Zuzana Čaputová to Deliver the Fischer Lecture

The annual lecture in honor of J. L. Fischer will be given by Zuzana Čaputová, former President of the Slovak Republic, lawyer, and activist, on the topic Crisis of Democracy: Institutional and Personal Perspective. The event will take place on Thursday, 27 November, at 5 p.m. in the auditorium of the UP Faculty of Law. Admission to the lecture is free but only for those registered via this form. The number of seats in the auditorium is limited. Please also follow the safety instructions related to increased security at the event. More information can be found in the UP Events Calendar (in Czech) and on the Facebook event page.

Browse the New CZ Issue of the University Magazine Žurnál UP

Stories full of discoveries, inspiration, and the willingness to help others. This is exactly the kind of reading offered by the new issue of Žurnál UP. The main topic is the exceptional discovery at the Kroměříž Chateau (in Czech), led by Associate Professor Jana Zapletalová from the Department of Art History, Faculty of Arts. The printed version of Žurnál UP can be found as always at faculties, UPoint, the Fort Science, or in the stand at Zbrojnice. Its electronic version is available here (in Czech). The English-language edition is expected to be published around the turn of the year.

UP Chronicles: Autumn in Olomouc Through the Eyes of Welcome Office Ambassadors

Autumn has painted Olomouc in gold, and this time, UP Chronicles brings it to you through two perspectives from one campus. Welcome Office ambassadors Moktan Pratap and Li Zisu (Julia) together capture the two moods of the season: the vibrant start of the winter semester, full of new faces, orientation events, and student energy; and the quieter, more reflective October when the air turns crisp, cafés fill up, and international students find their place in the UP community.

COURSES & EDUCATION

New Video Series: How to Act in Risky Situations

What to do if you encounter a suspicious backpack? How should you react when someone near you starts behaving unusually? And how do you deal with the presence of an unknown person on university premises? UP has prepared a trio of instructional videos that, in just a few minutes, will show you how to act calmly, where to ask for help, and how to notice a potential problem in time. Watch them and be prepared (in Czech) — because a safe environment is something we create together.

Are You a PhD Student? Complete a Research Stay or Part of Your Study in France

The French Institute in Prague and the Ministry of Education have launched the Barrande Fellowship Programme between France and the Czech Republic for doctoral students. The program offers scholarships supporting short research stays and studies under dual supervision (cotutelle). All academic disciplines are welcome, and applications can be submitted until 29 January 2026. Find more details on the website. (in Czech)

INVITATIONS

UP will commemorate November 17th with a discussion event, film screening, and quiz

Already on Wednesday, November 12, the American Center Olomouc in cooperation with the “Díky, že můžem” initiative is organizing a discussion with members of the 1989 strike committee at the Faculty of Arts, UP. On Sunday, November 16 at 6 p.m., members of the student strike committee will gather for the traditional Jařaboviny at the Jazz Tibet Club. On Monday morning, November 17, Rector Michael Kohajda and other UP representatives will join the Statutory City of Olomouc in a commemorative ceremony at the monument in front of the UP Faculty of Law. As part of FFest, the Olomouc Kino Metropol will host a free screening of the film "Občanský průkaz". The university is also organizing a Czechoslovak-themed pub quiz, which will take place on Tuesday, November 18. At UPoint, the photo exhibition “Olomouc Then and Now” by Vojtěch Kmenta will be on display from November 18 to 30.

Christmas Meetup in Olomouc: ISAMOL 2025

On 4 December 2025, an exceptional event will take place in Olomouc for the first time: the International Student and Alumni Meetup, open to all current international students and alumni. This year’s meetup takes place in the heart of the city. Meet professionals and employers, explore opportunities at a fair featuring leading higher education institutions and organizations, and get guidance on your next steps after graduation. Attend tailored career workshops on employment opportunities and starting your own business. Reconnect with peers and friends from university, build new connections through networking activities, and conclude the day with a live music concert. Don’t wait, register for free now; places are limited!

Join the UP Sustainability Community Meeting

Are you interested in sustainability? Do you have ideas on how Palacký University can become even more responsible and environmentally friendly? Join a community of people who care about the future of our university and our planet. The program will include a summary of this year’s activities, the presentation of the UP Sustainable Development Action Plan for 2026–2027, and, above all, a discussion about new ideas, initiatives, and opportunities for collaboration.
The Sustainability Community Meeting (in Czech) will take place on 12 November 2025, starting at 3:00 p.m. in the Envelopa HUB building.

