Dean Martin Repko

The Faculty of Medicine has been, is, and always will be a professional faculty. Therefore, we take pride in taking maximum care of our undergraduate students, to whom we want to offer an opportunity for quality studies in the upcoming period, not only by contact teaching but also by distance form of teaching. However, quality studies will not be possible without changes in the evaluation of studies, cultivation of studies, and especially increasing the competencies of the lecturers themselves. A unique tool for improving the quality of teaching is the newly opened Simulation Centre, which will enable us to keep up with the world's most powerful trends.

Doctoral studies and research will be significantly emphasised in the upcoming period. The development of doctoral studies is clearly led at a qualitative level, from the emphasis on the quality of the supervisors themselves, improvement of the socio-economic status of our doctoral students, and involvement in local and global research structures to direct support of international and multidisciplinary grant activities.

The research activities of the FM MU must then reflect modern trends and carefully monitor social interests. Activities related to the translation of basic research results into clinical practice shall be significantly supported. Proactive search for international partners and ensuring a quality research environment for international junior and senior researchers is an essential way to increase the quality of research at the Faculty of Medicine.

Providing specialisation education has long been an activity of our faculty. A varied offer is a unique asset that we try to not only keep, but to further qualitatively develop.

The international importance of the Faculty of Medicine of Masaryk University is unquestionable, as evidenced by the growing number of international students (self-payers), which has been increasing for many years. However, the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the EU has brought new challenges in connection with the international aspect of the recognition of medical education. Our long-term interest in this context is to at least maintain the existing numbers of students, provide them with adequate education, and ensure the recognition of our education abroad.

We perceive the emphasis on the visibility of the Faculty of Medicine on a global scale as a great challenge in the upcoming period, especially in the sense of wider involvement in networks of educational and research activities. The attractiveness of the faculty for international academic staff will then be reflected not only in the increasing quality of the research itself but also in the growth of standards of academic culture.

The current situation has clearly shown the necessity and also the limits of full online teaching and administrative operation of the faculty. In the near future, we must be able to develop the functionality of all electronic systems and agendas much more intensively.

Dynamic development of the faculty is not possible without properly set processes in the field of human resources and financial management. Above all, the area of human resources management is a key area of development for the period of 2021-2028, not only due to the efforts to obtain the HR Excellence Award. The management of FM MU is fundamentally aware of the need for a quality personnel background and a transparent personnel policy, which will be attractive for both junior researchers and already established scientists, but also for clinical staff. An equally important parameter for the further functioning of our faculty will be the maintenance of a leading position in transparent public procurement and the involvement of the faculty in the processes of sustainable development.

The current openness of the faculty to the surrounding environment is one of its great assets. Furthermore, the activity of students and their social involvement is not only extremely beneficial but also generally important. The faculty, together with a deeper sense of belonging, intends not only to develop these activities but to further build on them as well.