FIR has a new Vice-Dean for Development

We are pleased to announce the new Vice-Dean for Development of our faculty Ing. Dominik Proch, Ph.D. He has been working as an assistant professor at the Department of International Economic Relations since 2022. His vision for faculty development is based on three key pillars: project development, human resources support and development of lifelong learning. Dr. Proch focuses on effective project management that contributes to the long-term vision of the Faculty as an internationally competitive institution. At the same time, he emphasizes the improvement of conditions for staff and students through innovative training and professional development systems. His experience and initiatives will be a significant contribution to the further development of our faculty.

What are the new Vice Dean’s goals and how does he plan to move our faculty forward?

My priorities and goals are manifested in three pillars that complement each other and form one common basis for the development of the Faculty.

The first one is the project development, both in the sense of successful participation of the faculty in university-wide projects and in the sense of individual research projects, for which I perceive in particular the need to establish an effective and transparent project management system and to provide administrative support creating an environment in which researchers can fully concentrate on the academic aspects of their research projects.

The aim is to further develop such project activities that are in line with the long-term vision of the faculty, i.e. an internationalized, globally competitive institution manifested in a motivated work collective providing excellent educational activities, generating critically thinking students and successful graduates prepared for the specifics of the work environment of today (and the future).

The second pillar is therefore obvious, it is the support of human resources. People, and in this sense especially employees at all levels and all positions of the faculty and its units, are a key aspect of long-term, or – in the term of economic theory – intensive growth. Faculty development cannot be pursued without the development of the people who represent it. In English, the phrase is all the simpler – faculty means both the institution and the academic staff that make up the institution. This is where the first sentence of my contribution, that the pillars complement each other, comes true. There are projects underway or soon to be launched that have a direct impact on the development of human resources and whose faculty implementation and subsequent realisation I will be happy to be present in my new role.

Whether it is the strengthening of personnel management at the faculty by establishing a designated work position, setting up a formal system of using flexible forms of work, management of maternity and parental leave, or systematization of processes such as recruitment and onboarding, talent management, a system of feedback and fair, transparent evaluation, and last but not least the introduction of career rules allowing various paths of professional and personal development, I consider these changes to be a clear and unique opportunity to develop (and develop oneself).

The third pillar is related to the inevitably changing role of the university as a provider not just of initial education, but of continuous education, reflecting dynamic technological developments affecting changes in basic work processes and norms. This pillar is the development of lifelong learning, i.e. a platform that enables not only students and graduates of our faculty, but the general public to “keep up” with these changes requiring the ability to learn new things, adapt and continuously grow professionally. In this regard, I see it as my task to develop and technically provide an infrastructure that can be used by professionals from within the faculty to deliver executive education courses. And at the same time, to utilize the infrastructure thus created for other forms of lifelong learning. Therefore, this pillar can also be seen as a means of providing additional resources contributing to the achievement of the previous objectives. Beyond the priorities defined in this way, it is my personal goal, but also the goal of the entire faculty leadership, as I convince myself of every day, to be available to the faculty and anyone in the faculty, to listen to the interests and needs and to do the maximum in order to meet them.

We wish the Vice Dean much success in his new role and look forward to working with him to further develop our faculty.