MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2026 in Law

The Czech Law and Advanced Technologies Research Institute (CLAiR)

The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowships (MSCA-PF) is the European Union's flagship funding instrument for outstanding early-stage researchers. CLAiR – the Czech Law and Advanced Technologies Research Institute at the Faculty of Law, Palacký University Olomouc, invites exceptional postdoctoral researchers to co-develop and submit fellowship proposals at the intersection of law, artificial intelligence, digital governance, and advanced technologies.

The call is open from 9 April 2026 and closes on 9 September 2026. We recommend contacting us no later than June/early July 2026 to allow sufficient time for joint proposal development.

Important new rule in 2026: applicants who scored below 80% in the MSCA-PF 2025 call cannot reapply with the same host organisation in 2026.

 

Why CLAiR? A rapidly developing research institute

CLAiR was formally established in April 2025, but it builds on more than a decade of sustained research activity at the Faculty of Law, Palacký University Olomouc in EU law and digital technologies. In a short period, CLAiR has positioned itself as one of Central Europe's leading hubs for law-and-technology scholarship, combining rigorous legal research with genuine interdisciplinary collaboration across computer science, ethics, and policy.

CLAiR offers fellows a vital and intellectually stimulating environment. The institute is deliberately organised around early-career researchers: doctoral candidates and postdoctoral fellows work side by side with senior faculty in a flat, collaborative structure that accelerates research development and career progression.

Research Projects

Fellows joining CLAiR become part of a fully active research portfolio. Current and recently completed projects include:

• GAČR Standard Project 26-24212S (2026–2028): Human Dignity as the Normative Foundation for Individual Protection in Digital Space. Funded by the Czech Science Foundation.
• GAČR EXPRO 2027 (under preparation, 2027–2031): Sovereignty Without a Sovereign: Law, Power, and the Individual in the Multipolar Digital Order. A flagship 60-month research programme addressing the constitutional grammar of digital power in the algorithmic age, planned as the intellectual foundation for a subsequent ERC Consolidator Grant application.
• ENDE – European Network on Digitalisation and E-Governance (2023–2026). Jean Monnet Network, coordinated by Tallinn University of Technology. CLAiR leads Work Package 4, within a consortium of 13 leading European institutions advancing research and policy on the EU's digital transformation.
• TECHSCALE – Technologies Beyond the Nanoscale (2023–2028). Excellent Research project funded by the Czech Ministry of Education under the Jan Amos Comenius Programme (ESF). Interdisciplinary consortium led by Palacký University, with Charles University and CEITEC. CLAiR is the part of the societal impact, regulatory analysis, and ethical assessment package.
• GAČR GA20-27227S (2020–2022): The Advent, Pitfalls and Limits of Digital Sovereignty of the European Union. Produced the Springer edited volume on EU digital development and contributed to UNESCO's Ethical Impact Assessment Tool and the OECD AI Ethics Recommendation.

Working with Young Scholars

A defining feature of CLAiR is its commitment to intergenerational research. Currently the institute brings together 7 researchers and 20 doctoral students from 7 countries, working side by side in a flat, collaborative structure that accelerates career development. The DigiLaw PhD Programme — an innovative interdisciplinary doctoral programme in Law and Digital Technologies coordinated by CLAiR — provides a continuous intellectual community of early-career colleagues for fellows to collaborate with through joint seminars, workshops, and co-authored research.

The DigiLaw Hub, inaugurated in September 2024, is a purpose-built research and co-working facility offering modern infrastructure, ICT support, and a collegial environment specifically designed for early-career researchers in legal tech and policy studies. MSCA fellows are fully integrated into these intergenerational teams from day one. In 2025–2026 alone, over 10 doctoral students received individual funded research grants (IGA UP and StartUP schemes), covering topics from AI and cognitive rights to platform governance, digital taxation, and decentralised autonomous organisations.

MSCA Track Record: Seals of Excellence

CLAiR's quality as a host is independently validated by the European Commission: two proposals submitted under MSCA-PF 2025 both received a Seal of Excellence and were not funded solely due to budgetary constraints, with the EC actively recommending alternative funding.

