EUA Conference
Research in European Universities: Strategies and Funding
Working Group:
Inter-institutional research collaboration: building critical mass
with a focus on regional networks
Theme:
Inter-institutional research collaboration:
experience with research centres
with focus on Czech Republic
and Brno University of Technology
Jan Vrbka, rector
Collaboration and critical mass in R&D
The problem definition:
1. There is:
a formulated intention with a goal
a decision and will to fulfil it
2. Then it is necessary to find condition giving appropriate probability for
a succes - needed (critical) R&D mass in :
Ô Funding
Ô Research institution
Ô Leader Î research team
Ô Infrastructure
3.Keep decision regarding to Critical mass:
over Î to start the R&D activity
below Î to stop the R&D activity or
to find R&D collaboration in or
out of institution
T
The case
of the Czech Republic
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ACT of 14 March 2002
on support of research and
development from public
funds and on amendment to
some related acts
R&D Support Act
The support of R&D, including infrastructure, can be
granted only in scope and under conditions laid down in
this Act.
One of the possible forms of the R&D Support
The research Centres programme
¾established by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of The Czech
Republic focused to:
¾basic research connected with international collaboration,
¾applied research that is oriented towards final application in the region
through transfer to the private business sector and the government sector.
¾ centre activities include also the training and career development of
young researchers.
¾The individual centres are based mostly at Czech universities and
research institutes of the Czech Academy of Sciences. They can cooperate with diverse research organisations (including government
labs and private non-profit research institutions) and private for-profit
companies in the Czech Republic or abroad.
The Research Centre program goals:
¾concentration of all resources and capacities
¾ specific research branches quality improvement of R&D
oriented on long-term duration
¾ common applicable and useful for regional
needs;
¾ support of intra- and multidisciplinary co-operation
within existing individual R&D institutions and sectors;
¾keeping young R&D researchers, their further qualification
and education in scientific fields.
The programs includes two subprograms:
"A" for the basic research centres with prerequisite of their
involvement in international R&D network.
"B" for the centres of applied and oriented research with
prerequisite of R&D result transfer and regional application.
AEROSPACE RESEARCH CENTER
ARC
Leading institution:
Institute of Aerospace Engineering
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
Brno University of Technology
Head:
Professor Antonín Píštěk
Budget: 2 mil. EURO
Staff: 71 (41 PhD. students
or graduates)
Goals of the ARC:
a) in the technical area
advancement of selected disciplines to support the
development of small GA aircraft
-
-introduction of new selected disciplines and fields
necessary for wider spectrum of users
- completion of aerospace field missing infrastructure,
which is a necessary condition for connection to western
R&D structures and programs (EU, NATO)
- gradual connection of the “Centre” to similar
associations working in EU countries
Goals of the ARC:
b) in
the personal area
- the teams of the “ARC” include experienced
specialists working together with young
perspective engineers
- close team collaboration of the best specialists
from universities, research institutes and
companies
- involvement of students and Ph.D. students in
specific projects to increase scientific and
research level of the study
Goals of the ARC:
c) in the economic area
- team collaboration increases the effectivness
and solution speed
- usage of the still existing infrastructure, the
equipment and facilities of the CAR institutions
reduces the cost of the projects
- strong support of the applied research
at technical universities stimulates young
perspective graduates to stay at university
Problems solved at Brno
University of Technology
B1 Flight measurements and mathematical modeling of
atmospheric aircraft flight dynamics
B2 computer aided research, development and
certification of general aviation aircraft
B3 experimental methods of aircraft structures testing
B4 manufacture and assembly technologies and modern
composite materials research
B4
The stress analyse of
riveted-adhesive bound
joints with blind rivets
Glare samples after the test
in bending
Crash velocity v = 15 ms-1
B2
time 0,01s
time 0,05s
time 0,09s
time 0,13s
time 0,16s
Collaborating institution
Examples of solved
problems:
∗ advancement of experimental and design
techniques for support of small and light
planes structural certification,
∗ research of the aircraft structures strength
reliability,
∗ research of lift systems,
∗ research of aircraft aeromechanics,
∗ dynamic loading of propellers
Collaborating institution
Czech Technical University in Prague
Problems solved:
∗
experimental research in the aerodynamics of aircraft
∗
R&D of aircraft composite structure
Application in aircraft industry
First test flights of VUT100 Cobra
THE STUDY OF TWN ENGINE MODEL VUT 200
Josef Božek Research Center of Engine
and Automotive Technologies
Goal:
• Solving conception and parametric optimization of
energy conversion in vehicle through the whole
powertrain
Leading institution:
Czech Technical University in Prague (CTU)
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering (FME)
- chemistry and thermodynamics of combustion,
mechatronics from the point of dynamics and control etc.
Faculty of Electrical Engineering (FEE)
- Complete electrical powetrains and their components,
control hardware, optimatization of informatics networks
Collaborating institutions:
Brno University of Technology (BUT), FME
- engine dynamics based on simulation methods of virtual
prototypes, etc.
Technical University in Liberec, FME
- combustion of alternative fuels and engine adaptation,
etc.
Technical University in Ostrava, FME
- mechanical transmition, etc.
Motor Vehicle Research Institute
- experiments on powertrains (efficiency and emissions)
Ricardo Consulting Engineers
- research and transient engine regimes, software
Total budget: 1.4 mil EURO (Equipment: 0.22 mil EURO)
Staff: 90 , (55 PhD. students or graduates)
Center for Integrated and Advanced
Structure Design :
CTU Prague, BUT Brno, TU Ostrava,
Road and Railways Constructions
Center of Data-Algoritmus-Decision:
Institute of Information Theory and
Automation, Academy of Sciences CR
University of Ostrava, BUT Brno, West Bohemian
University, EMPo Prague, Compureg Pilsen, etc.
Center of Aplied Cybernetic
Brno University of Technology
Masaryk University in Brno
University of Veterinary and
Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno
Mendel University of
Agriculture and Forestry Brno
Janáček Academy of Music
and Performing Arts in Brno
University of Defence in Brno