On the invitation of President Petr Pavel, Karel Masarik, Director of the Czech Semiconductor Center, took part in a high-level roundtable discussion at Prague Castle titled “How to Accelerate Czech Research.” The roundtable convened senior representatives from Czech academia, research institutions, government, and the private sector to address strategic steps for enhancing the Czech Republic’s research and innovation performance. It took place on June 11th in the premises of Prague Castle.
The discussion focused on identifying systemic barriers that hinder the effective development of the Czech research environment, and on defining measures to strengthen the country’s ability to produce world-class science and transfer it into real economic and societal impact.
President Pavel emphasized the need for long-term vision, intersectoral cooperation, and strategic investment to ensure that the Czech Republic remains competitive in key scientific and technological fields. The roundtable was part of the president’s ongoing commitment to promote excellence and relevance in national research and innovation policy. In his remarks, Karel Masarik underlined the importance of the semiconductor sector as a pillar of both technological sovereignty and industrial competitiveness.
The debate included two thematic panels with different participants. The first one focused on the systemic acceleration of Czech research, the second one on the development of breakthrough technologies. Twenty-two representatives of academia and research institutions, companies and government took part in the discussion.
“I very much appreciate the fact that a number of top experts took the time for today’s debate on the topic of acceleration of Czech research. The course of the debate confirmed that it is high time to act. Technological development is moving forward rapidly and if we are not to lose pace with the world, especially in areas such as artificial intelligence, chips and quantum technologies, we need to speed up decision-making and the implementation of concrete steps. To do this, it is necessary to set appropriate conditions for these key fields – whether it is public and private funding, facilitating the arrival of foreign scientists or better facilities for the education and development of Czech experts,” said President of the Republic Petr Pavel, adding that he considers the topic extremely important and wants to continue working with the suggestions made during the meeting.
The event provided a platform for open exchange among key stakeholders, aimed at forging a clearer and more coordinated national research strategy. Participants agreed on the urgency of improving the effectiveness of public investment in science, strengthening connections between research and industry, and fostering international collaboration.
Photo and quotation: Office of the President of the Republic (photo Zuzana Bönisch)