"The Faculty of Law provided me with tremendous support from the very beginning and assisted me greatly in preparing my application for the MSCA. A friendly atmosphere, amazing colleagues who are always ready to help, all the necessary equipment, a modern library, and strong professional networking opportunities make the Faculty of Law a uniquely excellent choice for my professional research and development. I am happy to be pursuing my MSCA at the Faculty of Law of Palacký University in Olomouc. As an associate professor for many years, I can confidently say that this is the most productive period of my career."

Alla Fedorova, former MSCA Postdoctoral Fellow, Faculty of Law, Palacký University Olomouc.
Now: elected Member of the European Committee of Social Rights, Council of Europe (since January 2025).

International Environment

• Active partnership with the University of Vienna, Faculty of Law through the AKTION Czech Republic–Austria programme, with annual workshops for young legal researchers from both institutions on cutting-edge EU digital law topics.
• Adjunct position and Expert Group on Digital Constitutionalism at TalTech Law School (Tallinn, Estonia), extending CLAiR's network into the Baltic research community.
• Partner in ENDE (Jean Monnet Network, 13 institutions)
• Palacký University has signed 54 Horizon Europe grants totalling over €21 million. Dedicated Science & Project Support and International Office teams provide full administrative support for MSCA fellows.

Key Publication Outcomes

CLAiR's research is reflected in a growing portfolio of internationally recognised publications. Selected recent works of CLAiR's members:

1. Ramiro Troitiño, D., Kerikmäe, T., Hamuľák, O. (eds.) Digital Development of the European Union: An Interdisciplinary Perspective. Springer, 2023. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-27312-4.
2. Troitiño, D.R., Hamuľák, O. (eds.) Europe's Digital Challenges: Governance, Regulation and Society. Routledge, 2026. ISBN: 9781041113577
3. Rampášek, M., Andraško, J., Sokol, P., Hamuľák, O. Hunting for vulnerabilities: call for European protection of security researchers. Journal of Cybersecurity, Oxford University Press, 2026. DOI: 10.1093/cybsec/tyag002
4. Vardanyan, L., Kocharyan, H., Hamuľák, O., Gábriš, T., & Martínez-Ramil, P.. Balancing monopolisation and innovation in the esports industry: searching for aurea mediocritas between public and private interests in intellectual property rights. Law, Innovation and Technology, Taylor & Francis, 2026. DOI: 10.1080/17579961.2026.2633686
5. Gladiš, M., Mesarčík, M., Slosiarová, N. Advising AI assistant: ethical risks of Oura smart ring. AI and Ethics, Springer, 2025. DOI: 10.1007/s43681-024-00544-0
6. Kerikmäe, T., Hamuľák, O., Mesarčík, M. Disinformation tackling in the metaverse and the Digital Services Act. Cogent Social Sciences, Taylor & Francis, 2025. DOI: 10.1080/23311886.2025.2485386
7. Gábriš, T., Hamuľák, O. Game theory and the legal regulation of technology: in search of ekvilibrium. Acta Baltica Historiae et Philosophiae Scientiarum, Springer, 2025. DOI: 10.11590/abhps.2025.2.04
8. Vardanyan, L., Hamuľák, O., Kocharyan, H. Personal Autonomy and Human Corporeality: What Protects the Right to Personal Integrity? Internet of Things, Elsevier, 2024. DOI: 10.1016/j.iot.2024.101279
9. Gábriš, T., Hamuľák, O., Kocharyan, H., Martínez Ramil, P. Esports between sports and entertainment law: regulatory models and EU implications. TalTech Journal of European Studies, 2024. DOI: 10.2478/bjes-2024-0022
10. Andraško, J., Mesarčík, M., Hamuľák, O. The regulatory intersections between artificial intelligence, data protection and cyber security: challenges and opportunities for the EU legal framework. AI & Society, Springer, 2021. DOI: 10.1007/s00146-020-01125-5

 

Supervisors and Mentors at CLAiR

All supervisors hold a Palacký University Olomouc affiliation. Candidates may work with one principal supervisor and benefit from co-mentorship within the team.

