(This content has been translated automatically.)

 

Dear employees, 

 

welcome to the first UP Newsletter of 2026. Over the past month, a lot has happened – winter has begun, the streets of our university town have been covered in snow several times, the Zbrojnice/Armoury was lit up by the Bethlehem Light and three kings on horseback stopped in the courtyard of the Rector’s Office.

Just a few lines below, you will find out what is coming up next and what you should not miss. We bring several important operational updates, opportunities for personal development, invitations, and, of course, competitions with rewards.

WHAT’S GOING ON AT UP

Briefly from the UP Management meeting

At recent management meetings, there was discussion, for example, about the preparation of a new UP Statute. The aim of the new document is not only to ensure compliance with the recently adopted amendment to the Higher Education Act, but also to make it easier to read, more transparent and to streamline processes at UP. From the 2026/27 academic year, UP will start issuing gender‑neutral diplomas. Read the full summary (in Czech) (after logging into the UP Portal). More detailed information will subsequently be available in the minutes of the management meetings in UPShare, as well as in the minutes of meetings of other bodies, in UP regulations and documents and on other information platforms.

The login screen for university systems is changing

In the week starting 19 January 2026, the login method to STAG, the UP Portal and other university systems connected to the single sign‑on system will change. The appearance of the login screen will change, but the username and password will remain the same. On the first screen displayed, the user enters the login name (the so‑called short PortalID, not the full email address) and newly adds @upol.cz after it; on the next screen, they then enter their current password. You can find details including images on the website.

“Do you like going to work?” Let us know by the end of January 2026 

Are you able to fully balance your work and personal life? Do you have enough opportunities at UP to develop your career or grow professionally? Have you ever encountered discrimination in your workplace? The anonymous questionnaire of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, whose results will help university HR professionals further improve the working environment and conditions at UP, has been extended until 30 January and is available also in English.

To FreshUP+ for lunch, a snack, or dinner – Monday to Thursday

Visit the FreshUP+ bistro located in the former canteen on the Josef Jařab Dormitory. It offers the classic range known from other FreshUP bistros – fresh pastries, salads, sandwiches and desserts – as well as freshly prepared short‑order meals, pizza, pasta and various seasonal dishes. From January, its opening hours have been adjusted: Monday–Thursday, 12:00–19:30.

 

The current weekly menu broken down by day is always available on the SKM website and now also directly in the MobilKredit mobile app as one of the canteens (only the offer is displayed there – ordering is not possible; orders and payments are always made on site). Staff and students benefit from special reduced prices.

News from Aurora: new partner and course and mobility offers

The European university network Aurora has a new global partner – Simon Fraser University in Vancouver. In November, academics and students from across Europe met in Olomouc for two courses focused on sustainability. For UP students and staff, various opportunities are currently available for short‑term and semester‑long mobilities as well as online courses in open and citizen science. What else does Aurora do and what can it offer you? You can find out in the latest issue of the Aurora newsletter at UP.

COURSES & WORKSHOPY

Language courses for staff with a discount

Improve your language skills at the UPLIFT Language School at the Faculty of Arts, UP. Group courses for the general public and children’s courses will start on 9 February, and UP employees can benefit from a 10% discount on tuition fees. The current timetable and descriptions of individual courses are available on the website (in Czech). If you have any questions, feel free to contact uplift@upol.cz.

Design the future of cities: apply for a workshop in Naples

Do you want to help tackle real urban sustainability challenges? Are you interested in circular economy, land regeneration and innovative approaches to planning and design? Then the international spring workshop CIRCLE – Circular Infrastructures for Regenerative Cities and Local Ecosystems is just for you. In April 2026, students and academic staff from Aurora alliance universities will meet in Naples to jointly design concrete solutions for sustainable and circular urban transformation. Apply by 26 January and join them!

Are you more interested in the topic of global citizenship? Apply by the end of January for the Aurora Symposium on Global Citizenship, which will take place on 27–29 May 2026 in Amsterdam.

SCIENCE & RESEARCH

Open access: new agreements with publishers

From the beginning of the year, the CzechELib consortium has been concluding new licence agreements with leading scholarly publishers. Thanks to these, our authors can continue to publish articles in open access mode with a discount, or even completely free of charge. In addition to renewed agreements with publishers such as Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, Springer Nature, Wiley, Taylor & Francis and the American Chemical Society, we have newly concluded a multi‑year agreement with Elsevier, which also includes a pre‑paid APC package.

 

Details, including lists of journals and instructions for corresponding authors, will be gradually published on the openscience.upol.cz website. Also follow the consortium’s website czechelib.cz. If you have any questions or uncertainties, contact open@upol.cz.

VOLUNTEERING

Serving coffee in the Oncology Department

From the new year, UP is joining the volunteer project “Coffee in Oncology”, which is organized in cooperation with University Hospital Olomouc and the Ambassador of Oncology Patients. The project offers space for small but meaningful help – volunteers from among UP employees prepare coffee and tea for oncology patients and make their waiting time more pleasant with a kind word and a smile.

Employees from all parts of the university can take part. The event takes place regularly on the fourth Tuesday of every month from 8:30 to 11:30 at the Oncology Clinic of University Hospital Olomouc. Participation is possible by prior arrangement and with the consent of your supervisor. Details and registration are available on the UP Volunteering Centre (in Czech) website.

INVITATIONS

UP Academic Week: 80 years since the restoration of the university 

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the restoration of the Olomouc university after the Second World War, which took place through the adoption of a special law on 21 February 1946. Between 1860 and 1939, only the Faculty of Theology operated in Olomouc, and Czech universities were subsequently closed by the occupation administration of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia.

During the UP Academic Week (from 16 to 22 February), we will commemorate this anniversary, for example, with the Rector's Award Ceremony for the year 2025, the UP Representative Ball or a special university edition of the Pub Quiz. There will also be discounted or free admission to museums, Coffee Monday and the “Donate Blood with the Rector” challenge. As every year, the bells of Olomouc churches will mark this memorable moment. The detailed programme is available at akademickytyden.upol.cz.

UP Representative Ball: Swing rhythms with Erika Stárková

On Friday 20 February, you can look forward to this year’s UP Representative Ball (in Czech), which this time will be held in swing rhythms. You can enjoy the Olomouc big band New Street Orchestra, host and singer Erika Stárková, the cimbalom band Ohnica and DJs Swing Thing and Papa Django (Malalata). The ticket price also includes a generous buffet and a raffle with prizes worth almost two hundred thousand crowns! Details and a link to purchase tickets can be found at ples.upol.cz (in Czech).

NEW STANDARDS

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.

COMPETITIONS

Get free entry to the half marathon 

On Saturday 13 June, Olomouc will turn into one big running arena. The largest half marathon in Moravia – the Mattoni 1/2Maraton Olomouc – will take place right in the streets of the city. Besides the fact that Palacký University is once again a proud partner of the event, you can test your strength against other students and staff in the 5 km race and compete for the UP Rector’s Cup (in Czech). And if you are tempted by the main race, there is also a way to get a free registration! Simply send the correct answer to the competition question to soutez@upol.cz by Wednesday 20 January. Question: What is the name of the women’s winner of the UP Rector’s Cup in the 2025 Olomouc half marathon? Subject line: “Půlmaraton”.

Compete for a fitness voucher

Finally, a quick competition for vouchers for a single entry to the Omega fitness centre. Each selected winner will receive one voucher, which, however, is only valid until 31 January! Send your answer to the question: Where will the Rector's Award Ceremony for the year 2025, which is part of the UP Academic Week, take place? to soutez@upol.cz by 20 January. Subject line: “Omega”.​