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CTU Ethical Code
The ethical principles for mutual relations inside the university, and also for the relations of members of the academic community and the non-academic staff with society as a whole, emerge from the historical mission of universities as the highest link in the education system. The Czech Technical University in Prague (CTU) is an essential element among the leading centers of education, independent learning, artistic and creative activities, which have a key role in the scientific, cultural, social and economic development of society. For this reason, much emphasis is laid on ethical relations and on the ethical conduct of academic activities at CTU. The ethical principles are a model for the norms of behaviour in society as a whole.
Article 1
Ethics and academic freedoms
(1) The Higher Education Act speaks of academic freedoms in the sense of establishing the high-quality social environment that is necessary for universities to fulfill their tasks, i.e. to be a model for society in establishing values in science, engineering, culture and the arts. The Act grants to members of the academic community academic rights which CTU asserts in fulfilling its mission, its vision and the aims formulated in its strategic documents.
(2) The norms for the behavior of academic staff and students are based on qualities which are generally recognized and respected in advanced societies in the world. The main manifestations of this ethical conduct lie in reliable, beneficial and responsible behavior toward society, and toward the field of specialization being studied and developed at the university.
(3) The academic freedom of members of the academic community applies free will and free decision-making in study programmes and fields of study, freedom of self-education, freedom in scientific research, whereby these freedoms are applied in agreement with the ethical principles and rules accepted by the academic community.
(4) Members of the academic community will conform with the generally valid moral principles and rules in force in advanced societies, both on CTU premises and away from the university.
(5) Members of the academic community will take a negative stand against manifestations of unethical behavior on the premises of CTU and away from the university.
Article 2
Relationship to CTU
(1) Members of the academic community and non-academic workers will be loyal to CTU, and will attempt on all levels to create a good reputation for CTU in the Czech Republic and in the world.
(2) Members of the academic community will perceive their scientific work and research, their artistic and creative activities carried out at CTU as results linked
with the university, and will respect the fact that they have achieved their results thanks to material, technical and knowhow support from CTU.
(3) Leading representatives of the faculties, when carrying out their functions, promise on their word of honor that in these leading functions of the Czech Technical University in Prague they will protect academic freedoms and pay attention to all academic rights, in accordance with the ideals of democracy, humanism and the glorious traditions of our university.
(4) When entering their term of office, leading representatives of the faculties and the university promise that they will at all times care for the development and prestige of the faculties and of CTU as a whole.
Article 3
Relations in the academic community and in teaching activities
(1) Relations among members of the academic community are formed on the basis of cooperation among colleagues. Academic workers and students will adopt principles of action based on tolerance, respect for humanity, and respect for freedom of thought and speech.
(2) Mutual dealings between members of the academic community will always be correct and appropriate, irrespective of personal likes and dislikes.
(3) Academic workers will care for their own growth in their field of specialization, and by their personal example they help students to develop their personality.
(4) In their teaching, academic workers do their best to offer the latest knowledge in a very high-quality, understandable form.
(5) Academic workers in teaching functions will assess the performance of their students correctly and appropriately, on the basis of transparent criteria that have been announced in advance. They will not involve themselves in any way in influencing results.
(6) Academic workers will not perceive their position as superordinate, and will protect students’ right to privacy.
(7) Students will be aware of their responsibility for the results of their actions and for their approach to their studies.
(8) Students will make full use of their time as students for their personal and professional growth, and will show respect for the efforts of their teachers to help them obtain a high-quality education.
(9) Students will attempt to obtain high-quality results by honorable means, will not engage in plagiarism or in claiming ownership of results of work that they did not personally create.
(10) Students and academic workers will respect the principles of author’s ethics, i.e., they will not claim ownership of other people’s thoughts and ideas, and they will respect joint authorship in cases when work arises through the joint creative efforts of more than one author, and they will consistently cite authors whose ideas or texts have been used in their work (see “Methodological Instruction No. 1/2009 -
On maintaining ethical principles when working on a university final project, CTU in Prague, 2009)
(11) Academic workers and students will be tolerant to different political and religious convictions, and also to cultural differences that are not contrary to the spirit of general ethical principles.
