Areas of professional activity and research interest: Music therapy / art therapy, special / inclusive pedagogy, music education for people with special needs, vibroacoustic therapy.

Professional background: Jiří Kantor graduated from Palacký University in Olomouc, Faculty of Education, majoring in special education and music education in 2002. Until 2010, he worked as a teacher and music therapist for students with special needs, then he joined the Institute of Special Educational Studies, Faculty of Education, Palacký University in Olomouc as an assistant professor. He is the guarantor of the Master's program in Music Therapy (the only one in the Czech Republic), co-founder of the Music Therapy Association of the Czech Republic and co-founder of the international methodological group GRADE for Education.

Areas of professional activities and research interest: Research in the area of eInclusion for Individuals with Special Needs. Development and Innovation in research activities at the Palacký University Olomouc. 

Professional background: Vojtěch Regec graduated from the Palacký University Olomouc, Faculty of Education in Special Education, where he obtained Associate Professor title. Besides that, he received his Doctor of Philosophy title from the Comenius University in Bratislava (Slovak Republic). He acts as an Accessibility expert of the European Commission (Web Accessibility Directive Expert Group), Adjunct Professor at the Faculty of Special Education at the Leshan Normal University in P. R. China, and as a Methodologist for Accessibility of Information Technology at the Slovak Blind and Partially Sighted Union. He is a member of the Expert Group on Accessibility and Publication of Information in an electronic environment (PS3) at the Ministry of Investments, Regional Development, and Informatization of the Slovak Republic. He is responsible for BA. programs in Special Education at the Faculty of Education of the Palacký University Olomouc. Among others, he is a member of the Scientific Board of the Faculty of Education.  

Areas of professional activities and research interest: Primary and secondary research in health and higher education for nurses, midwives and paramedics.

Professional background: Jana Marečková graduated from the Palacký University Olomouc, Faculty of Education in the field of study Pedagogy for Medical and Allied Health Study Fields and obtained Associate Professor title from Nursing at the Trnava University in the Slovak Republic. In the past, she worked as a child nurse in the ICU at the University Hospital Olomouc, a teacher at a Secondary School of Nursing, Olomouc, as a lecturer and senior lecturer at Department of Nursing and Midwifery, as a Vice-Dean at Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Deputy of Interim Dean at the Faculty of Health Sciences, later as a Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and a Head of the Centre for Research and Science at the same faculty of the Palacký University Olomouc. Marečková belongs to the founding members of JBI affiliated center at the Faculty of Medicine in Olomouc, member of The Czech Republic (Middle European) Centre for Evidence-Based Healthcare: A Joanna Briggs Institute Centre of Excellence. At present, she acts as an associate professor at the Department of Anthropology and Health Education at the Faculty of Education of Palacký University Olomouc. She is a guarantor of the study program Pedagogy for Medical and Allied Health Study Fields and a main mentor of the Palacký University Evidence-Based Education working team (UP EBEd team) within the JBC Mentorship Program.

Areas of professional activities and research interest: Music Therapy, Arts Therapies, Psychology, Eating Disorders, Scoping Reviews, Telehealth

Professional background: Monika Bucharová is currently a PhD candidate in the field of Special Education, focusing on virtual music therapy in her current research. She holds a Master’s degree in Psychology from Masaryk University in Brno and a Master’s degree in Music Therapy from Palacký University in Olomouc. In both of her master’s theses, she gained experience in scoping review methodology, exploring topics related to arts therapies and eating disorders. In addition to her research activities, she works as an Assistant Professor at the Janáček Academy of Performing Arts and as a music therapist in a psychiatric setting in Brno.

Areas of professional activities and research interest: Systemic family therapy, psychometrics, evidence synthesis, and inclusive education.

