This award is aimed at doctoral students who complete their studies within the standard period of study (possibly extended by one year) and have shown above-standard results in their dissertation. The purpose of the award is to motivate students to successfully complete their studies in the shortest possible time and to encourage them to achieve outstanding scientific results - in particular first-authored publications in prestigious magazines or other field-specific outstanding results. The award comes with a financial reward for the winners and their supervisors.
Jakub Bechný received the Vice-Rector's Award for excellent results of his dissertation "Labour Market and Limits of Growth in Small Open Economy: DSGE Approach", which was supervised by prof. Osvald Vašíček from the Department of Economics.
Filip Hampl was awarded for his excellent results leading to his dissertation „Accounting and Financial Reporting of Traditional Cryptocurrencies in the Context of Commercial Companies in the Czech Republic”, supervised by doc. Jaroslav Sedláček, Department of Finance.
We asked both award winners if they could share their "recipe for a successful PhD". Here is their advice:
What advice do you have for students who are considering a PhD? How much does it differ from a Master's degree?
The concept of doctoral studies is completely different compared to bachelor's or master's one. The emphasis is put on self-study and self-initiative. "You are not bound by any deadlines, so you have to be willing and motivated to do the analytical work yourself, the first real results of which you will only see in a few years," said Filip Hampl.
Attention should be paid to choosing a suitable supervisor, as he or she will be your first mentor and collaborator throughout your studies. Do not hesitate to contact him/her and discuss all the plans and possibilities of your future doctoral studies with him/her personally.
Equally important is the choice of a research topic, so that it is both interesting and supports the four years of research, which leads to the dissertation. Jakub Bechný headed to Brno after his master's studies at Charles University because the specific topic on DSGE labour market modelling was offered exactly at FEA MU.
And what recommendations do you have for the beginners in doctoral studies?
According to Filip, it is good to join a team of doctoral students and collaborate with them, and to trust older and more experienced colleagues who can advise on writing articles or investigating projects. "This saves a lot of time and trouble," he adds. Jakub bases his recommendation on his own experience. "Four years of full-time study pass more quickly than it may seem at the beginning. So have at least a rough plan of your course from the beginning and try to stick to it."
How do the doctoral studies prepare graduates for their careers?
After graduating, Filip Hampl remained at the faculty, where he works as an assistant professor in two departments - the Department of Law and the Department of Finance. His doctoral studies helped him with everything he needed for this profession, as he summarizes: "By preparing scientific articles, I developed my critical and analytical thinking, argumentation and formulation skills. I learned how the publishing process works and how difficult it is to go through the whole review process before an article is accepted. I learned how to implement and manage scientific research projects and submit project applications. Last but not least, I gained practical experience on how to teach undergraduate and graduate students. "
Jakub Bechný started his career in the banking sector after graduation. He greatly appreciated the fact that his doctoral studies under the guidance of Professor Vašíček, an expert in macroeconomic modelling, prepared him perfectly for his position of an analyst in the Macroeconomic Forecasting Division at the Czech National Bank and later for a position focused on risk modelling at Komerční banka.
On Monday, 18 November 2024, the AS ECON MUNI meeting confirmed the faculty leadership for the next four years. Most of the Vice-Deans continue with their agenda with updated priorities, the team will be newly completed by Oleg Deev as Vice-Dean for Strategy and Development.
In some parts of the city, it can be faster to ride a shared bike than to drive or take public transport. In Brno, these are areas like Nová Zbrojovka or Spielberg Office, where traffic is heavy and public transport accessibility is poor. Dr Ondřej Špetík from ECON MUNI talks about how Brno residents use the bike-sharing system in the following interview.