• Ondrej Hamuľák  |  ORCID: 0000-0003-4147-2891

  Head of CLAiR · Vice-Dean for Science and Research, Faculty of Law, Palacký University Olomouc · Adjunct Professor and Head of Expert Group on Digital Constitutionalism, TalTech Law School, Estonia

  Senior researcher in EU constitutional law, fundamental rights, AI regulation, and digital sovereignty. Over 100 publications (Scopus H-index 11; Google Scholar H-index 17, over 1 000 citations). Editor-in-Chief of International and Comparative Law Review. Founding head of CLAiR and the EU Digital Sovereignty Lab. Work cited by the OECD, UNESCO, and national courts.

  Research areas: digital constitutionalism, EU digital sovereignty, digital fundamental rights, rule of law in the digital age.

• Jozef Andraško  |  ORCID: 0000-0001-6855-4438

  Senior Researcher, CLAiR · Faculty of Law, Palacký University Olomouc

  Expert in IT law, autonomous systems regulation, cybersecurity regulation, and AI governance. Co-author of the 2026 OUP Journal of Cybersecurity paper on European protection of security researchers, and of the foundational study on regulatory intersections of AI, data protection, and cybersecurity (AI & Society, 2021).

  Research areas: autonomous systems, cybersecurity law, vulnerability disclosure, NIS2 Directive, Cyber Resilience Act, AI and data protection.

• Matúš Mesarčík  |  ORCID: 0000-0003-3311-5333

  Senior Researcher, CLAiR · Faculty of Law, Palacký University Olomouc

  Specialist in EU data protection law, AI regulation, and the legal dimensions of disinformation. Co-authored CLAiR research on tackling disinformation in the metaverse under the Digital Services Act (Cogent Social Sciences, 2025) and on regulatory intersections of AI, data protection, and cybersecurity (AI & Society, 2021).

  Research areas: data protection, disinformation, Digital Services Act, AI regulation, platform law.

• Tomáš Gábriš  |  ORCID: 0000-0002-6862-2688

  Professor, Senior Researcher, CLAiR · Faculty of Law, Palacký University Olomouc

  Expert in legal theory, legal history, and the philosophy of law in the digital age. Author of ten scientific monographs and over 300 publications. Co-author of Frontiers in AI Judiciary: A Contribution to Legal Futurology (Acta Baltica, 2023) and of an esports and digital sports law study on the EU regulatory framework (Taltech Journal of European Studies, 2024).

  Research areas: legal futurology, AI in judiciary, legal theory, esports law, comparative law.

 

Indicative Research Areas and Topics

The following research areas reflect CLAiR's current agenda and are offered as orientation points for prospective applicants. This list is illustrative and non-exhaustive. Candidates are strongly encouraged to propose their own research topics at the nexus of EU law and advanced technologies. Please reach out early to discuss your ideas.

1. EU Digital Sovereignty: Legal Architecture, Geopolitics, and Fundamental Rights in the AFSJ
   Primary supervisor: Ondrej Hamuľák
   • Why now: The EU's digital sovereignty agenda is entering its most challenging phase. The 2025 Omnibus package raises urgent questions about whether hard-won regulatory standards can withstand industry pressure. The Data Act, AI Act, and Cyber Resilience Act are simultaneously in force, creating tensions that have not yet been resolved by courts or doctrine. The mid-term review of the EU's Digital Decade Strategy (2030 targets) creates an immediate policy window for research-driven input.
   • An in-depth legal analysis of the EU's strategy for achieving digital sovereignty, covering landmark regulations (Data Act, AI Act, DSA, Cyber Resilience Act). The research evaluates internal coherence and external impact, particularly regarding data flows within the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice, and proposes novel regulatory frameworks bridging sovereignty, geopolitics, and digital rights.
      