Forum: Resilience and Vulnerability of Society to Security Threats

How can we prepare for armed conflict? How do we build personal resilience? What role should the state play in this regard, and what is the role of universities, non-profits, and individual citizens? These questions will be addressed on Friday, 7 November, from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Fort Science (Pevnost poznání) (in Czech). Speakers include Jan Dobrovský (Memory of Nations), Otakar Foltýn, Ivo Zelinka (Army of the Czech Republic), Martin Kroupa (Post Bellum), Tereza Soušková (Czech Centre in Kyiv), and UP representatives. The event is organized by the Memory of Nations – Central Moravia branch, in cooperation with UP. Admission is 250 CZK; discounted student tickets cost 150 CZK. Tickets available here.

Festival “Days of Jewish Culture” Begins in Olomouc

This year’s 18th edition of the Days of Jewish Culture Olomouc (5–15 November 2025), titled “Never Again!?”, looks back on the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II—and yet it feels more relevant than ever. The festival explores how culture’s reflection of the Shoah trauma has evolved and brings fresh insight into current debates about the meaning of Holocaust memory. In a broader context, it also examines how wartime trauma resonates in the contemporary reality of the Middle East.
Ten days of debates, author readings, theatre, workshops, concerts, and encounters with people who can both inspire and provoke thought. The full program is available on the website or Facebook.

We Invite You to a Screening of the Best Film of This Year’s AFO

On Wednesday, 19 November, at 7:00 p.m., AFO will screen at Sedmička (in Czech) (Sokolská 7) the film Mr. Turtle, which won the award for Best International Popular Science Film at AFO60.
It tells the story of Satish Bhaskar, who has been fascinated since youth by sea turtles—hawksbills and leatherbacks—living in the Indian Ocean. Since 1977, he has actively devoted himself to their study, walking more than 4,000 kilometers along India’s coast to observe them closely. Admission to the screening is free, with no reservation required.

Can You Guess a Random Place on Earth Using Google Street View?

The EGEA Association is looking for a new champion in the game GeoGuessr! The idea of the game is simple: you appear in a random location on Earth through Google Street View. Your task is to figure out where you are based on what you see. The person (or team) who guesses closest to the actual location wins. You can compete in teams of three on 19 November from 6:00 p.m. at the Faculty of Science (17. listopadu 12, room 5.007). For more information and registration: olomouc@egea.eu.

Charity Concert in Support of Mary’s Meals

The TuSu-band is a group of enthusiastic musicians, about 25 students and alumni from various faculties, who sing or play together. Building on the bachelor’s and master’s thesis of their leader (from the Department of Development and Environmental Studies, UP Faculty of Science), which focused on strategies to help children in developing countries, they decided for the second year to support the charity Mary’s Meals, which provides one hot meal a day to schoolchildren in developing countries.
Help them in this effort and come to the concert on 23 November from 3:30 p.m. at the Archbishop’s Palace in Olomouc. Last year, they raised 72,520 CZK, enough to feed 131 children for an entire school year.

COMPETITIONS

Win a New Book on the History of Our University

At a time when revolutions were sweeping across Europe, the California Gold Rush erupted overseas, Pilsner beer was invented in Bohemia, the Victoria Falls were discovered in Africa, and Charles Darwin introduced his theory of evolution in England, the University of Olomouc was living through one of its historical chapters.
This period is newly mapped in the book C. k. Františkova univerzita / 1827–1860 by historians Jiří Fiala and Michael Viktořík. The C. k. František University in Olomouc experienced, during its 33 years of existence, a turbulent part of the so-called long 19th century and saw three emperors.
If you know which emperor temporarily abolished the Olomouc university in 1860, you can send his name by 11 November to vydavatelstvi@upol.cz. If drawn, you will win one of three copies from the Palacký University Press.

Compete with UPoint for Stylish Palacký T-Shirts

In the current contest, you can refresh your wardrobe with an original t-shirt from the Zapomenutá slova Františka Palackého collection. We will give away a t-shirt of the winner's choice to six winners. Just send us an answer to the contest question by Wednesday, November 12, at the email soutez@upol.cz, and the t-shirt could be yours. This time we want to know: In which year was our UPoint shop and information center opened?