At the last meeting of the UP management (5 June), a new position of popularizer of science at UP was discussed. Out of 39 candidates for the speaker of this year's Fischer Lecture, the committee selected Timothy Snyder, Jiří Grygar and Tomáš Sedláček. Read the full summary (in Czech) (after login in the UP Portal), we will prepare another one 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.

• UP Library: Zbrojnice/Armoury and faculty branches, changes from 17 June
• Canteens and FreshUP bistros: changes from 13 June to 22 September
• UPoint Information Centre and UP Shop: 1-14 July closed, 15 July - 30 August open 10:00-16:00
• Bookshop and UP Press printing centre at Zbrojnice/Armoury (in Czech)

Palacký University will award the best teachers. This year, for the first time, students can nominate their favourite teachers for the UP Teaching Awards. A similar university-wide competition with uniform criteria has been missing in UP so far. Awards to the winners of two categories - senior and junior - will be presented at a ceremony next year. The best teacher from each category will receive a cash prize of 20,000 crowns. Read more in the Journal's online article (in Czech).

Coverage of selected areas with security cameras is being introduced by the UP Accomodation and dining at the 17. listopadu dormitory. This is one of the measures that will increase the safety of residents and help prevent the free movement of strangers in the dormitory building. The installation of the cameras was carried out in accordance with the applicable requirements for the placement and operation of a camera system with recording, with maximum consideration for the students in residence. The cameras will be put into operation on 14 June. Read more information on the website.

Eight Sustainability Ambassadors have been helping to spread the principles of sustainability at individual faculties of UP since April this year. They are not only a link between the central Sustainable Development Office of UP (or Sustainable University), but also a contact person you can turn to for anything related to sustainable development. More about their work and their contacts can be found in the current article (in Czech) and on the Sustainable University website.

The UP Project Service (in Czech) assists all interested parties from the university with applying for grants and searching for funding opportunities. It provides project support across international, national and internal grant schemes. It also publishes a monthly e-newsletter with information on news and calls for projects. Read it to find suitable funding for your project or join research and training programmes. The current issue can be found on the UP Project Service website (in Czech).

In connection with the forthcoming reconstruction of the building on tr. Svobody 8, the Faculty of Health Sciences of UP offers for sale a number of different school and office furniture. It can be purchased both internally for the needs of your workplace and privately owned. For example, there are 160 fabric chairs, 3 sofas, various cabinets, 42 office chairs or 3 kitchen units. Personal viewings with buy-back will take place in bulk on designated dates (the first already on June 13). Details can be found in the UP Marketplace (in the section University property) and on the FZV website (in Czech).

EDUCATION

The University of Innsbruck (UP's partner in the Aurora network) invites academics to a week-long interdisciplinary meeting. During this week you will work on projects that will improve your communication and presentation skills and get to know colleagues from other Aurora universities to whom you will be able to present your research. The meeting is designed as a BIP (Blended Intensive Programme), which means that the physical meeting in Innsbruck (20-25 October) is preceded by a short online meeting on 25 September. More information here.

NEW STANDARDS

• Timetable for the academic year 2024/2025 and the timetable for enrolment of courses in IS STAG in the academic year 2024/2025 - Amendment No. 1
  This amendment to the UP internal standard, effective from 17 June 2024, (in Czech) is intended mainly for UP students, academic staff and other UP employees. It changes some terms in connection with the planned reconstruction at the UP Faculty of Education and also corrects some typos or other errors.

COMPETITIONS

Our Olomouc Majáles May Fest of UP brings you the last competition of the year, this time for a gift voucher from the British Centre of the UP Library for the Preparatory Course 2024/2025 for the Cambridge English exam worth 4000 CZK! Just email us at soutez@upol.cz by Wednesday 19 June with the correct answer to the competition question and the voucher could be yours. Question: What musical instrument will appear in this year's Majáles aftermovie at the time 1:18?

UP has a new benefit for its employees – you can register for the Alza Benefit programme and benefit from a number of advantages. From 3 June to 28 July, we have an extra competition for you: all purchases over CZK 2,000 including VAT are entered into a weekly draw. 4 purchases will be drawn and customers will receive the full value of their order (in the form of a gift voucher) up to a possible maximum of 40,000 CZK/order. The customer and the purchase must therefore be made within an account registered to the Alza Benefit programme. Details and activation procedure can be found on the UP Benefits website.

Do you want to become a star of the scientific sky and shine at one of the oldest international scientific competitions? Then FameLab is for you! During a three-minute stand-up, you will present your research or the scientific topic you are working on to the audience. There will also be presentation skills training and last but not least, you will meet other like-minded scientists from many different fields, which can always come in handy. You can apply by 7 July by sending a video of your presentation. More information can be found on the website.

UP has long supported sustainable transport and shared mobility. That is why its students and employees can take advantage of a more favourable annual or monthly subscription and bonus credit for registering with nextbike bike share. Now, you can also join the June challenge (in Czech), saddle up your bike, save CO₂, relieve public space in the city and win a weekend for two, tickets to Colours of Ostrava or a Samsung Galaxy Watch.