Programme OPSEC, security research: open call and webinar in Czech (23/4/2025)

The Ministry of the Interior (Ministerstvo vnitra, MV) has announced a call of the programme Open challenges in security research 2023–2029 (Otevřené výzvy v bezpečnostním výzkumu 2023-2029, OPSEC). Deadline is 28. 5. 2025.

► On 23. 4. 2025, MV organise webinar for applicants in Czech. About the event and registration (in Czech), registration possible until 21. 4. 2025.

If you plan to apply in this call, please, contact well in advance the Project Management Department (Romana Hogenová, romana.hogenova@natur.cuni.cz), so that all the formal requirements of the application can be prepared in time.

• Call announcement and documentation (in Czech).
• OPSEC programme webpage (in Czech).
• Projects successful in the previous call, source (both in Czech).

The programme supports projects of applied research and experimental development. In most cases, a user organisation (these can be security and rescue forces, central government bodies or local authorities or self-governing territorial units). In case of “Proof-of-concept projects (projects at lower technology readiness levels), participation of a user organisation is not mandatory but is encouraged.

Project duration is 24–48 months. Maximal funding per project is CZK 40 million. Funding rate for research organisation is up to 100 %.

Each project must focus on one of the three sub-programmes and on one of objective and focus (the objectives and focus are roughly translated):

• Sub-programme 1: Development of law enforcement capacity,
  includes, for example, the following objectives and focus:
  • A. Modern forensic examination tools across disciplines
  • C. Technology and knowledge for detecting and proving special types of organised crime, in particular environmental crime, counterfeiting and illegal trade in art or cultural heritage objects or other quasi-commodities
  • G. Technology and knowledge to detect and prove drug trafficking
• Sub-programme 2: Crisis preparedness of security and rescue forces
  includes, for example, the following objectives and focus:
  • B. Technology and knowledge for disaster management, industrial accidents and high casualty incidents
  • C. Technology and knowledge for fire and industrial accident investigation
  • H. Technology and knowledge for developing work with service animals
• Sub-programme 3: Resilient society
  includes, for example, the following objectives and focuses:
  • D. Security and authenticity in supply chains and economic relationships
  • J. Reducing the negative environmental impacts of security and emergency services activities
  • K. Prevention of environmental disaster risks
  • L. Natural hazards, their dynamics, assessment and prediction, including the relationship to climate change

News published by Ludmila Součková on 3. 4. 2025.
Updated 15. 4. 2025 (link to webinar on 21. 4. 2025 added).

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