Training our ethical muscles at the British Embassy with Dr Anna Bull
On 13 February 2026, we topped off our International Day of Women and Girls in Science celebrations at the British Embassy Prague. Organising a high-level event with senior leaders and key stakeholders from Czech higher education and research and relevant stakeholder organisations, we have explored institutional accountability for professional boundaries, consent, and safety. An inspirational lecture held by Dr Anna Bull from The 1752 Group was followed by a moderated discussion with Czech institutional representatives.
“Universities are places of discovery and debate — but they are also shaped by power dynamics and professional relationships. With leadership comes responsibility: to set clear standards, to model integrity, and to ensure that institutional cultures promote safety, respect and accountability,“ stated British ambassador to the Czech Republic Matt Field in his opening speech.
The session connected evidence on boundary violations and power dynamics to the leadership responsibilities. The focus was explicitly practical: what policies, training, and codes of conduct are needed; what effective implementation looks like; and how institutions should respond to inappropriate behaviour while strengthening academic integrity and trust.
Dr Anna Bull delivered a profound talk about how we can progress in setting, discussing, and maintaining professional boundaries in academia. “Standing here today, I think about survivors, the people who would be grateful for having as many allies as I see in this room,” Dr Bull said—and we agree.
The following panel brought together representatives from research institutions, universities, and civil society who are actively engaged in this area, whether through upholding existing rules or initiating new policies on the topic, specifically:
- Antonín Fejfar, Deputy Director, Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences
- Matouš Glanc, Director, Czexpats in Science
- Dita Jahodová, Committee Member, School Ombuds Platform
- Blanka Svobodová, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University
- Kateřina Šámalová, Ombudsperson, Charles University
As the ombudsperson of Charles University Kateřina Šámalová stated after the empowering event: “Some meetings don’t just inform — they recharge.”
It feels very encouraging to feel like a community with a shared purpose. We need solidarity and allies; we need policies. We need professional boundaries, we need to train our “ethical muscles,” and we need to develop a shared sense of professional standards across our community.
We will continue this dialogue.
This event was a part of the celebrations of International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2026, organized by the Centre for Gender and Science, the Institute of Sociology of the Czech Academy of Sciences. This event was supported by a grant from the British Embassy in Prague. We are grateful to have found an ally in the British Embassy in building a stronger, safer, and healthier academia.
📷 Eliška Bervidová, British Embassy Prague
