Code of Ethics for Practitioners at the Faculty of Informatics
On 16 February 2024, the Faculty of
Informatics' Practitioners' Code of Ethics was approved by the FI Academic Senate. This code describes the standards of the practitioners' approach to their teaching and to the students, as agreed by the FI MU academic community. It supplements and explains the provisions of the MU Code of Ethics in the context of FI MU practitioners. Its purpose is to contribute to the quality of teaching at FI, the professionalism of practitioners and a fair approach to learners.
Research ethics at MU
Ethical aspects of research conducted at Masaryk University involving human subjects, including work with biological material of human origin, are dealt with by the
Research Ethics Committee. The Research Ethics Committee reviews projects from all departments of Masaryk University except the Faculty of Medicine.
In case of questions concerning obligations arising from legal regulations related to research ethics issues, the
Research Lawyers can be contacted.
Regarding classified information, the MU Security Director
JUDr. Naděžda Horynova, Head of the Control Department of the MU Rector's Office, can be contacted.
Plagiarism is the use of other sources without proper reference where the original work is expected. This includes careless or inaccurate citation of literature used, failure to cite (even unintentionally) a source used. It is essential to follow the rules of citation and publication ethics when producing scholarly texts. Detailed information can be found on the
MU website Plagiarism .
Related to plagiarism is the question of how to search for plagiarism. At Masaryk University, a special application implemented in the MU Information System is used to detect potential plagiarism. The application is publicly available on the Theses.cz website. The system for searching for similarities in the text allows for mutual comparison of documents that are part of its database. Using the
"egg to egg" function, it is possible to find documents with similar content to a given document, i.e. potential plagiarism. This tool can be used by teachers, administrators and students. Below you will find information and a link to the training course
"Plagiarism and similarity search applications in IS MU" as well as guides on how to avoid plagiarism.
Protection of rights and submissions towards protection of rights
Masaryk University subscribes to the protection of rights in the MU Code of Ethics, in the
HR Award implementation measures and other documents. Masaryk University has processes in place to ensure that these rights are protected effectively, impartially and efficiently at Masaryk University, and to ensure that assistance is available and that whistleblowers and victims of interference with these rights are protected.
The protection of rights is governed by
MU Directive 1/2023 Protection of Rights as effective September 15, 2025.
Detailed information on the protection of rights can be found on the
MU website Protection of rights
JUDr. Eva Janovičová is
a rights defender at MU. The post of ombudsman is also known as ombudsman or ombudsperson. Students, applicants, staff and alumni can contact the Ombudsperson for help if they believe their rights or the rights of others have been violated. The Ombudsperson can be contacted in the following ways:
in person, through a pre-arranged consultation with the ombudsman,
via MU mailbox, mailbox ID: 9tmj9e4,
MU central or electronic mailroom,
by post 'to the Ombudsman' at the MU address.
Mechanism for reporting problematic behaviour at MU
An overview of MU's problem behaviour reporting mechanism, prepared by the University-wide Rights Protection Unit, can be downloaded
HERE.
Discrimination and unequal treatment
Discrimination and unequal treatment is dealt with by the
Equal Opportunities Panel. The MU Equal Opportunities Panel is an advisory body to the MU Rector assessing compliance with the principles of equality and non-discrimination at MU. It considers suggestions submitted to it by the MU Rector or the MU Ombudsman. Members of the panel are appointed and dismissed by the MU Rector. The Panel is governed by its Rules of Procedure, which were issued by
Masaryk University Instruction No. 1/2016 as amended effective 1 January 2024.
Processing and protection of personal data
Detailed information can be found in the
MU GDPR signpost, which contains links to MU central information systems that process personal data. The links lead either to a page with information about the processing of personal data in the system or to a page providing access to the user's personal data within the system. This serves to support the right of data subjects (MU employees, students and external collaborators) to access their personal data and the transparency of processing activities.
The data protection officer is
Mgr. Iva Zlatušková, Head of the MU Data Protection Officer's Office.
News, manuals and training for employees
New e-course "Soft Target Protection" has been launched
As of 7 April 2026, FI employees can take the new MU e-course "Soft Target Protection". The e-course has been prepared by the MU Rector's Office Security Department. The online training course focuses on how to behave in crisis and security risk situations related to soft target protection.
The e-course focuses on how to:
heed warning signs and recognize situations that may be risky early on,
know how to act when a threat is already occurring,
know who to talk to and how to communicate in such a situation,
be clear about what to do after an incident and who to contact.
The new e-learning course contains short videos with practical examples and has been created specifically for MU. The e-course can be found in the relevant section of the
Training application
in the Information System.
University-wide Rights Protection Unit Annual Report 2024
The MU All-University Rights Protection Unit has published its Annual Report for the year 2024. In it, MU Rights Defender
JUDr. Eva Janovičová and her team provide a summary view of the MU All-University Rights Protection Unit's agenda in various categories. She focuses not only on submissions from individuals who believe their or others' rights have been violated and statistical data in this area, but also on the development activities undertaken in the area of social safety (e.g., the creation of the e-course Social Safety in Academic Settings, the creation of the TRUST Leaders and TRUST Team workshop programme, and the provision of Respect to the Ground workshops by Konsent).
From the submissions received in 2024, the University-Wide Safeguarding Unit developed recommendations in the following areas:
HR area,
the area of learner contact,
the system set up at MU,
recommendations to all members of the university community.
The
2024 Annual Report of the University-wide Rights Protection Unit can be found
HERE.
