On Friday, March 6, 2026, the founding meeting of the Czech Arctic Science Consortium (CASC) took place. Representatives of 8 Czech universities and research institutions approved the consortium's founding documents and elected its leadership.
Doc. Jiří Bárta from the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice was elected chairman of CASC, and Dr. Barbora Halašková from Masaryk University became vice-chairwoman. The meeting also elected the consortium's plenum, which will coordinate further development of cooperation in Czech Arctic research.
The newly established CASC consortium aims primarily to support excellence, coordination, and international visibility of Czech Arctic research. The platform is also intended to strengthen cooperation among Czech research institutions, the state administration, and international organizations active in Arctic research.
CASC will, among other things, coordinate the involvement of Czech institutions in the activities of international scientific organizations such as the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC), support education and the involvement of young scientists in Arctic research, and contribute to the preparation of Czech participation in the planned International Polar Year (IPY5).
The establishment of the consortium represents an important step toward more systematic coordination of Czech research in the Arctic and toward strengthening its role in international scientific cooperation.
Contact:
Czech Arctic Science Consortium (CASC)
[ Jiří Bárta /
