The Strategy AV21 is an initiative of the Czech Academy of Sciences, which aims to respond to current societal challenges - to draw attention to them, to inform about them in a credible manner and broader context, and to contribute to their solution.

The individual research programmes of the Strategy AV21 are multidisciplinary. Within them, institutions from different scientific disciplines collaborate, which allows for investigating a given issue from multiple perspectives.

In addition to the institutes of the Czech Academy of Sciences, this initiative is open to other research institutes, universities, businesses, public administration and teams from abroad.

Our institute is now participating in these research programmes of the Strategy AV21:

• Sustainable Food Production and Consumption. One of the most important challenges of our time is to ensure sustainable, high-quality and healthy nutrition for the world's population. The main objective of the programme is to connect the institutes of the Czech Academy of Sciences, universities and businesses to address issues ranging from food production and consumption to downstream societal and health impacts.
• Epicentres of Civilisation - Intelligent Households, Technology and Society. The programme focuses on the neglected research into households as fundamental units of the civilization process. Households have always represented the epicentres of development. Participating teams study various aspects of their functioning in the past and present, including current societal issues.
• Breakthrough Technologies for the Future - Sensing, Digitisation, Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Technologies. The programme exploits synergies that have digitisation and artificial intelligence as common denominators. It connects those who investigate these technologies with those for whom they serve as tools. It involves technology assessment, the study of legal issues and knowledge transfer towards the public and the application sector.
• MycoLife: Fungi - New Threats and Opportunities. Fungi perform key ecological functions in nature. Some have applications in food and biotechnology, while others are dangerous as pathogens or producers of toxins. The programme aims to raise public awareness of the diversity and practical importance of fungi. Research will focus mainly on new pathogenic moulds and new drugs based on compounds produced by fungi.