(This content has been translated automatically.)

Dear students,

Welcome to the newsletter that comes to you at the turn of the winter and summer semesters. Whether your classes have started or are about to start in the next few days, we would like to wish you a good study and life at UP and in the university city. In the coming months, as the schedule of the academic year and the university calendar suggest, we are expecting, for example, the UP Academic Week or the university sports day, associated with the Majáles (May Fest) and the Rector's holiday.

Only until Sunday 11 February you can visit the exhibitions Temple of Wisdom and Symbols of Wisdom (in Czech), which were prepared on the occasion of the 450th anniversary of the University of Olomouc.

WHAT'S GOING ON AT UP

At the last management meeting on Wednesday 31 January 2024, the creation of the positions of University Ombudsperson and Faculty Sustainability Coordinators was discussed. In collaboration with the Department of Lifelong Education and Innovation in Teaching, a series of training sessions on safety issues at the HEIs has been initiated. Read the full summary (after logging in the UP Portal), we will prepare another one 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.

A representative UP ball, free admission to the Olomouc Museum of Art and the Fort Science, a screening of the film Brutal Heat or a discussion with Mark Orko Vácha await us all during the UP Academic Week – from 19th to 25th February. There will also be a Mass for the University, a special pub quiz and the long-standing Donate Blood with the Rector challenge, which you can still sign up for. The full programme for the week can be found on the website.

Why Academic Week and why in February? It commemorates the reestablishment of the University of Olomouc after the Second World War, which took place with the adoption of a special law on 21 February 1946. Between 1860 and 1939, only the theological faculty functioned in Olomouc, after which Czech universities were closed by the occupation administration of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. What happened next? Check out the beautiful timeline of the university's history (in English!).

Whether you live in the halls of residence or not, you can use the local GP, dentist or gynaecologist. If you have an acute problem, you can visit them without registering, but a telephone appointment is always advisable. Full info in English can be found on the website.

The administration of the halls of residence and canteens has other news: from 13 February, the university's FreshUP bistros will expand their offer with sweet Valentine's hearts. And if you live on campus, you'll now meet the receptionists there in their new university uniforms.

450 seconds. This is the title and the length of a short film created by students of our university during its 450th year. The production involved three student teams from three different faculties, working together under the auspices of the Audiovisual Production Department of UP. Each team chose a time of day – morning, afternoon or evening – which they worked on in their part of the film. Check out the result and take part in the voting on which third of the film you liked the most.

Read the online version of Žurnál to learn more about UP’s academics, students, achievements, research, discoveries, and interesting facts about the university. The latest UP magazine in English is about the university world, life far beyond our campus, and one man’s journey to learn how to calm one’s mind. It presents a portrait of UP Academic Senate Chair Irena Smolová, an interview with Vice-Rector Michal Malacka, the story of UP Endowment Fund recipient Eliška Vodáková from the Faculty of Physical Culture, and the experience of Faculty of Education teacher and doctoral student Dominik Voráč at a Buddhist temple. Download the PDF version now!

Stretch, jump, run, throw, dance, lean into the pedals, hit, catch? You don't have to do it all at once – but definitely check out the offerings at the UP Academic Sports Center for the summer semester. Yoga, karate, oriental dances, frisbee or another novelty – pickleball are waiting for you. You can find the schedule of activities and info on the booking system on the ASC website (in Czech). Don't forget that the sauna and the gym (in Czech) or archery range (in Czech) are also waiting for you – they are also accessible at the weekend and you pay a better university price for them as well.

CALLS

Get the opportunity for your development and education and financial support up to 200 000 CZK for your scientific research or artistic-creative projects. The UP Endowment Fund supports artists, creatives, researchers and innovators from the ranks of those studying master's and doctoral programmes at UP. Information on the current call, which is open until 31 March, can be found on the Fund's website (in Czech) or in an article in the UP Journal (in Czech). On Monday 19 February at 13:00 there will be an online seminar where you can ask questions about the call and have the opportunity to consult your plans.

Whether you are a regular blood donor or are just starting to donate for the first time, join the Donate Blood with the Rector challenge! In addition to feeling great and the usual donor benefits (on-site refreshments, eligibility for a day off work, tax bonus opportunity, and most importantly feeling great), you'll also receive extra rewards from UPoint, our alma mater and teaching hospital, when you donate as part of the challenge. There are never enough donors, you can sign up until February 9. For complete info, visit daruj.upol.cz.

