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1. Oct. 2024
Roman Badík returns to the university environment after five years in business. From 1 October, he will oversee the processes that support scientific research at CEITEC Masaryk University as Deputy Director for Administration. He is no stranger to CEITEC, having been instrumental in its founding in 2011, and can now contribute to the institute's further development from his new position, drawing on his experience in research commercialisation and finding new funding opportunities.
Just as some scientists return to their home soil after years abroad, so you are now returning to CEITEC to capitalise on your experience in a business environment where you have "stepped away" for a few years. How do you feel about that?
I am returning to CEITEC with some expectations and enthusiasm. Years ago, I was at its launch and had the opportunity to participate in building an institute that already had great ambitions. In 2015, I left to work first as the head of the Rectorate's Research Department and then became the CEO of ENANTIS, the first biotechnology spin-off of Masaryk University (MUNI). Now, after all these years, I am returning with a determination to use the experience I have gained over time to help CEITEC MUNI develop further. I also want to see how we have managed to fulfil the great ambitions we had at the beginning, while contributing to the institute's continued growth and fulfilment of its mission.
CEITEC MUNI provides a lot of support to its scientists to focus on their research, and working in the field of science management thus requires a lot of overview and management of synergies. What is the first thing you are going to do after joining?
First and foremost, I want to listen carefully. I have been out of the university environment (which has its own specificities) for a long time, and I want to understand it again. So, it will be necessary for me to first gain a detailed insight into the current situation at CEITEC and understand what its needs are. I want to focus on streamlining the structure and way of working. To see if all work is clearly divided, if each employee knows what his colleagues are working on and why. Without clear lines of responsibility and effective communication, we cannot move forward and, on the contrary, there is a risk of going round in circles instead of working together with the researchers to improve the performance of the institution.
You have the advantage of being able to compare the administration of a company with the administration of a research institution. What do they have in common and how do they differ?
Working with people is what links the two. The key to success in both environments is the need to surround yourself with capable people and give them confidence in the areas they are entrusted with. I have no reason to "micro-manage" my colleagues if I trust them and know they are doing their job well. This has worked for me in all my previous management positions and I believe that this approach will bring results now at CEITEC.
And the main difference I would see is probably the speed of decision making. In a company, we can make a decision in one day and start implementing it immediately – in the case of strategic decisions, of course, we need to communicate with the owners, but even this interaction can be quite fast. In a university environment, on the other hand, decision-making processes are much more complex. There are multiple levels at which there must be consensus on an issue, which can significantly increase the time from decision to implementation.
At CEITEC, we value interdisciplinarity and diversity very much, and therefore we are very much looking forward to you bringing a different perspective to the functioning of the institute. Do you already have a concrete idea of how you will use your business experience?
I certainly do. During my time at ENANTIS, I have managed to build an excellent functioning team and together we have subsequently increased the company's turnover and profitability. Thus, I would like to look at CEITEC MUNI in particular on its revenue side in addition to the mentioned organisation. There are other than traditional financing options that could be used. I mean, for example, the possibility of obtaining resources from cooperation with the private or application sphere or from the commercialisation of research results. I am convinced that if we want to develop CEITEC further, it is essential to look for new and innovative ways to raise funds and at the same time strengthen cooperation between the academic and commercial sectors.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/roman-badik/
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