Brno Welcomes Top Global Scientists with CEIPEX

Brno to Support CEIPEX Project, Bringing Top International Scientists to the City

Brno city councillors have approved financial participation in the prestigious European project CEItec Postdoctoral EXperts (CEIPEX), which succeeded in the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions COFUND (MSCA) program.

“Thanks to the prestigious CEIPEX project, strongly supported by the European Union, 20 top scientists will come to Brno. They will work in research teams at CEITEC and other institutions. Their research will contribute to collaboration, enhance the city’s prestige, and strengthen local research institutions,” said Anna Putnová, City Councillor for Innovation and Cooperation with Research Organizations.

The large-scale project was prepared and implemented by JCMM z. s. p. o. in cooperation with the South Moravian Region, universities, the CEITEC consortium, the Czech Academy of Sciences, and 26 high-tech companies. This is not JCMM’s first success in attracting professional researchers to Brno — they previously ran the SoMoPro COFUND program (2009–2020), which significantly boosted the influx of international research talent to the region.

The COFUND program is one of the EU’s most prestigious tools for supporting researcher mobility, and it is rare for countries in Central and Eastern Europe to receive such funding. The CEIPEX project has a budget of CZK 114 million, of which CZK 80 million will be provided directly by the European Commission. The project will not only enhance Brno’s international reputation but also bring direct economic benefits, such as increased tax revenues and new job opportunities. The city will contribute CZK 1.3 million annually for six years.

Programs like MSCA COFUND promote best practices by supporting high standards in researcher recruitment and selection, while ensuring excellent working and employment conditions. They foster sustainable research training and encourage international, interdisciplinary, and cross-sectoral mobility. The main goal is to help researchers expand their professional networks and conduct top-level collaborative research.

CEIPEX builds on long-standing cooperation between the city, the South Moravian Region, JCMM, and Brno universities. The first call for applications to the program will be announced in autumn 2025.