2. Digital Constitutionalism: Reconceptualising Power, Technology and Rights in the EU
   Primary supervisor: Ondrej Hamuľák
   Co-mentor: Matúš Mesarčík
   • Why now: The EU's 2022 Declaration on Digital Rights and Principles remains a political statement without binding legal force. Platform corporations exercise governance power over billions of users, yet constitutional theory has no settled doctrine for this. The AI Act classifies risks but offers individuals no direct enforcement route — a structural gap CLAiR's research has already identified. This research area directly addresses what the EU's Digital Decade mid-term review is beginning to acknowledge: the individual remains largely absent from EU digital governance.
   • Investigates how classical constitutional doctrines — separation of powers, rule of law, democratic legitimacy, fundamental rights — are being reshaped by AI, digital platforms, and data governance. Proposes updated constitutional frameworks for the algorithmic society, addressing the balance between private technological power and public constitutional values.
      
3. Digital Identity, Integrity and Informational Self-Determination in EU Law
   Primary supervisors: Ondrej Hamuľák, Jozef Andraško, Matúš Mesarčík
   • Why now: The EU Digital Identity Wallet is being rolled out across Member States, creating an entirely new legal infrastructure for digital personhood that existing GDPR doctrine cannot fully address. The Internet of Bodies — wearables, implantables, and health-monitoring devices — is generating new categories of intimately personal data for which the law offers no coherent protection framework. CLAiR has already produced foundational work in this area; the MSCA fellowship would deepen and systematise it.
   • Examines the legal challenges posed by digital identity in the context of the Internet of Bodies and the EU Digital Identity Wallet. Investigates whether informational self-determination can serve as a new foundational right capable of protecting individuals beyond the current GDPR architecture. Rooted in CLAiR publications (Internet of Things, WoS Q1, 2024; European Studies, 2024).
      
4. Cybersecurity Research Protection: Towards a Safe Harbour in EU Law
   Primary supervisor: Jozef Andraško
   Co-mentor: Ondrej Hamuľák
   • Why now: NIS2, the Cyber Resilience Act, and a series of high-profile national cases in the Netherlands, Malta, and Germany have all exposed the same gap: security researchers who act in good faith to discover and report vulnerabilities face criminal prosecution risk under domestic law, even as the EU simultaneously mandates coordinated vulnerability disclosure. No EU Member State has yet enacted a comprehensive statutory safe harbour for security research. The policy window is open.
   • Building directly on the 2026 CLAiR study published in the Journal of Cybersecurity (Oxford University Press, Rampášek, Andraško, Sokol, Hamuľák), this research area examines the legal risks faced by vulnerability reporters and security researchers across Europe and proposes a coherent EU-wide safe harbour framework, drawing on the NIS2 Directive, the Cyber Resilience Act, and the Budapest Convention.
      
5. Disinformation, Platform Regulation, and the DSA in Immersive Digital Environments
   Primary supervisor: Matúš Mesarčík
   Co-mentor: Ondrej Hamuľák
   • Why now: The DSA's risk-assessment and mitigation obligations for very large online platforms are now in force, and the first enforcement cases are generating doctrine. At the same time, AI-generated content — including deep fakes, synthetic news, and immersive metaverse environments — is creating forms of disinformation that the DSA's drafters did not fully anticipate. The Commission's 2026 review cycle for the DSA provides direct policy relevance for this research.
   • Examines how forms of disinformation evolve in immersive and AI-generated environments, evaluates the adequacy of the DSA, and proposes adaptations for effective governance of platform-mediated information ecosystems. Builds on CLAiR's 2025 Cogent Social Sciences study.
      
6. Accountability of EU Bodies in the Algorithmic Era: Rights-Compliant Governance
   Primary supervisor: Ondrej Hamuľák
   Co-mentor: Tomáš Gábriš
   • Why now: Frontex, Europol, eu-LISA, and other EU agencies are deploying AI systems for risk profiling, border surveillance, and law enforcement at scale. CJEU case law is beginning to grapple with the limits of algorithmic decision-making in public administration, but doctrine remains fragmented. The AI Act's provisions on high-risk AI in law enforcement create new accountability obligations that have not yet been mapped against existing EU institutional law.
   • A critical examination of the accountability challenges posed by AI and big data adoption in EU agencies. Assesses existing oversight mechanisms — Fundamental Rights Officers, the EDPS, the European Ombudsman, and CJEU judicial review — and develops novel legal and institutional frameworks for transparent, rights-compliant governance of algorithmic systems.
      