Professional background: Jian Du obtained his Master’s degree in Education with a focus on Applied Psychology from Yunnan Normal University, China, and is a nationally certified Level II Psychological Counselor. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Special Education at the Faculty of Education, Palacký University in Olomouc. Since joining the Palacký University Center for Evidence-Based Education & Arts Therapies, a JBI Affiliated Group, he has participated in several international projects focusing on evidence-based research methodology, inclusive education, suicide postvention, and systemic family therapy. He is also an active member of the GRADE of Education Working Group and a field collaborator for JBI Evidence Summaries.

Areas of professional activities and research interest: Mental health of children and adolescents, Evidence-based educational methodologies, Systemic family therapy.

Professional background: Jiaoli Li obtained her Master’s degree in Applied Psychology from the Faculty of Education at Yunnan Normal University, China. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Special Education at the Faculty of Education, Palacký University Olomouc, Czech Republic. Her research focuses on exploring the applicability and necessity of evidence-based methodologies within educational research. She has several years of teaching experience in courses such as Fundamentals of Psychological and Educational Statistics and Psychological and Educational Measurement at various educational institutions in China. Jiaoli is also a nationally certified Psychological Counselor (Level II, China) with practical experience in individual and family counseling practice.

Areas of professional activities and research interest: International projects, websites, marketing, PR and communications.

Professional background: Dana Jurková graduated from the Faculty of Arts of Palacký University in Olomouc (UP), where she received a master's degree in Political Science and European Studies. She obtained a bachelor's degree in International Relations and Diplomacy from University College Prague. In the past, she worked as a coordinator of the external relations department and the press department of the regional administration in Olomouc. She gained professional experience as a marketing and event manager of the UP Science and Technology Park. As a coordinator of science and research at the UP Faculty of Education, she was in charge of project activities (TA ČR), contractual research, commercialization and communication with the application sphere. She now works there as a project manager, supporting scientific teams in submitting international research projects (Horizon Europe calls, ERC grants, Creative Europe calls, Digital Europe calls). She enjoys promoting scientific research outputs with impact. She manages the website for the EduArt center, handles the promotion of selected research outputs and assists with submitting international projects.

Areas of professional activities and research interest: Digital Health Innovation, Ageing and Cognitive Health, Health Data Science, Translational and Implementation Research, Digital Health Equity and Socioeconomic Inequalities, App-Based Pilot Interventions, Interdisciplinary Research Leadership, Evidence-Based Digital Solutions, and International Collaborative Research. 

Professional background: Lua Perimal-Lewis is an Associate Professor at Palacký University, Olomouc, Czech Republic, and was previously a Senior Research Fellow at the Flinders Digital Health Research Centre as well as a Senior Lecturer in Digital Health. Her research focuses on Digital Health Supporting Our Ageing Society, translating data-driven insights into practical, equitable healthcare solutions. She has led the Flinders Assistant for Memory Enhancement (FAME) study and coordinated the Dementia and Aged Care Services project. She currently leads a systematic review team at the Centre of Evidence-Based Education & Arts Therapies (JBI-affiliated) and has designed and implemented health intervention pilots and clinical feasibility studies. Her skills include quantitative and qualitative data analysis, patient-flow modelling, and research project management, alongside supervising HDR students and mentoring early-career researchers. 

Website (profile at the Flinders University)

Areas of professional activities and research interest:  Special education and psychology.

Professional background: Miloň Potměšil is a professor at Palacký University Olomouc and a distinguished scholar in special education and educational psychology. With academic credentials from Charles University in Prague, the University of Hradec Králové, and Boston College, his research focuses on Deaf studies, the education of children with hearing impairments, and psychological support for families of children with disabilities. He has authored and co-authored numerous books and scientific articles, including works published by Taylor & Francis and Peter Lang, and is the recipient of multiple Rector’s Awards for best monographs (2008, 2009, 2022). Prof. Potměšil has lectured internationally across Europe and Asia and serves on several scientific and editorial boards in the field of education and psychology.

Areas of professional activities and research interest: Special educatin, Psychology, Art therapy.