LECTURES AND COURSES

Are you wondering how to approach classmates with disabilities or what is behind the term inclusive university? The Support Centre for Students with Special Needs (in Czech) has prepared short one-hour courses focused on the specifics of different types of disabilities. All the courses that are prepared for you are completely free of charge. For more information and to sign up, visit the Center's website (in Czech).

Are you between 18 and 24 years old and have held a driving licence for 24 months or less? Come and hear what the driving school didn't tell you and you could get 4 credits if you meet the requirements! Experts from the Department of Psychology at the Faculty of Philosophy at UP have prepared a series of 3 workshops that will cover topics such as driver distraction and multitasking while driving, stress, fatigue, trip planning and much more. There will be plenty of demonstrations, quizzes, interesting facts and tips. For more information and dates, please see the registration form or IG @drivesmartedu_upol.

Do you want to learn more about the competitions that the Grant Agency of the Czech Republic (GA CR) announces? Do you want to know how the evaluation process works or what new things the GA ČR is coming up with this year? These and other topics will be the subject of seminars with the President of the GA CR, Prof. Petr Baldrian (in Czech), which will take place in Prague (23 February) and Brno (6 March) and online. There will also be an open discussion. Registration is required for both physical and online participation – see more on the website (in Czech).

Join us for an engaging series of activities and lectures every Friday morning, all offered free of charge. The Welcome Office is delighted to host international students and employees for a series of educational and practical sessions. These sessions are designed to focus on strategies for effective learning, stress relief techniques, mindfulness, along with a wide range of other topics. Seize this opportunity to enhance your personal and professional growth at times that conveniently integrate into your schedule. We look forward to your participation in these enriching experiences. To register, please visit our Event Webpage.

INVITATIONS

Don't miss the first event of the new series of talks Walk with... Let's take a walk together through the topic of modern genetics, where we as humanity face the complex ethical question of whether we have the right to edit the human genome and where is the line between the godly effort to help the sick and the dangerous playing God. The rector of UP Martin Procházka invited as a guide the well-known Czech theologian, writer and teacher Marek Orko Vácha, who has studied, among other things, molecular biology and genetics and is also involved in issues of medical ethics.
The event is part of the UP Academic Week and admission is free, but for capacity reasons, registration is required here. The talk will be held in Czech.

What happens in the brain when we are in love? How do animals choose their mates? How does the love detection machine work? What can you do on a weekend in the middle of February? The University Science Centre Fort Science has the answers and invites you to the Love is Science event. Read the program (in Czech) and learn the secrets of love and procreation! Don't forget to ask for a student discount.

At Element Coworking (in Czech) in the university building Envelopa Hub we are launching a series of regular Element Talks (in Czech)! The talks will delight all enthusiasts of artificial intelligence, gaming, IT development and design. We will present top experts who will share their knowledge and experience in the field. The pilot meeting of Element Talks will take place on 21 February at 6 pm and will focus on the topic of Game Development (in Czech). Guests from the game studios Atelier of Ghosts (in Czech) and INGAME STUDIOS (in Czech), who are behind the development of the successful games Mafia and Kingdom Come Deliverance, have accepted our invitation. Keep an eye on the schedule of planned Element Talks and don't forget to register for the event!

The UP Information Centre and Shop in cooperation with the student organization Studium Artium invites everyone to the opening of the exhibition Masquerade by painter Tereza Trulíková. You will be welcome on Monday, February 12 at 16:30 in UPoint. Details in the university calendar of events (in Czech).

The Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra, a long-time partner of UP, the host of the University Ball Natálie Tichánková with the band 4GOOD and other artists invite you to a benefit concert (in Czech) on 22 February. The proceeds will support young patients from the Children's Clinic of the University Hospital Olomouc. You can look forward to music, singing and dancing and a varied mix of genres from musical tunes to film ones.

COMPETITIONS

The club season is in full swing and we have a competition for you to win 3× two free tickets to the concert of Marcell on Wednesday 14th February at the S Club! You'll also hear songs from their latest album, The Soul That Left This World Weighs 21 Grams. Marcell has just received two nominations in the Andel music awards for this album. And how about tickets? Email soutez@upol.cz by Monday, February 12, for the answer: Which faculty did Marcell successfully graduate from Palacký University?

University partner nextbike has a great offer for you – 100 CZK credit for registration or a cheaper subscription. During February you can also win a graphic tablet or a free subscription for a whole year. Rock your style, get creative and design your own decal for the shared bikes! Details of the competition can be found on the nextbike website (in Czech), and the procedure for activating the discounted fare can be found on the UP website (in Czech).