(This content has been translated automatically.)

Dear colleagues,

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 for lovers, while others wait for the first of May and prefer to celebrate the start of the summer term. 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.

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).

One of the upcoming changes will be, for example, the end of compulsory testing of all employees on 18 February. Then, in the next 14 days at least, voluntary testing of employees should be allowed at the university on the recommendation of the UP Crisis Council; details will be available soon here and at your specific faculty.

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.

Take part in THE's questionnaire on the reputation of universities

As we announced in November, the international company Times Higher Education (THE) is currently inviting selected academics and researchers to complete a short questionnaire. Through it, elected staff will be involved in the current collection of data on the reputation of universities for THE's international rankings. Times Higher Education selects its own contacts based on their proven track record of scholarly publications, so we do not know exactly who will receive the questionnaire.

If you will be or have already been selected and contacted by THE, please get involved. Data collection will be closed soon. The questionnaire, which is important for the final ranking of universities, is being sent out from profilerankings@timeshighereducationemail.com. Click here to view a preview of the e-mail.

Into the summer semester with an even smarter UPlikace

Whereas at the beginning of the winter semester the student guide KudyKam appeared in UPlikace (in Czech), the summer one will bring another pleasant novelty: automatic synchronization of the timetable with STAG. Previously, when changing the timetable in STAG, it was necessary to update the timetable in UPlikace manually, but now the application will alert you to the outdated timetable and offer you a correction. Students will thus also learn in time about any changes in the time and place of classes by the department, teacher or scheduler. The current timetable and the new, clearer main page of the application will also be useful for teachers.

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 give thanks: you can do all that here.

Notify students about the new UP Endowment Fund appeal

For the seventh time, students can get support for their scientific or artistic project. Thanks to the UP Endowment Fund, they once again have the chance to test their ideas in practice, visit foreign workplaces or meet personalities in the field. Apply for support until 14 March 2022. Encourage your students to take advantage of this unique opportunity. The fund supports artists, creatives, researchers and innovators from both Masters and PhD programmes. One important requirement is that the project or research has an international dimension. More in the UP Journal (in Czech) report or directly on the fund website.

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).