(12) Academic and non-academic workers and students will respect the CTU Statutes and the CTU Organizational Rules, and will not tolerate lack of respect, arrogant or contemptuous behavior toward people. They will treat each other with mutual respect and esteem.
Article 4
Ethics in science and research
(1) A member of the academic community of CTU will consider scientific, research, development, artistic and creative work to be the basic activity leading to a higher level of knowledge for the benefit of society, with emphasis on raising the scientific prestige of CTU and the quality of teaching in the highest-level education courses.
(2) Members of the academic community of CTU take full responsibility for the objectivity and trustworthiness of their research results, try to make them as complete and as trustworthy as possible, with objective interpretations.
(3) A member of the academic community of CTU will not stoop to plagiarism, and in his publications he will cite the sources of information on which his work is based.
(4) A member of the academic community of CTU in the role of an assessor, an external examiner or an expert will conduct his work personally, independently, and using all his professional competences.
(5) A scientific and research worker will do his best, where possible, to make his results available and publish them for the further development of the field of study.
(6) A scientific and research worker at CTU will set an example for his students with his keen interest and his conscientiousness in his scientific and research work.
(7) In scientific, research, artistic and creative work at CTU, there will be a natural preference for teamwork and for collaboration with workplaces in the Czech Republic and abroad.
(8) Members of the academic community of CTU are aware of the high cost of technological research and of creative artistic work, and they will therefore plan, manage and implement their projects with maximum financial responsibility and efficiency.
Article 5
Ethics in expert and economic activities
(1) CTU workers are aware of their mission to fulfill their role as a repository of experts offering well-qualified and independent help in decision-making and in
specialist, mainly technical and economic fields to the Czech Republic and to the administrative organs of the state
(2) In their counseling and expert activities carried out on behalf of the University, CTU workers will do their best to strengthen the good name of the university, through their professionalism, their serious approach and the effectiveness of their work.
(3) When CTU workers perform any kind of economic activity, they will not make any unauthorized use of the symbols or the logo of CTU or misuse the University’s equipment and knowhow. Nevertheless, through their external economic activities they will strengthen their professional skills and the links between science and practical applications to the benefit of CTU.
(4) CTU workers will not take on tasks and activities which would lead to a conflict of interest with CTU or with partner universities.
(5) In their economic activities, CTU workers will strive for the integrity of the university, and will support collaboration between the faculties, other constituent parts of CTU and partner universities within the framework of joint projects.
Article 6
Procedures for offences against the principles stated in the CTU Ethical Code
(1) Unlike offences against the law, against the internal regulations and guidelines of the University, and against the organizational guidelines of the faculties, which leading workers handle in accordance with their competencies, offences of a substantially unethical nature can be appraised by the CTU Ethical Commission.
(2) Offences by members of the academic community against the regulations of the CTU Ethical Code can be presented to be heard by the CTU Ethical Commission.
(3) Members of the CTU Ethical Commission are nominated by the rector after discussion with the CTU Academic Senate.
(4) A person who is a distinguished member of the academic community, commanding exceptional trust for his moral qualities, and exemplary in his personal relations with his colleagues and with the whole of CTU, can be nominated to be a member of the CTU Ethical Commission.
(5) The proceedings of the CTU Ethical Commission will be in compliance with the Rules and Regulations, and the Commission is convoked on an ad hoc basis by the Chairman at the request of the rector, the deans and the president of the CTU Academic Senate.
(6) The CTU Ethical Commission has 5 members, whereby none of the members of this Commission shall hold the position of a leading worker in the framework of CTU or be a member of the Academic Senate of a faculty or of CTU.
The CTU Ethical Code was discussed and approved by the CTU Academic Senate on March 21st, 2012
