At the time this newsletter is being sent out, the candidates for the position of rector for the term of office 2025–2029 are being introduced and a discussion between members of the UP academic community and the candidates is also being streamed on the university's YouTube. At the beginning of the year, the candidates' election program theses were published on a special website. You can also find a detailed election schedule and other details on that page. The candidates' presentations before the UP Academic Senate and the first, second and third rounds of elections for the UP Rector candidate will take place on January 22, 2025.

The 14th annual Donate Blood with the Rector challenge will take place from February 17 to 21 at the transfusion department of the Olomouc University Hospital. Not only regular donors from among the university's students and employees are welcome, but especially first-time donors of blood or blood plasma. Do you want to have your first (or even several) donation as part of our challenge? Then just register by February 10 using the registration form or by e-mail at daruj@upol.cz, where we will arrange a day and time for the donation according to your possibilities and answer any questions you may have related to free blood and blood plasma donation. In addition to feeling good, you can look forward to a hearty breakfast as a reward and small gifts from UPoint and the Olomouc University Hospital.
International students and employees can also participate – however, they must be able to speak Czech and have health insurance with a Czech health insurance company. More at daruj.upol.cz .

For those interested in studying at UP, the UP is hosting its second open day. This time on Saturday – January 25 – it will offer information about studying and a rich accompanying program. From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., they will be able to see the university premises of most faculties, dormitories, the canteen and other workplaces. The infopoint will be in the Zbrojnice/Armoury courtyard. Invite your friends to Olomouc for the weekend who might be interested in studying at UP, or come and see for yourself what else UP has to offer! Find out more on the Univerzitní město website (in Czech). A few days before that – from January 21 to 23 – UP will also present itself at the Gaudeamus tertiary education fair (in Czech) at the PVA Expo exhibition center in Letňany, Prague.

The City of Olomouc, in cooperation with the Fair University and among parents from the UP, is examining the interest in building two new children's groups in Pavilion H in Smetanovy sady Park, which will offer places for all-day care for a total of 48 children. The questionnaire (in Czech) is open until Friday, January 24, 2025. More on the Fair University website. (in Czech)

SCIENCE AND RESEARCH

The second year of the Aurora Alliance open call aims to contribute to closer cooperation between European universities. Up to 25,000 euros can be obtained for a joint international project. The call also supports the organization of thematic summer schools, with an amount of up to 20,000 euros. The third supported activity is short-term mobilities aimed at young scientists. Three projects associated with UP were successful in last year's call. (in Czech) Applications can be submitted until March 28, more information can be found on the Aurora website at UP.

For the third year, the so-called transformation contracts with selected publishers have continued, allowing corresponding authors from UP to publish their articles in open access at a discount or directly without the need to pay an open access fee (so-called APC), in selected journals published by OUP, CUP, ACS, RSC, IOP, Taylor & Francis, Springer. Nature , Wiley , Sage and De Gruyter. In 2023, 114 OA articles were published, last year there was an increase of at least 25% according to incomplete data. More information, including overviews of journals included in contracts and instructions for corresponding authors, can be found on the website openscience.upol.cz, if you have any questions, you can write to open@upol.cz .

UP joined hundreds of other institutions in signing the ARRA document (The Research Agreement​ Reformation Assessment). This European initiative promotes new principles in the assessment of science and research, based in particular on a shift from quantity to quality, diversity of contributions and practices in science, and responsible use of publication metrics. Read the Palacký University Action Plan and learn how each of us can become part of this change.

INVITATIONS

The University Ball will be truly extraordinary this time. Its theme is the university and its talents, so it will not only be a celebration of the university as an institution, but above all of the people who make up the university community – students, graduates and its supporters. The ball is jointly organized by Palacký University and the UP Endowment Fund, which will celebrate 10 years of its existence in 2025 and whose mission is to support young scientists and artists. The proceeds from the ball will be directed to the UP Endowment Fund.

The ball program on Friday, February 28th will offer musical entertainment by Natália Tichánková & 4GOOD and PANGEA – The Beatles Revival Band, rich refreshments, a raffle and, most importantly, good fun. The evening will be hosted by Czech Television presenter Daniel Stach. You can find out more at ples.upol.cz, and you can buy tickets via SMSticket.

The up Faculty of Arts invites you to the 15th annual PHD EXISTENCE: Czech-Slovak Psychological Conference (not only) about and for doctoral students with the subtitle "...and do you have an ID card?", which will take place on January 27-28 in the premises of the UP ArtS Center (Konvikt). You can still register as a listener, until capacity is reached. You can find more information on the website phdexistence.cz.

NEW STANDARDS

• Procedures and methods of quality assurance at UP – Amendment No. 5
  This amendment to the internal UP standard, effective from December 18, 2024, (in Czech) is intended primarily for academic staff, students and other UP employees. It regulates the calculation and standard of selected quality indicators based on the evaluation of data that the indicators achieve in the long term.
  
  

   

• Social scholarships at Palacký University in Olomouc for the period January–June 2025 
  This internal standard, effective from January 7, 2025, (in Czech) is intended primarily for students of all faculties of the University of Olomouc and authorized employees of the study department. It specifies the amount of the social scholarship for the period January to June 2025.
  
  

   

• Rector's leave on January 15, 2025 
  This internal UP standard, effective from January 8, 2025, (in Czech) is intended for all UP employees and students. It allows for watching or participating in the public presentation of candidates for the position of UP rector.
  
  

   

• Handling complaints and petitions at UP 
  This internal UP standard, which will come into effect on the first working day after the position of ombudsperson at UP is filled, (in Czech) is intended for all UP employees. It sets out the rules for receiving, investigating, handling and recording complaints and petitions addressed to UP bodies.
  
  

   

• Ombudsperson 
  This internal standard, which will come into effect on the first working day after the date of filling the position of Ombudsperson at UP, (in Czech) is intended primarily for all UP employees. Its subject is to establish the position of Ombudsperson, define the requirements for performing this position, its activities, powers and relationship to other UP bodies and employees.
  
  

   

• Authorization – scope of powers of the Vice-Rectors, Bursar and Chancellor of UP when representing the Rector of UP and their actions on behalf of UP - Amendment No. 2 
  This amendment to the internal UP standard, effective from January 13, 2025, (in Czech) is intended for all UP employees. It regulates the scope of powers of the Vice-Rector for Internationalization, Legislation and Organization, the Bursar and the Chancellor.
  
  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

Because a person lives not only through work and study, we have a competition for you to win a gift package from the Metropol cinema in Olomouc (free ticket, canvas bag). All you have to do is write us an answer to the competition question by e-mail soutez@upol.cz by Wednesday, January 22nd and a pleasant film experience can be yours. Competition question: The so-called UP Academic Week will take place from February 17th to 23rd. What ceremonial act can we look forward to as part of its program on Wednesday, February 19th?