In 2023, the first edition of the Sustainable Development Grant Competition took place (announced from May to mid-June). CZK 200,000 CZK was allocated for the call.

A total of nine submitted projects were evaluated by an expert committee consisting of:

Mgr. Kristýna Bubeníková, Chair of the Commission for the Third Role of the CU AS

Dana Kapitulčinová, Ph.D., CU Environment Centre

Mgr. Martin Maňásek, CU Bursar

Mgr. Zuzanou Poláková, Head of CU Point

Mgr. Ing. Nikola Rusová, CU Sustainable Development Manager

PhDr. Ing. Marie Vymazalová, Ph.D., Member of the Rector's Board for Social Affairs and Sustainable Development.

Five projects were shortlisted. One project was subsequently excluded due to double funding. It was decided to support two projects in full, and budget cuts were discussed for the remaining two projects. The winning projects, for which the first half of the grant was paid in connection with the announcement of the competition results, and the second half after the submission of the final report, include:

• Animated science videos for children focusing on sustainability as part of the "Try to answer" project

  The aim of the project is to provide quality and entertaining educational content that conveys scientific knowledge to children and promotes their interest in science. The project will focus on promoting sustainable lifestyles and ecological thinking through 10 fun and engaging animated stories.

  The project was to be supported with a total of CZK 60,000 (half of the grant was paid out, and for valid reasons the project was not fully implemented in the end).

• Hofmanka Permaculture Garden

  Creation of the Hofmanka Permaculture Garden on the plot of land located in front of the Faculty of Humanities building and nicknamed "the jungle". The idea is that this garden would not only be visited by students of the nearby faculty, but also by residents of the adjacent dormitory buildings. The main members of the team were Ondřej Koc and Antonín Vávra (both from the CU Faculty of Humanities). The project was supported with a total of CZK 60,000.

• Sustainable education and popularization of environmental protection

  Rozárie Haškovcová (CU Faculty of Social Sciences) is touring Czech secondary and primary schools with a workshop on the realities of the fashion industry, encouraging pupils to think critically and together find solutions to the current unsustainable approach to fashion. The project was supported with a total of CZK 23,000.

• CU 2023 support to maintain the effectiveness of antimicrobials

  The main focus of the project, which is represented mainly by Aneta Pierzynová and Vojtěch Bareš (both from the CU First Faculty of Medicine CU), is to stimulate interdisciplinary communication and collaboration and also to introduce the concept of One Health to students. An important point is also to connect students and instructors of different faculties with working groups outside the CU. The project was supported with a total of CZK 45,000.

The winning projects, which have contributed to a better world around us, whether through a new sustainable element in the student environment or through educational and awareness-raising activities, were also presented on Saturday, 27 January 2024 at 2 p.m. at Campus Hybernská as part of a clothes swap event in the reading room.