7. Frontiers in AI and the Judiciary: Legal Futurology and Algorithmic Justice
   Primary supervisor: Tomáš Gábriš
   Co-mentor: Ondrej Hamuľák
   • Why now: China has integrated AI into judicial decision-making at scale; several EU Member States are piloting AI tools for case management and sentencing recommendations; the CJEU itself faces questions about the admissibility of AI-generated legal analysis. The AI Act classifies AI systems used in the administration of justice as high-risk, yet the concept of "judicial accountability" for AI-assisted rulings remains legally undeveloped. Legal futurology offers a rigorous method for normative analysis of these emerging scenarios.
   • Investigates the theoretical and institutional foundations for AI tools in legal decision-making, examining explainability requirements, liability for AI-assisted rulings, and the philosophical legitimacy of algorithmic judicial assistance across EU jurisdictions. Builds on CLAiR's comparative Acta Baltica study (Scopus Q2, 2023).
      
8. Esports and Digital Sports Law: Regulation at the Crossroads of Sport, Entertainment and Intellectual Property
   Primary supervisor: Tomáš Gábriš
   Co-mentor: Ondrej Hamuľák
   • Why now: The global esports market exceeds $2 billion annually and is growing rapidly, yet it remains entirely outside the scope of EU sports law, which applies only to traditional sport. Issues of match-fixing, doping, protection of minors, and labour rights of professional players fall into a regulatory vacuum. Recent national-level regulatory initiatives in several Asian jurisdictions and the EU's growing interest in the sports sector create a clear opening for comparative doctrinal research.
   • Addresses the dual nature of esports straddling sports law and entertainment and intellectual property law. Investigates the regulatory vacuum at EU level and proposes a coherent regulatory framework balancing autonomous governance structures, fundamental rights, protection of minors, and intellectual property considerations. Builds on CLAiR's Baltic Journal of European Studies study (Gábriš, Hamuľák, Kocharyan, Martínez Ramil, 2024).

How to apply?

Please contact us by June/early July 2026 at the latest to allow sufficient time for joint proposal development before the 9 September 2026 submission deadline. Send your expression of interest to the contacts listed below, including the following:

1. CV (maximum 3 pages) — research achievements, publications, and projects.
2. Project outline (maximum 2 pages) — objectives, methodology, originality, and alignment with CLAiR's research focus. Your own topic ideas are welcome.
3. Preferred supervisor(s) and any initial thoughts on your proposed research direction.

Contact:

Ondrej Hamuľák
Head of CLAiR, Primary Contact
ondrej.hamulak@upol.cz

Hana Hurtíková
MSCA Coordinator
hana.hurtikova@upol.cz

The Department of Political and Social Sciences

Are you passionate about cutting-edge research in Migration or the Rule of Law? Join our vibrant team as an MSCA Postdoctoral Fellow!

The Department of Political and Social Sciences at the Faculty of Law, Palacký University in Olomouc, is home to researchers who are focused on various topics in political science or social sciences in general. We apply innovative and multidisciplinary approaches while focusing on the most salient issues, which often results in cutting-edge research. Our researchers are participating in national and European grant schemes that allow funding for their research. At the same time, the department covers a great variety of social sciences courses that are taught within study programmes from bachelor's level to doctoral studies. Members of the department are leading experts who are in touch with various NGOs and members of scientific networks and societies, which provides important contacts with the civil society and outreach to the research.

Although one of the oldest departments at the Faculty of Law, the Department of Political and Social Sciences is driven by a young, dynamic, and forward-thinking team of researchers covering a great variety of topics. Despite migration and the rule of law being covered extensively, our researchers also focus on EU affairs and effects of Europeanization, issues of international security, and especially hybrid threats, political parties, and political communication in the context of disinformation and propaganda. You are free to choose your own topic and our experts will guide you!

Do you wish to join the track?

