Institutional Funding
Institutional funding has been provided by the Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic since 2010. This form of funding is intended for research organizations engaged in security research.
At present, the Ministry of the Interior provides institutional funding to the following organizations:
Police of the Czech Republic – Institute of Criminalistics
Ministry of the Interior – General Directorate of the Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic – Technical Institute of Fire Protection
Ministry of the Interior – General Directorate of the Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic – Population Protection Institute
National Institute for Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Protection
Long-Term Development Concept of Research Organizations
The Long-Term Development Concept of a Research Organization represents a key strategic document that serves as a basis for decision-making by the Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic regarding the allocation of institutional support for the long-term conceptual development of research organizations. The document is prepared for a five-year period and includes both an evaluation of the organization’s previous activities and a definition of its future direction.
The concept provides an overview of the research team, the institution’s professional reputation, available technical and material resources, and planned research activities. Its central component consists of strategic objectives that the organization aims to achieve through the use of allocated financial resources. These objectives reflect the current security needs of the state, public administration priorities, and long-term trends in research, development, and innovation.
Main Development Directions of Selected Institutions
An important institution in the field of criminalistics is the Criminalistics Institute, whose long-term priority is to increase the efficiency of expert activities and develop modern forensic methods. Its research covers the entire process of working with evidence – from the collection of traces at crime scenes, through their laboratory examination, to the interpretation of results in criminal proceedings.
The Population Protection Institute aims to establish an integrated centre supporting crisis management, population protection, and critical infrastructure. This area is complemented by the Technical Institute of Fire Protection, which focuses on developing research infrastructure and professional capacities for studying the fire properties of materials, the effectiveness of extinguishing agents, and other aspects of fire safety.
The State Institute of Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Protection focuses its research on improving methods for the detection, identification, and decontamination of hazardous CBRN substances. Its activities also include the development of new protective measures and procedures aimed at reducing the harmful effects of these substances. The State Institute of Radiation Protection focuses on the development of the Czech Republic’s radiation protection system, particularly by increasing measurement capacities and quality, accelerating data evaluation processes, and maintaining a high level of expertise in radiation monitoring.
The Institute of Criminology and Social Prevention directs its research activities toward criminal policy, the effectiveness of the justice system, crime prevention, and the analysis of serious forms of crime, including organized crime, corruption, and extremism.
The Police Academy of the Czech Republic in Prague develops its scientific and research activities in four main areas: criminalistics, security management and crisis management, analysis of security threats, and public administration. Particular emphasis is placed on the practical application of research findings in ensuring state security and supporting public administration.
Archival institutions also represent an important part of the research infrastructure. The National Archives focuses on developing methods for the protection, conservation, and restoration of archival materials, particularly documents damaged by extraordinary events, as well as on their digitization within the framework of the information society. The State Regional Archives in Prague serves as a major centre for regional historical research, especially concerning the history of the 20th century, while also dealing with the management, protection, and accessibility of archival documents, including the security of sensitive data. The Moravian Land Archives in Brno supports historical research, participates in the digitization of archival collections, and contributes to the development of modern information services based on the accessibility of archival heritage.