on the MU Sustainability website. Students can apply for between 50 and 200 thousand Czech crowns per project.
Students can submit their proposals in three areas
The first is ‘Social Responsibility’, where projects should primarily help promote the so-called third role of the university with an emphasis on sustainability. This covers areas such as volunteer projects organised by various associations, projects to share and reuse equipment, sorting and recycling campaigns, sustainable fashion, and energy and water conservation.
The second area is Sustainable Infrastructure, which covers small-scale furnishings and property improvements for better sustainability. Projects in this area may include e.g. smart elements in student dormitories, charger stands, water tap stations, bike racks with a pump and tools, community composters and flower beds.
The third area is Healthy Society with projects primarily focused on health and healthy lifestyles. Example projects include exercise facilities, health events including campaigns for the prevention of civilisation diseases and drug addictions, support for “cycle to work” activities, inter-faculty/university runs etc.
According to a survey conducted by Masaryk University, 82% of applicants in Czech programmes, 96% of foreign applicants, 76% of freshmen, 82% of first-year students of follow-up Master’s programmes and 78% of graduates support the involvement of students and staff in socially beneficial activities.
Do you want an example of an interesting project? Stainless steel cups and straws
The stainless steel cups and straws designed and produced by Vojtěch Toman, a student of the Faculty of Economics and Administration, are just the kind of a project that could successfully compete for funding from the ComMUNIty Fund. Read more about the project here.