Professional background: Petra Potměšilová is a professor at Palacký University in Olomouc. Her professional interests are in the areas of special education, psychology, and art therapy. She received her education at Charles University in Prague and Palacký University in Olomouc. She is the author of several publications, focusing, among other things, on developing creativity in children with hearing impairments. In addition to teaching and scientific activities, she also provides psychological counseling to students.

Areas of professional activities and research interest: Economics of the healthcare sector, Health Technology Assessment (HTA), systematic reviews in healthcare, clinical guidelines, evaluation of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of health technologies.

Professional background: Dr. Jana Rozmarinová holds a Ph.D. in Economic Science from Masaryk University (Faculty of Economics and Administration) and a master’s degree in Economic Science from Prague University of Economics and Business. Her Ph.D. thesis focused on methodological aspects of health technology assessment (HTA) and their implications for robotic technologies in healthcare. She specializes in health economics, health technology assessment, clinical guidelines, and systematic reviews, including systematic reviews on the prevalence of infectious diseases.

Areas of professional activities and research interest: Primary and secondary qualitative research in education, with a focus on inclusive education and special education—particularly topics related to the experiences of students and other participants in education within inclusive settings.

Professional background: Dagmar Sedláčková studied at the Faculty of Education, Palacký University Olomouc, where she earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Special Education and English Language Teaching, and Ph.D. in Special Education with a focus on the education of students with limited mobility. She currently works as a lecturer at the Institute of Special Education Studies, Faculty of Education, Palacký University Olomouc. She is a member of the EduArt Centre, where she serves as a Co-deputy and Secretary and coordinates the Qualitative Evidence Synthesis Team. Previously, she worked as a primary and secondary school teacher of English, social sciences, and health education, and also served as a central examiner for English at CERMAT, Prague. 

Areas of professional activities and research interest: Secondary research, qualitative systematic reviews, special education.

Professional background: Graduated from the Faculty of Education at Palacký University Olomouc, holding a Master’s degree in Special Education – Counseling. She is currently pursuing a PhD in the same field. During her bachelor's studies, she became involved in secondary research at the EduArt Center. She currently serves there as a team member focused on qualitative evidence synthesis.

Areas of professional activities and research interest: Information studies.

Professional background: Zuzana Svobodová graduated from the Institute of Information Studies and Librarianship at Charles University. She worked for 10 years at the Central Library of Palacký University in Olomouc, where she held several positions related to research and information education. She spent almost two years in Brno, where she worked at the Brno University of Technology as an assistant to the research team at St. Anne's University Hospital and collaborated with Dr. Klugarová and Dr. Klugar on the creation of clinical guidelines. After returning from maternity leave, she became the head librarian at the Faculty of Health Sciences.

Areas of professional activities and research interest: Drama therapy, art therapy, special/inclusive pedagogy, behavioral disorders and conduct disorders, attachment theory, qualitative research methodologies.

Professional background: Assistant professor, educator and researcher at Palacký University in Olomouc. He is a drama therapist focused on Role Theory and Method and DvT certified practitioner. He worked for 9 years in Psychiatric Hospital and now is a head of Drama-based center at Faculty of Edcuation of the Palacký University. He is also the current president of Association od Dramatherapists of Czech Republic and an author of Drama Therapy educational channel on YouTube – Drama in the Head. 

MA Liliana Belkin, Ph.D. | liliana.Belkin@roehampton.ac.uk | inclusive education, special education, qualitative systematic review

PhDr. Miloslav Klugar, Ph.D. | miloslav.klugar@upol.cz | evidence synthesis methodologies, determinants of health and disease, physiology, hyperbaric medicine

Mgr. Jitka Klugarová, Ph.D. | jitka.klugarova@upol.cz | quantitative and quantitative research, physiotherapy, biomechanics, movement analysis, podiatry

Ing. Mgr. Tereza Vrbová, Ph.D. | tereza.vrbova@upol.cz | implementation science, evidence summaries