The Academic Profession and Scholarship: the Case of Czech Higher Education

Abstract

This article discusses the intricacies of the relationship between the academic profession and scholarship in the current conditions of Czech higher education. It provides an overview of the evaluation parameters of the academic profession from different points of view. It also presents the two sides of the academic career in higher education: research and teaching, both composing scholarship, and their places in an academic career. The main problem for university teachers in the changing educational and social context of the Czech Republic is one of conserving those traditions judged to be useful and of stressing certain professional competencies over others. The research function is threatened by inadequate working conditions and administrative barriers.