Organisational aspects
Concerning continuing professional development of teachers of tertiary professional schools (vyšší odborné školy), see Continuing Professional Development for Teachers Working in Early Childhood and School Education.
The continuing professional development of academic staff is then closely connected with the general enhancing of the qualification and development of scientific and research skills (through scientific work, post-doctoral study, foreign internship, in the case of physicians or veterinarians also through the attestations, etc.). The obligation of academic staff to further educate themselves is not explicitly formulated in the Higher Education Act.Nevertheless, this obligation is implicitly included in other legislative documents. According to the Labour Code, all employees are obliged to deepen, i.e. to maintain and renew, their qualifications. All the costs incurred for such a qualification improving are financed by the employer. Furthermore, according to the Government Regulation on Standards for Accreditation in Higher Education, one of the conditions required for the higher education institution (vysoká škola) to obtain the accreditation is, among others, securing financial resources for continuing professional development for academic staff.
Appeal for extending and deepening of knowledge and skills of academic staff in the area of their professional focus, as well as general educational work, is included in the Model Code of Ethics for Academic Staff of Higher Education Institutions.Academics have the opportunity to attend various continuing education courses focused on professional development), general skills (particularly foreign language courses and courses developing computer skills) and on teaching skills and personal development.
Incentives for participation in continuing professional development (CPD) activities
Concerning continuing professional development of teachers of tertiary professional schools (vyšší odborné školy), see Continuing Professional Development for Teachers Working in Early Childhood and School Education.
In-service training of academic staff depends on the individuals' personal motivation and is associated with the development of their academic career. In-service training of academic staff is fully encouraged by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports.
Continuing professional development of academics is supported by the The Strategic Plan of Higher Education Institutions for 2016–2020 within the priority objective 4 “Relevance”: “In their activity, HE institutions will reflect the current social development, the latest scientific knowledge and needs of partners. The HE institutions will be in a close and mutually open contact with partners at the local, national and international level, with graduates, employers, scientific and academic institutions and with the non-profit sector and public administration.”
One of the recommendations to higher education institutions (vysoké školy) is: “To build centres supporting academic and non-academic staff as part of the internal quality assurance: The support centres should represent a supportive base for the professional and expertise growth of the HE institution staff and for improving their competences both in education and in creative and other activities, including the valorisation of outcomes.”
For continuing professional development of academics 6 months' sabbatical leave can also be used. According to the Higher Education Act, it is provided to academic staff of higher education institutions, at their request, once every seven years, unless this is impossible because of serious circumstances related to carrying out the educational tasks of the higher education institution. Academic staff on sabbatical leave are entitled to their salaries.