Spectabiles, Honorabiles, Cives Academici, dear colleagues and students,
Let me greet you on behalf of the Charles University administration in the start of the new academic year. This day is even more important for me, as it’s one of the opportunities not only to greet all members of our academia but also to stop and think a little about the past year, and outline briefly what lies ahead in the year to come.
In the beginning, I’d like to remember at least some important events of the last academic year, very eventful for the academic world in general, and for Charles University in particular. One of the main projects we took a large part in was the amendment to the act on university education, which should help improve the quality of the college/university education in the Czech Republic. I firmly believe that this act, so important for the Czech education, will pass through the legislation process as soon as possible, in cooperation not only with other educational institutions but, primarily, with the new, recently instated Minister of Education. Though there was another change in head of the Ministry, I believe it will result – and not only in this matter – in even better and more effective cooperation than before, as the current Minister clearly intends to complete the amendment successfully.
As for Charles University, we continued to focus on creating the best possible conditions for our research and educational work in the past academic year. I find it very important that we managed to get access to research funding from European funds. We also achieved a remarkable feat in research – the opening of the University Medical Center UNIMEC at the Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen. In the near future, we also expect the opening of the first facility of the research and educational center of Charles University in Hradec Králové, MEPHARED. I’m really happy that our colleagues at the faculties in Pilsen and Hradec Králové will be able to use modern, highly functional facilities. And I’m also very happy that an architectural contest has been called for the university campus in Prague-Albertov, which is the first step in the unique project – the first in a hundred years – to build a new research center at our university. I strongly believe that it’s one of the most important projects, if not the most important at all, launched by Charles University in recent years.
Another important feat is the approval of the new Long-term plan of Charles University for 2016-2020, clearly indicating the direction our alma mater will take in the years to come. For me, another important step in the development of our university is the strengthened cooperation with foreign universities, as indicated by the memorandum of cooperation with the University of Leiden, and improved cooperation with other universities in near or distant countries.
In the past academic year, I was also very happy that our colleagues-researchers and students succeeded in various research and scientific competitions, that we presented ourselves well at the university education fairs, and that we were also successful at sports events that are integral part of the university’s life. The quality of our work is also proven by many domestic and international awards won by the members of our academia. That’s why I would like to use this opportunity to thank them, and assure them that the university values their work and responsible approach to study, as well as many activities performed for the benefit of the university.
The new academic year will bring further improvement of our educational and research work, but also the commemoration of the birth anniversary of the university’s founder, Czech King and Roman Emperor Charles IV. As for the former point, I believe we will still be successful and increasingly competitive in tough international competition; as for the latter, I’m confident that the commemoration will help us remember the legacy of Charles IV, and also emphasize the importance of Charles University and good university education for the whole society in general.
To conclude with, I’d like to encourage every member of the Charles University academia to contribute to the fellow feeling of all parts of the complex university organism. Any target and goal we will achieve this year can only be achieved with the support of the academia, provided the university will accept it as a whole. It’s the only way to develop Charles University further.
Let’s therefore do all we can to make our alma mater the real “university of the 3rd millennium” – free, prestigious, self-confident university that values its traditions, while being modern and inspirational.
Quod Bonum, Felix, Faustum, Fortunatumque Eveniat.
Professor Tomáš Zima
Rector of Charles University in Prague
