(This content has been translated automatically.)

Dear students,

We would like to welcome you to the new academic year by reading the university newsletter. In it, we will once again select for you what you should not miss from the life of the university, invite you to courses, exhibitions, events or to participate in research. We also take a brief look back at the events of the last few days.

These days UP is hosting the Czech Academic Games (in Czech), in which 1650 athletes are participating. The UP Alumni Day (in Czech) is planned for the weekend and the European Heritage Days (in Czech) will also take place throughout the university town, during which you can visit several places on campus.

On Tuesday, September 19, we will all celebrate the beginning of the new semester together during MEET UP (in Czech). Come to the embankment or the Josef Jařab embankment, where there will be concerts, workshops, the launching ceremony of university beer (in Czech) and presentations of student clubs.  

WHAT'S GOING ON AT UP?

At the last management meeting on Wednesday, 30 August, there was talk of preparing negotiations with the city and county or setting up data warehouses. With the start of the academic year, other university bodies are returning to the tables. Read the full summary (in Czech) (after logging in the UP Portal), we will prepare another one for you 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.

It is possible to stay in the UP dormitories for the upcoming academic year until Sunday 17 September (the so-called Accommodation Sunday). You need an ID card or passport for foreigners. A schedule of the exact dates when you can check in and the offices for key collection, which have changed compared to last year, can be found in the article on the SKM website (in Czech).

Do you want to be there when new degree programmes are approved and accredited - even at a national level? University student evaluators play an important role in assessing degree programmes, so we are looking for active students who would like to be involved in the work of the National Accreditation Office. You can nominate yourself or your fellow students by September 29. More information can be found on the website (in Czech).

QUESTIONNAIRES AND SURVEYS

For 15 minutes you will sit in the cognitive laboratory of the Faculty of Arts. Researchers from the Department of Sociology will survey your value attitudes while tracking your eye movements. Would you like to give it a try? The authors of the research are looking for non-believing citizens of the Czech Republic aged 18–65. Complete the questionnaire (in Czech), then arrange a session at your convenience.

What role does the ability to express and read emotions play in communication between people? Psychologists at the Faculty of Arts of Palacký University in Olomouc are trying to find the answer to this question in their research. They are looking for volunteers up to the age of 35 for a unique research in which the researchers will use modern methods to monitor the reactions and feelings of a couple of people during a conversation. Details and application form can be found on the EMOACT project (in Czech) website, also watch the video that will guide you through the research.

COURSES

Interested in what an inclusive university looks like or how to approach your classmates with disabilities? The Support Centre for Students with Special Needs has prepared one-hour courses focused on the specifics of different types of disabilities. All courses are free of charge. For more information and to sign up, visit the Center's website (in Czech).

INVITATIONS

Going into the new semester sustainably - that means respecting the environment, resources and people around us! Join the University from 19 to 26 September for the European Sustainability Week (in Czech), during which there will be a car-free day or an extended meat-free day in the University canteens or the UP Flea market. 
For this bazaar, during the week of 11-18 September, we will be collecting items, clothes or books that you no longer need but are still in good condition and will still be of use to someone. You can find the locations and times to bring them, along with other information, on the Sustainable University website (in Czech). The bazaar will take place in the residence hall space as part of MEET UP on September 19 (in Czech).

In the magazine study room of the Armoury you can visit the exhibition Law and Us with photographs by Jindřich Štreit (in Czech). From 7 September, an exhibition of paintings entitled Okamžiky (Moments) (in Czech) by Hana Kořánová, a student of the UP, will be on display in the reception area of the Armoury. The UP Library is also co-organising the Night of Literature (in Czech), which will take place on Wednesday 20 September at 5:00 pm in the Red Church and the Czech Radio building. The Armoury and branches still have adjusted opening hours, and will be open on 9 and 10 September as part of the European Heritage Days (in Czech).

The doors of the new university building Envelopa Hub will soon open in the city centre, which will become the headquarters of the Innovation and Technology Transfer Centre of Palacký University in Olomouc. The UP academic community and the public can see the building during the open day on 22 September. A guided tour will take place every half an hour between 12 noon and 6 pm.

NEW STANDARDS

• Social scholarships at UP for the period September-December 2023
  The UP internal standard, effective from 4 September 2023, (in Czech) affects mainly students of all UP faculties and authorized employees of the Study Department and specifies the amount of the social scholarship for the period September-December 2023.

• Accommodation scholarships at UP for the period October-December 2023 
  The UP internal standard, effective from 4 September 2023, (in Czech) affects mainly students of all UP faculties and authorized staff of the Study Department and specifies the amount of the accommodation stipend for the period October-December 2023.

• Schedule of the academic year 2023/2024 and the schedule of course enrolment in IS STAG in the academic year 2023/2024 - Amendment No. 3 
  The amendment to the UP internal standard, (in Czech) effective from 4 September 2023, is intended mainly for UP students, academic staff and other UP employees. It changes the date of the UP Sports Day and Rector's Day off, which will now be on 7 May 2024.
  
  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

Today, we have prepared a competition for you to win the Každodenníček Diary - an anniversary academic diary with quotes and diary entries by František Palacký, which is available at UPoint. Just email us the correct answer to the competition question by Monday 11 September at soutez@upol.cz and you will be lucky in the draw. Question: How many members are in the band called Unotrio that will perform during MEET UP?