On June 24, 2026, the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic announced the seventeenth public call for proposals under the SIGMA Program to Support Applied Research and Innovation – Sub-objective 2, Early-Career Researchers and Equal Opportunity in Applied Research Projects – Industrial Chairs. This strategic call aims to support the recruitment and long-term retention of internationally recognized experts in the field of applied research at research organizations in the Czech Republic. The deadline for submitting project proposals is August 12, 2026.
The purpose of the competition is to support changes in research organizations leading to greater practical application of research results by funding teams led by individuals with international experience and contacts.& nbsp;For applicants in the 17th public call for proposals of the SIGMA program – DC2, the TA ČR will host an online informational webinar (YouTube - LINK), which will take place on August 7, 7, 2026 starting at 10:00 a.m.
Information flyer – key parameters and conditions for “Industrial Chairs.” Source: TAČR
Project proposals must be submitted via the SISTA information system in English. TA ČR recommends switching the SISTA information system to English after logging in using the “EN” button in the upper right corner of the screen.
In order for an applicant to create and submit a project proposal, they must meet the system’s new technical requirements—for example, register their organization and designate its administrators. Without registering the organization and adding organization administrators, it will not be possible to submit a project proposal or draw on public funds for applied research projects. We have covered all the new technical requirements in detail at this article, so we recommend paying close attention to it.
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UP is already registered in the system. Any questions or issues regarding UPOL’s participation in SISTA are handled by PSUP. Please contact me via email at: ludmila.hrabakova@upol.cz, or by phone at 585 631 404.
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For project registration purposes, please note thatit is necessary to make the project proposal available in SISTA via email to:& ludmila.hrabakova@upol.cz. Without this step, it will not be possible to ensure adequate cooperation from UPOL when submitting the project proposal. Projects in which UPOL acts solely as a partner must also be made available.
The competition period begins on June 25, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. and ends on August 12, 2026, at the times listed below:
- 4:29:59 p.m. – is the latest possible time to submit a project proposal via the information system SISTA;
- 11:59:59 p.m. – is the latest possible time for submitting documents proving eligibility, which each applicant must submit separately.
All documents related to the 17th& public competition are available HERE.
Those interested in assistance with submitting a grant application may also contact staff at the Project Service of Palacký University in Olomouc.& https://www.upol.cz/ps/kontakty/. We’d be happy to help you.
Source: TA ČR