(This content has been translated automatically.)

Dear students,

a glance at the calendar tells us that the halfway point of the shortest month of the year is fast approaching. A date such as 14 February cannot leave anyone cold: for some it is a holiday of love, while others wait for the first of May and prefer to celebrate the start of the summer semester. Monday also marks the beginning of the UP Academic Week, during which we will commemorate the 76th anniversary of the restoration of our university in 1946 with several events. Before that, you have one last chance to rate the winter semester in the evaluations.

Anti-epidemic measures at the beginning of the semester

Along with the beginning of the semester, a number of measures of the Ministry of Health concerning the regime at Palacký University will be gradually changed in connection with covid-19. General up-to-date information can be found on the official covid pages of the Ministry of Health and the Government of the Czech Republic, and more specifically on the regime at UP on the university's coronaweb (the website will be updated repeatedly in the coming days, please keep an eye on it).

Teaching in the summer semester will in any case start in full-time mode, only for lectures over 100 people the UP Crisis Council recommends to consider the use of hybrid form for the near future. Details will always be communicated to you by the specific lecturer. The use of respiratory protection in the indoor areas of the school will also remain mandatory, and most of the regulations and Rector's recommendations in this area will remain in effect for the next few days. Please always check this page for exact information.

Given the number of upcoming incremental changes and the constantly evolving epidemic situation, we recommend monitoring the university's coronaweb for updates in the coming days repeatedly.

Meeting of the UP Academic Community (open to all UP personnel)

Part of this year's UP Academic Week, which begins – like the semester – on 14 February, will be a Meeting of the UP Academic Community. Come to the auditorium of the Faculty of Education on Thursday, 17 February from 16:30 to 18:00 to discuss current and future activities, challenges and problems of UP and all its components. All students and employees of Palacký University in Olomouc are cordially invited. The Rector of the University, Martin Procházka, looks forward to a large participation. The event will be held in a hybrid form (the link can be found on this website before the event) and in compliance with the current epidemic measures. Questions can be sent now to komunikace@upol.cz.

Into the summer semester with an even smarter UPlikace

Do you already have the UPlikace? You'll be happy! Don't have it yet? Then install it – and you will be too! With the summer semester, you'll see some nice new features – especially the automatic synchronization of the timetable with STAG. While before you had to update the schedule in STAG manually, the application will now notify you of the outdated schedule and offer you a correction. You will appreciate this feature especially during the first week of the semester when you are still dropping and registering for new courses, but it will also alert you to any changes made by the department, teacher or scheduler.

Whether you use the UPlikace or not, you can help us develop it by filling out a simple questionnaire. Is there anything else that UPlikace doesn't do that you think it should? And if you don't use it, what should its creators do to win you over? Last but not least, you can also say thank you: just click here.

Get support for your project from the UP Endowment Fund

For the seventh time, you can get support for your scientific or artistic project from the UP Endowment Fund. Thanks to it, you have the chance to try out your ideas in practice, visit foreign workplaces or meet personalities in the field. The Fund supports artists, creatives, researchers and innovators from among students of master's and doctoral programmes. Applications are open until 14 March 2022. One important condition is that the project or research must have an international dimension. Read more in the UP Journal (in Czech) or directly on the fund website. You can ask the rest during the webinar on Tuesday, March 1, 1:30–3:00 pm.

What is your immunity and antibodies to covid-19?

The Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine of the Faculty of Medicine and the University Hospital Olomouc is open to everyone to recruit for the study of collective immunity against SARS-CoV-2 (PREVAL 2). All participants will be tested for antibodies and the presence of the virus on mucous membranes. The study is taking place at the covid-19 sampling site at the University Hospital in Olomouc until 24 February 2022. If you are interested in participating in the study, please register as soon as possible on preval.zarezervujse.cz, where you will also find more information about the study.

Aurora Alliance pub quiz tests knowledge of Europe

Palacký University is part of the international Aurora Alliance, which brings together nine universities across Europe. Come and learn about it on Friday, 18 February at the first UP Aurora International Pub Quiz at 18:00 in the Kateřinská 10 pub. You will also test your knowledge of the music, culture and history of Aurora member countries. So if you know all about Italian cuisine, Dutch football and British actors or just want to have a nice evening, meet new people and practice your English, sign up now! You will also find out how to visit the countries involved thanks to the Alliance. The quiz is organised by our Aurora students (in Czech), is open to teams of three to six participants and there is no entry fee.

Seminar Ethics – end-of-life measures

The Petr Zoubek Foundation together with the UP Faculty of Law are organising a seminar on Ethics – end-of-life measures. It is intended for the academic community and all others interested in the topic. It will take place on Thursday 17 February from 15:00–18:00 in the auditorium of the Faculty of Law and will also be broadcast live on the faculty's YouTube channel. Advance registration is not required. The seminar programme can be found here (in Czech).

Opportunities for scholarships and project cooperation with Austria

Visit our southern neighbours on a scholarship with the AKTION Czech-Austria programme or carry out a joint project within its framework. Both opportunities are now offered by Czech National Agency for International Education and Research, which has also prepared information webinars for those interested. On Thursday, 17 February, there will be a webinar on scholarships (in Czech) and a week later, on 24 February, on the possibilities of project cooperation (in Czech).