(This content has been translated automatically.)

Dear students,

over 7 000 hours have been worked by the UP Volunteering Centre volunteers at the KACPU contact point in Hanácká kasárna. However, countless other dedicated people have given their time to help those affected by the war in Ukraine. A summary of the activities, which can never be complete due to the changing nature of events, is published regularly by the University Journal. Let us begin this newsletter by thanking everyone again and also wishing them perseverance in the weeks ahead, when help will certainly be needed..

Most applications for studies at UP in the last 10 years

Tuesday 15 March was an important day for chronic procrastinators of important life decisions – it was the closing date for applications to most of the study programmes at UP. This year we received a total of 32,418 applications for study, which is the highest number since 2012. Even those who missed the deadline still have a chance: you can still apply for selected fields of study, some of which are on offer for the first time this year. Take a guess which programme was the most popular this year and how many applications were received for it – the answer is hidden in the Journal (in Czech).

Dormitory fee increases from next academic year

Inflation is inexorable and is having a noticeable impact on the running costs of the Accommodation and Dining Facilities, not only in terms of food but also, inextricably, accommodation. As much as we hate to do it, we have no choice but to increase the dormitory fees after two years. However, the increase will not be uniform – residents of single rooms will pay the most, while the price increase will be smaller for rooms with more beds. The new price list will come into force in the next academic year, but we publish it along with other information on the website (in Czech) now.

Czech National Agency for International Education and Research signposts for Ukrainian students and scholars

Czech National Agency for International Education and Research is still developing web signposts for Ukrainian students and scientists. It offers students a summary of information about study opportunities in the Czech Republic and offers scholarships from specific schools, including UP. Scientists can find on the portal, in addition to information about visas or recognition of education, mainly job offers. If you know someone who could use such information, send it to studyin.cz/ukraine.

Launch of the new PhD website

These days, a new university-wide doctoral website (in Czech, English version coming soon) has been launched, which will include clearly useful information on international challenges or further education opportunities, as well as information about UP's research centres and student associations. The website also provides answers to the most common questions related to doctoral life, such as recognition of parenting time or interruption of studies. In case you do not know what to do with your problem, you can find contacts to various types of counselling services on the doctoral website, such as the UP Legal Advice Centre, the UP Career Centre, the Business Incubator or the Psychological Counselling Centre of the Department of Psychology of the Faculty of Arts of UP. The doctoral website will also serve as a useful signpost for existing UP websites that have not been centralised in one place or have been harder to find. And not only that!

We would also like to remind you of the meeting of all PhD students on Wednesday, 30 March at 18:00 in the UP Student Club.

Ride your bike to the climate lecture, to work or to school

Bike, scooter, walk or trot the whole month of May – sustainably and actively. Sign up for the Bike to Work challenge and support your own fitness and the development of infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians. But you don't just have to ride or walk to work, you can also walk to school. Thanks to Sustainable University, students now have a 70% discount on the entry fee, but it's clearly worth paying the rest. We've written about the benefits of registering and how to apply in this article (in Czech).

While you are fine-tuning your form for May, we invite you to attend a lecture (in Czech) by Pavel Nováček from the Department of Development and Environmental Studies on Wednesday 30 March at 16:45 in the auditorium of the Faculty of Arts, titled Life in the Age of Climate Change. This is part of the Societas cognitorum lectures and also launches a series of meetings with a common theme of sustainability, co-organised by the Sustainable University. We also invite you to the Ecological Evenings, organised by Center fot ecological activities Sluňákov. You can find out what the evenings will be about on the Sustainable University (in Czech) website.

How to think positively and influence your results

You will also appreciate the power of positive thinking in your work or studies. What tricks can help you learn – if possible – to think positively and use seemingly negative experiences to your advantage? And how can you use all the skills you've learned to improve your academic or work performance? Come and listen to the experienced and inspiring lecturer Dita Palaščáková at the workshop (in Czech) How to think positively and influence your results (in Czech), organized by the UP Career Centre on Tuesday, 29 March at 5 pm at the Fortress of Knowledge. Invite others on Facebook (in Czech).

Mensa ČR will test IQ in Olomouc

Come and get your IQ tested with the official Mensa ČR test; you will find out how you are doing, get an interesting item for your CV, and if you achieve an IQ above 130, you will be offered Mensa membership. The testing will take place on Wednesday 6 April at 5 pm at the Faculty of Education, Žižkov Square, room N3. The price is 500 CZK, children and students pay 300 CZK. Bring writing utensils, money, ID card and student ID if necessary. Registration on the Mensa website.

Volunteer at the Olomouc 1/2Marathon

As every year, the Mattoni Olomouc 1/2Marathon will fill the streets of the university town, this time for the 12th time. Even if you don't plan to run, put June 18th on your calendar too - become an indispensable volunteer and help ensure the smooth running of the race. About 300 people are needed. To volunteer, contact tomas.holada.olma@gmail.com or honza.grenge@gmail.com; more information about the run here.