Dear students,

This Friday, we are already expecting one of the highlights of the annual applicant campaign – the UP Open Day (in Czech). Thousands of prospective students, whom our university has already addressed (in Czech) during the autumn, will also attend: over 150 of our students introduced UP to 92,000 visitors of the Gaudeamus and Kam na vysoká fairs in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. In addition, UP presents itself directly at secondary schools across the Czech Republic as part of the Olomouc – University City roadshow. Nearly 200 student ambassadors will visit over 60 secondary schools from Sokolov to Žilina over the course of three months.

For those of you who are already lucky enough to be part of Palacký University, we wish you a pleasant reading of this year's penultimate newsletter.

WHAT'S GOING ON AT UP?

At the last management meeting on Wednesday 22 November, there was talk of awarding another honorary doctorate or management meeting with the union. UP was also awarded the first prize in the quality award. Read the full summary (in Czech) (after logging in to the UP Portal), we will have more for you again in 14 days. More detailed information will subsequently be available in the minutes of the management meeting in UPShare, as well as in the minutes of other bodies, in UP standards and documents, and on other information platforms.

Want to try studying in America? You have a chance. All you have to do is apply for a semester-long study stay at a partner institution within the UP study programme founded thirty years ago by the American philanthropist and friend of Palacký University Charles Merrill. Moravian University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and Coe College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Who the program is for, how to apply if interested, and other details are on the International Office website. Just don't delay too long, as the deadline is February 14. You can also read the experiences of students who have participated in the Merrill program before you.

On Monday, December 4, the library at Zbrojnice/Armoury and the libraries of the Faculty of Physical Culture, Faculty of Law and Faculty of Science (Envelopa and Holice – Holice will be closed all day) will be closed until 14:00. From 14:00 hours onwards, normal operations will be in place. 

The week before Christmas, the library in the Zbrojnice/Armoury and the branches at the faculties will have minor changes in opening hours. The library will be closed over the Christmas holidays until the end of the year (the night reading room is open 24 hours). For an overview, please visit the library website (in Czech).

The British Centre of the UP Library invites you to the fourth literary evening with the theme of slam poetry (in Czech). It will be held in cooperation with the Department of English and American Studies at the Faculty of Arts UP on Wednesday, December 6, at 6:00 pm in the British Centre of the UP Library on the ground floor of the Armoury.

Keep track of your thesis not only on Android, but also on your iPhone! Get a quick and easy overview of the current status of your bachelor's or master's thesis in just a few clicks in UPlikace app. It doesn't do your defence for you, but it offers you all the information on a golden platter. In addition, a notification will clearly alert you to any new developments in your qualification work.

Do you want to broaden your horizons, meet students from all over Europe and develop yourself beyond your studies? Thanks to UP's membership of the Aurora European University Network, you can become part of an international community of students and go online and in person to events that will take you further on a personal and professional level. Find out what's in store for you, sign up by 31 December 2023 and take part in the activities that will run from January to June 2024. You'll also have the chance to attend the February student conference in Tarragona, Spain.

The ideal Christmas gift is one that hides books. Don't you agree? Then you read correctly. The UP Press has prepared tips on books from its production that will make all curious readers in your area happy. For an overview of tips, see the article on the VUP website (in Czech). In English you can read an edition of books about Olomouc photographers, the extensive book University in Olomouc 1573–2023 or browse all books in English.

You can also take advantage of a special Christmas 15% discount. You can find the discount code for the e-shop in the article, and you can apply for the discount in person at the Book shop at the Zbrojnice/Armoury. You can also pay there with Sodexo cards and vouchers, but in this case without the discount.

RESEARCH

The investigation on gender-based violence, which is the first of its kind in the Czech academic environment, was launched by the National Contact Centre – Gender and Science of the Institute of Sociology of the Czech Academy of Sciences (CAS). The research is conducted at public universities and institutes of the CAS and is intended for students and employees, including non-academic staff, both domestic and foreign. You can fill it out whether you have experience with gender-based violence or not. It is only open until Thursday 30 November, see the article for more information and links.

LECTURES

Modernisation of the energy sector is inevitable, not only because of the age of the current infrastructure, but also because of the need to prevent climate change or to gain independence from Russian fossil gas. What can it look like? What stands in its way? What are the opportunities? And how will it impact on society? Kristina Zindulková from the Association for International Affairs will present this in her lecture Energy of the Future (in Czech), which will take place on 13 December at 16:00 in Na Hradě 5, room UH1, 4th floor.

INVITATIONS

One day a young boy discovers a whale washed up on a remote beach. While fighting to save it, we embark on an adventurous quest to find these extraordinary creatures. Whale Nation is a documentary for the whole family, so don't hesitate to bring your youngest viewers to the cinema! The film will be screened with Czech dubbing on Wednesday 13 December at 17:30 in the Metropol cinema. You can get the discount with your ISIC or UP alumni card.

Support the non-profit organization Šance Olomouc by buying Christmas Poinsettia platns – „christmas stars“! You don't have to go far, because the UP Volunteering Centre will be offering them directly at selected locations across the university from 1 to 6 December. Last year 39 060 CZK were collected, can we surpass that amount this year? You can find the sales schedule on the Volunteering Centre's website (in Czech).

Come and tune in to the Christmas wave and sing carols together with the UP Ateneo Mixed Chamber Choir. You can join in the singing or just listen on Wednesday, December 13 at 5 pm in front of the UPoint on Horní náměstí. For those who have forgotten the lyrics of Christmas carols, songbooks will be available.

Come and soak up the Christmas atmosphere, buy something good to eat and support the Blue Circle Association, which strives to provide children with PAS with adequate education and a full life. Members of the Association of Students of Special Education will be looking forward to seeing you on December 5 and 6 from 9:00 to 15:00 in the cloakroom in front of the auditorium at the Faculty of Education of UP.

This year, for the first time, the Christmas Market on the Embankment will take place in Olomouc from 5 to 9 December and Palacký University will be there. From Thursday 7 to Saturday 9 December, from 11 am to 7 pm, you can enjoy not only the UPoint and UP Publishing House sales stand, but also workshops for young and old by UP Press, Fort Science, the Department of Geoinformatics and the Institute of Special Pedagogical Studies at the Faculty of Education. The UP Marketing Office cordially invites you to the event.

NEW STANDARDS

• Statute of Palacký University in Olomouc – Amendment No. 10

  This amendment to the UP internal regulations was registered by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Czech Republic on 13 November 2023 and is effective from 16 November 2023. It is addressed to the entire academic community of UP; it abolishes two UP units, makes changes in fees for foreign language studies, entrusts the disposal of certain works to their authors and others.

  
  All UP standards, including the ineffective ones, divided by UP units, with the possibility of filtering and searching in them can be found by students and employees of UP after logging in to files.upol.cz.

COMPETITION

This time, two of you can get a Christmas package before Christmas thanks to a competition with UPoint. In the smaller package you will find a university tree flask, a Christmas card and a cookie cutter. The larger package will delight you with tea, honey, a cookie cutter and honey soap. All you have to do is email us at soutez@upol.cz by Monday 4 December with the correct answer to the competition question, and at the same time, two of you will smile at the lucky draw. Question: On what date will UPoint be open for the last time this year? The correct answer is easily found on the store's website. 

Are you also considering a Christmas package from UPoint as a gift for friends or family? Starting Monday, they'll be available in-store. In addition, UPoint will also be open for you during Advent on Saturday 16 December from 9am to 1pm.