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Working with text is like decorating a cake. We can either “decorate” it by hand, as we’re used to doing in Word, for example, or hand the recipe over to an experienced “pastry chef.” And that’s exactly what LaTeX is (pronounced [latech] – author’s note). Instead of individual edits, it is enough to specify what is a heading, a citation, or a formula, and the system ensures that the entire document looks clear and consistent. It thus enables exceptionally precise typesetting of mathematical expressions, reliable handling of citations, automatic numbering, and cross-references. Moreover, text source files are well-suited for version control and team collaboration, which is one of the reasons why LaTeX has become an integral part of the academic world.

Since the late 1980s, Frank Mittelbach has led the international development of this system, not only through maintenance but also through the long-term shaping of the entire infrastructure of scientific communication. “His contribution to the advancement of human knowledge rests on three key pillars: a commitment to typographic quality, innovations in document and software engineering, and a dedication to accessibility, thereby ensuring the free dissemination of complex scientific documents in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, the so-called STEM disciplines,” explains Jiří Barnat, Dean of the Faculty of Informatics at Masaryk University.

The result has been the standardization and consistency of typesetting for technical texts, the development of macro languages and methods for complex documents, and influential publications such as The LaTeX Companion, which have helped unify user practices across countries and disciplines. In recent years, Mittelbach has also played a significant role in enabling LaTeX to automatically generate structured PDF files and make mathematical content accessible using MathML, a markup language for writing mathematics in a machine-readable format. He is thus expanding the accessibility of scientific results for users of assistive technologies—that is, tools designed to enhance the self-sufficiency, safety, and quality of life of people with reduced physical or mental functions. In this way, LaTeX is moving scholarly publishing toward greater openness and inclusion.

At Masaryk University, LaTeX has long been widely used as part of the university’s operational and publishing infrastructure. For example, the MU Information System uses it for the automated generation of diplomas, course schedules, tests, and database reports, which helps maintain a consistent visual style and high typographic quality without the need for manual intervention.  

Photo: Frank Mittelbach at the Faculty of Informatics, MU

Frank Mittelbach has long collaborated with researchers at the Faculty of Informatics at Masaryk University, which has had a direct impact on the quality of the typesetting itself. Thanks to the addition of microtypographic enhancements to TeX and direct PDF output via PdfTeX, both the final appearance of the documents and the stability of the entire process have improved. FI MU also actively contributed to supporting multilingual typesetting for Czech and Slovak languages, thereby helping to expand the use of LaTeX in the Czech academic community.

Frank Mittelbach’s visit to Masaryk University began with an informal meet-up at FI MU on Wednesday, 18 March 2026. Faculty members and students took the opportunity to ask about specific technical solutions, future possibilities for LaTeX development, and the impact of new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, on the future of software engineering. A new group photo of the faculty’s staff was also taken to mark the occasion. The recording of the meeting is available at FI MU Youtube.

Photo: Group photo of the guest of honor with FI MU staff

The ceremony to confer the honorary doctorate took place on the morning of 19 March 2026. “It was a very emotional moment for me, in fact much more so than I expected. I'm truly grateful for receiving this honor from Masaryk University. I do, however, consider this as honoring not just my work but the work of many people in the open source community who tirelessly worked and work on improving scientific communication, helping to ensure that knowledge is available in the best possible manner to everybody with or without any impairments,” said Frank Mittelbach in his first reaction. During the ceremony, Prof. Jakub Tolar, a physician specializing in pediatric hematology and cell therapies, nominated by the Faculty of Medicine, also received an honorary doctorate. A report on the event was published in Magazín M.

Photo: Awarding of an honorary doctorate from Masaryk University

The program concluded with an afternoon lecture as part of the MUNI Seminar Series on the topic “Τέχνη: Gutenberg – Knuth – Zapf – Lamport – LaTeX: The evolution of document production and information access.” Frank Mittelbach presented the evolution of book and document production over the past centuries and used specific examples to demonstrate the significance of the TeX system for modern computer typesetting. He also discussed how LaTeX has been gradually evolving since 2020 to automatically generate accessible STEM documents in addition to high-quality typography. A recording is available on the MUNI Seminar Series website.

Photo: Lecture as part of the MUNI Seminar Series 

Frank Mittelbach’s visit served as a reminder that the technologies we often take for granted at universities today are the result of decades of thoughtful work by people who have managed to combine technical precision with the needs of education, research, and the open sharing of knowledge. We warmly congratulate him on his honorary doctorate and look forward to further collaboration.

Author: Marta Vrlová, Office for External Relations and Partnerships at FI MU

Photos: FI MU and Jitka Janů