The environment and focus on research topics are very dynamic, however, members of our team have strong experience in the following areas:

1. Migration Research

   • In cooperation with other faculties and departments, we are involved in research dedicated to migration: from refugees from Ukraine, to measures preventing illegal migration or specific types of migration (including Covid-19 return migration or highly skilled migration), to the issues migrants are facing or that are somewhat linked to migration (e.g. language barrier or the perception of migration). Our work increasingly includes the study of diasporas as transnational actors that shape identity, political engagement, and economic flows between origin and host countries. Diasporic networks provide new perspectives on integration, remittances, soft diplomacy, and knowledge transfers. We gather our own data based on interviews or questionnaires, analyse it in a qualitative or quantitative way, interpret data in the context of theories, and conduct excellent research with practical impact as part of policy recommendations or serving as corrections of public debates.

   • Keywords: Migration, refugees, asylum-seekers, highly skilled migration, European Union, diaspora, transnationalism, remittances

2. Rule of law

   • Central Europe is rich in cases of democratic backsliding within the European Union. That is why our researchers focus on important issues at both the national and EU institutional levels, as well as the interaction between the two. The research also provides valuable opportunities for comparison with non-EU states across world regions, especially EU candidate countries undergoing processes of democratization and rule of law reforms. Our team investigates the conditionalities and normative pressures associated with the EU enlargement process, while also examining the role of local actors in shaping democratization trajectories. Special attention is paid to the transferability and resistance to EU democratic norms in hybrid or semi-authoritarian regimes.

   • Keywords: European Union, rule of law, democratic backsliding, article 7 TEU, conditionality, EU soft tools for safeguarding the rule of law, democratisation, democratic consolidation, EU enlargement, hybrid regimes

3. Europeanisation of EU candidate countries

   • The Department is focused on the study of Europeanisation processes beyond the EU’s borders, particularly in candidate and potential candidate countries. This line of research investigates how EU norms, institutional models, and policies are adopted, contested, or adapted in domestic political and administrative systems. We explore how the accession process catalyses institutional change, legal harmonization, and governance reforms, but also how domestic political elites strategically respond to EU conditionalities. The research is interdisciplinary and combines insights from political science, EU law, and sociology, contributing to both theoretical development and policy-oriented debates on enlargement and neighbourhood policy.

   • Keywords: Europeanisation, EU conditionality, enlargement policy, institutional transfer, candidate countries, norm diffusion, resistance to EU norms

Have a research idea in mind? Let’s shape it together!

Please send an initial expression of interest to Dr. Lucie Tungul (lucie.tungul@upol.cz) and Dr. Hana Hurtikova (hana.hurtikova@upol.cz) including:

1. A Curriculum Vitae (max. 3 pages, detailing your research achievements, publications, and projects).
2. A concise research project outline (max. 2 pages), clearly explaining its objectives, methodology, originality, and alignment with one of the suggested themes. 

Recommended deadline for expressions of interest: 15 July 2025 (to allow ample time for joint proposal development for the September 2025 MSCA PF deadline).

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The Department of Administrative Law and Financial Law

The Department of Administrative Law and Financial Law offers a number of opportunities for the involvement of external postdocs. Members of the Department are involved in major research projects, have a range of contacts in the professional sphere, collaborate with a number of research institutes and can help negotiate internships in the non-academic sector. We cooperate with Czech Academy of Sciences, Ministry of Ministry of Transport of the Czech Republic, Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic, Office of the Public Defender of Rights. We have contacts with court representatives, a former judge of the Constitutional Court is an important member of our department as well.

We have strong experience in the following areas:

1. Legal aspects of cryptocurrencies

   • At the Department of Administrative and Financial Law, Palacký University Olomouc, we are intensely engaged in the comprehensive legal aspects of cryptocurrencies. We focus on their regulatory framework, tax implications, potential risks, and impacts on financial stability, both nationally and internationally. Part of our research includes the current GAČR project titled "Crypto Assets as a Threat to the Sovereign," where we meticulously analyse the potential effects of cryptocurrencies on state sovereignty, monetary policy, and traditional financial systems.

