The input of the humanities and social sciences is vital in fostering a viable civil society. Informed public debate concerning the good life needs the kind of reflexive cultural self-understanding that they can offer. In cultural reflection, conceptual analysis, which is the domain of philosophy, has a key role. This vision of philosophy and the human sciences as cultural self-knowledge currently remains a minority view. However, during the twentieth century, it found powerful proponents in two leading philosophers of history and the social sciences: R.G. Collingwood (1889–1943) and Peter Winch (1926–1997). The aim of the planned project is to confront these two thinkers and tease out their underlying visions of philosophy. By engaging with these thinkers, the present project reopens questions about (1) the place of philosophy among the sciences, as well as (2) issues concerning the very nature of philosophical inquiry and (3) its impact on civil society and its challenges. The relation between Collingwood and Winch remains almost completely unexplored at present. The relationship between philosophy and human historicity, which was a key issue for both, presently remains underdeveloped in the analytic tradition. The planned research will take advantage of extensive manuscript material at the Centre for Ethics as Study in Human Value (CE) at the University of Pardubice (UPa). The CE has the unique combination of full access to the relevant Peter Winch manuscripts and a team of scholars knowledgeable in the post-Wittgensteinian tradition to which Winch belonged. The project furthermore includes a short visit to the Collingwood Archives at Oxford. The scholarship will enhance the CE’s reputation as the ‘go-to’ place for anyone doing research in the post-Wittgensteinian tradition. It will help the ER establish his reputation as a global expert and to expand his research network in a new direction, i.e. towards scholars on idealism.

The project aims to offer a theoretical framework for a significant yet under-explored set of phenomena which I will call ‘moral impossibility’ (MI), and to use the theoretical understanding achieved to propose a new approach to intractable moral conflict. MI refers to what – for moral reasons – lies outside the range of possibilities available in one’s choices. While empirical and logical impossibilities are widely accepted, moral ones are far less obvious, yet they shape and delimit, often silently, all choices. These include the possibilities we never consider, those we cannot make sense of (e.g. because too morally abhorrent), and those we consider but cannot bring ourselves to carry out. Neglecting the role of MI leads to crucial misrepresentations of situations of conflict in contemporary philosophy. Using recent case-studies, I propose to analyse intractable moral conflict in terms of moral possibilities that are not shared between the parties, in opposition to the dominant ‘disagreement’ model. The objectives of the research are 1) to construct a conceptual framework of MI, 2) to conduct a normative analysis of its most controversial manifestations, and 3) to use the conceptual and normative frameworks to offer a new understanding of the causes, meaning, and possible resolution, of intractable moral conflict. Each objective corresponds to a work package with a distinct methodology and contributing to a different branch of ethics: moral theory/moral psychology, normative ethics, and applied ethics. The action, proposed at a crucial stage in my research career, will be carried out at the Centre for Ethics as Study in Human Value at the University of Pardubice, where I will be trained in its distinctive research methods, case study analysis, and included in its wide European and global networks, and where I will in turn set up a new Czech-Irish link with my home institution (UCD)'s Centre for Ethics in Public Life.

The progress of information technology had a pronounced impact on the way of doing business in the finance profession. The applications of data analytics became increasingly significant. With the widespread usage of emerging new digital technologies to finance profession, there is a profound need to equip students with technological skills and knowledge in order to cope with the demands of the current business environment. Fact that is in line with the EU European Data Strategy.The project objective is the design of a competitive, innovative, contemporary and Hands-on Joint Multidisciplinary Master Degree in the field of Financial Data Analytics and Sustainability. It will be offered in English language by 4 EU member states universities on north-south European axis. During 4 semesters students will study in at least three countries. They will not acquire skills only in the field of Finance but also Statistics, Econometrics, Data Mining, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Fintech and Big Data Analytics.Through the cooperation with two old EU member states universities, European values will be empowered in the Czech Republic and Lithuania. Moreover, ERASMUS Mundus underrepresented countries will be supported.The outcome of the project will be the development of a Joint Master and initiation of the accreditation procedure in all countries. Specifically, structure of the programme, syllabi, course outlines will be created. Admission requirements and application procedure, selection, monitoring, examination/performance, evaluation rules/procedures will be agreed by partners. Joint Degree Partner Agreement and Student Agreement will be drafted. Promotion and awareness-raising strategy will be carefully designed to attract as many students from different EU member states and third countries. As a result, the program should be launched in Fall 2024, aiming at 50 students every year contributing by this way to the new digital needs of the EU labour market.

Student and staff mobilities realized within the framework of Erasmus+ programme represent key activities supporting the internationalization of the University of Pardubice (UPa). They are a consistent part of the Strategy of the UPa as well as of each its faculty. The Strategy of the University of Pardubice emphasizes the need of increasing the number of short- term international mobility, quality support for incoming students from partner universities, the need for improvement of language competence of both, the university students and staff. Student, academic and non-academic staff Erasmus + mobilities constitute a major contribution in terms of meeting the Strategy aims.The interest in international mobilities among students of the University of Pardubice has been proven to grow every year. Number of Student Mobilities for Study increased up to 145. Though, as regards Student Mobilities for Placement, we carried out 35 SMP, which is a slightly smaller number than last year. We and our students greatly appreciate the possibility of use of other kind of mobility at the same level of studies or even the possibility to perform Student mobility for placement as a recent graduate, which was used by our two former students. Regarding staff mobility, the number of applicants is much higher than the number of outgoing staff, especially in staff mobility for teaching. There were 60 staff outgoing for STA and 18 staff outgoing for STT in the period. Unlike last year project, when the grant for STA was increased thanks to the transfer from the OM grant, this year the decision was made to focus on the quality of mobility itself, their impact and dissemination as well as on developing the quality of the university environment in regards of integration of incoming student.There were 20 new inter-institutional agreement concluded, partly for new study fields with our partner universities, but also with new partner institutions. Some of them were the results of meetings within STT mobility.Moreover, there was the cooperation with Language Centre of the University of Pardubice, Department of Public Relations and Academic Counselling Office of the University of Pardubice strengthen and improved. In this project period Buddy system of the University of Pardubice became a member of ESN. Also International Staff Week handling the topic of intercultural communications appeared to be extraordinarily successful.

This action supports physical and blended mobility of higher education students and staff from EU Member States and third countries associated to Erasmus+ to any country in the world. Students in all study fields and cycles can take part in a study period or traineeship abroad. Higher education teaching and administrative staff can take part in professional development activities abroad, as well as staff from the field of work in order to teach and train students or staff at higher education institutions.