Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to open a question of academic excellence. In Czech Republic the concept of excellence and quality is declared in documents of higher education policy.
The academic excellence is traditional value at university life and work and express academic ethos, ideal, high level of higher education standards and mastery. Higher education pedagogy is a source for improvement higher education and teaching and excellence.
At present is normative academic culture prevailing. The academic excellence is judged by quantitative performance criterion and productiveness for effective financial contribution to university.
Teaching workload is increased, administrative duties grow, managerial control is prevailing over teaching and research etc. These bureaucratic and market economical conditions in higher education negative determine the academic identity.