   • Keywords: Cryptocurrencies, Regulatory Framework, State Sovereignty, Financial Law

2. The legal and institutional aspects of automated decision-making in public administration

   • At the Department of Administrative and Financial Law, Palacký University Olomouc, we conduct in-depth research on the legal and institutional aspects of automated decision-making in public administration. Our focus lies on the interaction between advanced technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence and algorithmic governance, and the fundamental principles of administrative law, transparency, accountability, and protection of individual rights. We analyze the implementation of automated systems in administrative procedures, their compliance with national and EU legal frameworks (e.g. GDPR, AI Act), and their implications for judicial protection and legal certainty. Our research includes participation in international academic networks and cross-sectoral collaborations, offering practical insights for public institutions, regulators, and private sector partners interested in lawful and responsible deployment of AI-based administrative systems.

   • Keywords: Automated Decision-Making, Public Administration, AI Governance, Administrative Law, Accountability, GDPR, EU AI Act, Legal Certainty, Fundamental Rights

3. The Law and Sustainability curriculum

   • Many of the department's scholars are involved in the Law and Sustainability curriculum, which emphasizes the integration of theoretical and practical information with respect to ESG principles. ESG stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance. These are criteria used to assess the impact of organisations on the environment, society and the way they are managed. ESG factors are becoming an important benchmark for investors, business partners and other stakeholders who consider sustainability and social responsibility in their decision-making.

   • Keywords: ESG, Public Administration, Territorial Self-government

Have a research idea in mind?

Please send an initial expression of interest to Mgr. Petra Melotíková, Ph.D. (petra.melotikova@upol.cz) and Dr. Hana Hurtikova (hana.hurtikova@upol.cz) including:

1. A Curriculum Vitae (max. 3 pages, detailing your research achievements, publications, and projects).
2. A concise research project outline (max. 2 pages), clearly explaining its objectives, methodology, originality, and alignment with one of the suggested themes. 

Recommended deadline for expressions of interest: 15 July 2025 (to allow ample time for joint proposal development for the September 2025 MSCA PF deadline).

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Department of Theory of Law and Legal History

We focus on the history of Central European legal science, with an emphasis on civil law, inheritance law from a comparative perspective, Roman law and national traditions in premodern law, the learned legal process, property interventions in the 20th century, Czech–Liechtenstein relations, propaganda and its manifestations in law and art, trials related to anti-state activities, modern legal philosophy, natural law theories, and human dignity in contemporary legal thought, as well as Islamic law and publishing law.

We contribute to the preparation of collective monographs, dictionaries, encyclopedias, and commentaries. We collaborate with colleagues from academic institutions and archives in Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein.

Since 2024, the Department has been home to the Research Group for the History of Central European Legal Science, which supports interdisciplinary research in legal science in Central Europe and cooperation with the professional public in the Czech lands and abroad. Our current focus is on key figures in 19th-century Central European civil law and the sources of inspiration for Central European inheritance law.

From 2022 to 2024, the Department carried out the EEA and Norway Grants project The Liechtensteins in Czechoslovakia and Central European Legal Science, which will result in the publication of two volumes of a Czech-German edition of expert legal opinions on the legal status of the Liechtensteins in Czechoslovakia (Vol. I: 1918–1938; Vol. II: 1945–1949).

As part of our study of the interactions between secular and canon law, we also examine confessional law (both Czech and in a comparative perspective), including conditions for the registration of churches and the recognition of church and religious society status.

Have a research idea in mind?

Please send an initial expression of interest to Assoc. Prof. JUDr. Ondřej Horák, Ph.D. (ondrej.horak@upol.cz) and Dr. Hana Hurtikova (hana.hurtikova@upol.cz) including:

1. A Curriculum Vitae (max. 3 pages, detailing your research achievements, publications, and projects).
2. A concise research project outline (max. 2 pages), clearly explaining its objectives, methodology, originality, and alignment with one of the suggested themes.

Recommended deadline for expressions of interest: 15 July 2025 (to allow ample time for joint proposal development for the September 2025 MSCA PF deadline).