A new e-course "Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer" has been launched at MU
From March 2025, FI staff and employees can take the new MU e-course "Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer". The e-course was developed by the MU Centre for Technology Transfer based on the requirements of MU faculties and departments, which is also in line with the implementation of the HRS4R strategy in connection with the HR Award certification.
Do you know the difference between a patent and a trademark? What is a real and a non-real spin-off company? Do you know how to proceed when you create an invention together with colleagues from another university?
Thanks to the new e-learning training in IS MU, you will get oriented in the issues of intellectual property and technology transfer at Masaryk University. You will learn the basic concepts that will be useful in the university environment, find out who to consult on IP and transfer issues and you can also look forward to examples of inventions that have been created at our university. The e-course can be found in the relevant section of the
Training application
in the Information System.
New MU e-course "Social Security in the Academic Environment"
From 1 July 2024, a new MU e-course "Social Security in the Academic Environment", developed by the MU University-wide Rights Protection Unit, was launched in the MU Information System. Completion of the course is voluntary.
In the course, employees will learn what social safety is, how inappropriate behaviour can undermine it, how to notice inappropriate behaviour, how to intervene against it and who to contact if you need a helping hand. The course follows the mission of Masaryk University, which is, among other things, to contribute to a free, cohesive and safe society. It can only fulfil such a mission through the members of its university community. By their participation in the academic environment, they accept the values of respect, freedom and responsibility, which are also reflected in the MU Code of Ethics.
By completing the course, employees will become familiar with the conditions Masaryk University sets for maintaining a safe and healthy learning and working environment in which no member of the university community is exposed to inappropriate behaviour.
Respect to Campus* workshops
On
9 April 2024 at 16:00, a practical and interactive workshop Respect to *Academic* will be held at the MU Rector's Office (Kounic Hall, 5th floor) for male and female students who wish to gain a basic insight into the topic of sexual harassment in the specific environment of Czech universities.
Registration.
On May 7
, 2024 at 9:00 a.m., CERPEK (Komenský nám.) will host a hands-on, interactive workshop, Respect to *Academia, which aims to provide male and female employees with information and tools that form the prevention component of addressing sexual harassment, bullying and violence on campus. The workshop is an introduction to the topic of sexual harassment. For more information and to register, visit the
CERPEK website.
On
May 16, 2024, at 10:00 a.m., the Respect to Campus II workshop will be held at CERPEK (Comenius Square). * academic. The workshop is intended for people who have already attended the initial workshop Respect to Ground I. We will introduce the topic of gender-based violence and sexual harassment in a broader context and link it to the related topics of intersectionality, physical and psychological violence, economic and financial violence, sexual and cyber violence. We will deepen our knowledge of the bystander or bystander effect and practice how to talk to a victim of harassment in a practical exercise. For more information and an application form, please visit the
CERPEK website.
These workshops were attended by members of FI's Human Resources and Doctoral and International Studies departments.
Lecture "Copyright in the context of generative AI"
On
April 2, 2024 at 14:30 (room A217), a lecture will be given as part of the Computer Science Colloquium on
Copyright in the context of generative AI. The lecturer is doc. JUDr. Matěj Myška, Ph.D. from the Faculty of Law of MU.
Abstract:"Generative artificial intelligence (AI) presents a significant challenge to copyright law, raising fundamental questions about authorship, ownership, and infringement. This talk will explore the evolving landscape of copyright in the context of generative AI, addressing key principles, priorities, and practical considerations. It will examine the tension between AI as a mere tool and as an author, the implications for copyrightability, and the potential for infringement. The discussion will also encompass the need for collaboration, adaptability, and the preservation of human creativity in the face of mechanistic outputs. By delving into these complex issues, the talk aims to provide insights into the intersection of generative AI and copyright law, offering guidance for stakeholders and policymakers in navigating this rapidly evolving field." This abstract was generated by perplexity.ai when prompted "Please create an abstract for an academic talk entitled "Copyright Aspects of Generative AI"". Is this output copyrighted? Who is the author? Are there any pertaining rights to this output? Who could exercise them and how is this regulated contractually in the Terms and Conditions of the most popular providers of the AI services? Is the training of the AI system copyright infringement? In my talk I will focus exactly on these questions within the EU and CZ regulatory framework. The cases currently handled by US courts will also be discussed.
Lecture Ethical Challenges and Building Integrity in Academia
Annotation. This workshop will offer a space to discuss key aspects of whistleblowing and ethical challenges in the academic environment. We will explore different perspectives on the issue, both locally and globally, as well as look at research findings and the search for solutions to promote integrity and ethics in education. Participants will have the opportunity to openly discuss these topics and together we will also look at strategies on how students can actively promote academic integrity, a culture of openness, fairness and accountability at their university.
Program:
The role of student representatives in the counselling system (Mgr. Dagmar Čaďová, Counselling Centre)
Introduction of the University-wide Rights Protection Unit (JUDr. Eva Janovičová, MU Ombudsman)
Lecture Ethical challenges and building integrity in the academic environment (Ing. Veronika Krásničan, expert in academic ethics)
The lecture will take place at the
Faculty of Informatics on 4 April 2024 at 18.00 in room D3.
Preventing workplace bullying: a guide for universities
Karolinum Publishing House has published a book by doc. Mgr. Prevention of workplace bullying: a guide for universities. This publication is a collection of expert and practically applicable information on bullying in higher education.
The guide is divided into two thematic parts, with the first part being primarily educational in nature and focusing on defining the phenomenon of workplace bullying itself, while the second part offers an overview of the main recommended prevention and intervention measures and policies against bullying that can be implemented at universities.
Recommendations for individual staff members are also included, including strategies for defending against bullying.
