Josef Vavrousek Award

In the spirit of the legacy of Josef Vavroušek—a distinguished figure who advocated sustainable development as the harmonious coexistence of humankind, society, and nature, with an emphasis on responsibility towards future generations—the Award is intended for outstanding works devoted to social science research on issues of sustainable development, with a particular focus on environmental protection. An international dimension or a broader societal impact of the work is considered a welcome asset.

The Award is open to students and recent graduates of Czech and Slovak universities. Applicants are invited to submit their final theses in one of the following categories:

• Bachelor’s thesis
• Master’s or rigorous thesis
• Doctoral dissertation

The call for submissions is usually announced in May, with the deadline for submitting entries set for the second half of July. In September, applicants are informed whether they have advanced to the final round, in which the winners are selected.

The final takes place in October at the Faculty of Social Sciences and is held in the form of short presentations followed by discussion. Finalists also receive special training on how to present their research in an engaging stand-up format, enabling them to capture the audience’s attention within a few minutes. The winners receive a financial award as well as a valuable addition to their CVs. They also gain the opportunity to present their research to an expert audience and to demonstrate its significance in a broader context.

Contact:
Mgr. Tereza Broučková, Research Office tereza.brouckova@fsv.cuni.cz

The call for the competition and detailed information on the submission of entries for the 2026 edition will be published / are published here.

The current members of the committee, who select the works advancing to the final round and decide on the winners, are the following members of the academic community:

doc. Ing. et Ing. Eliška VEJCHODSKÁ, PhD. (chairman)

doc. Mgr. Bohuslav BINKA, Ph.D.

prof. Ing. Karel Janda, Dr., Ph.D., M.A    

doc. RNDr. Miroslav MARADA, Ph.D.

doc. RNDr. Pavel NOVÁČEK, CSc.                

doc. PhDr. Barbora OSVALDOVÁ

prof. PhDr. Martin POTŮČEK, CSc., MSc. (chairman emeritus)

PhDr. Ivan RYNDA   

doc. JUDr. Vojtěch STEJSKAL, Ph.D.   

prof. Ing. Lubomír MLČOCH, CSc., (chairman and member emeritus)

“Josef possessed an authority he never needed to enforce. He was able to lead and inspire others naturally.”
(Ing. Eva Vavroušková, his wife)

doc. Ing. Josef Vavroušek, CSc. (1944–1995) was a scientist, intellectual, activist, politician, and visionary.

The Student Award bears his name in honour of one of the most prominent Czech figures of the democratic transition period in the field of sustainable development. As a leading representative of the Civic Forum, he played a significant role in shaping environmental policy after 1989 – serving as Chair of the Civic Forum’s Programme Commission, as a federal minister and Chair of the Committee for the Environment (1990–1992). After leaving politics, he became Chair of the Society for Sustainable Living (STUŽ).

At the newly established Faculty of Social Sciences of Charles University, he served as Vice-Dean for Research and as an academician at the Institute of Sociological Studies.

In 2016, Karolinum Press published a book titled Economy, Ecology, Eudaimonia: Human Values and the Problems of Civilizational Development in honour of Josef Vavroušek. The book is dedicated both to his legacy and to the debates, intellectual foundations, and horizons of his era. Excerpts from the second edition of the book (2022) can be viewed here.

Traces of Josef Vavroušek in the Czech Republic                              Traces of Josef Vavroušek in Slovakia

Josef Vavroušek: In search of human values compatible with a sustainable way of life