UCM rejects accusations of influencing Recovery and Resilience Plan projects
Published: on 6.6.2025
The University of St Cyril and Methodius in Trnava (UCM) strongly distances itself from any interference in the evaluation process of projects funded by the Recovery and Resilience Plan. UCM does not have access to information about who the evaluators of individual projects are and has no ability to influence their selection or decisions.
Our projects are prepared by a qualified and professional team that is focused on high quality and adherence to all established rules and criteria. Although many of our projects have been successful, some have not been approved, which we consider to be a natural part of the competitive process.
The process of selecting evaluators and the planning of calls are entirely the responsibility of the call promoter, and these processes are often planned several years in advance. UCM has no possibility to influence these aspects and always follows the applicable rules and guidelines.
UCM together with the University of Trnava (TU) is currently working on the second joint project of the Recovery and Resilience Plan, which leads to increased cooperation between the two universities in the field of modernising teaching and improving the quality of education. In both cases, UCM is the promoter of these projects, with project management and professional outputs subject to strict control mechanisms.
We strongly object to accusations of conflict of interest or direct interference in the evaluation of projects by TU and our university. Such unverified statements damage the reputation of our institutions and the very idea of the Recovery and Resilience Plan as a tool for improving the quality of higher education in Slovakia.
At the same time, UCM is clearly advocating for the clearing of TU's name in relation to any allegations of manipulation of the evaluation process. We trust that these doubts will be clarified at the level of competent authorities and without interfering with the independent status of universities.
