Get to know the results of the UP Academic Senate elections

The twenty‑four names for membership in the Academic Senate of Palacký University from May 2026 to May 2029 are now known. UP students and academic staff selected their representatives in online elections in mid‑March, and overall voter turnout at UP was 20.05%. You can find the results in this article and in more detail on the elections website.

Where to take your children on Maundy Thursday? To the university 

Palacký University has prepared a fun or sports programme and a discounted lunch for the children of its employees on Thursday 2 April under the title Children Allowed!. For schoolchildren aged 6 to 12 who have holidays on this day, a leisure‑time programme has been prepared at the Fort Science, AC Baluo and the UP Library. You can find the detailed programme and registration for activities on the Fair University website.

Aurora Newsletter: Science, Innovation, and New Opportunities for Collaboration

The European university alliance Aurora brings more inspiring updates across education and research. The latest newsletter issue highlights topics such as the role of women in science across disciplines, a meeting of Aurora communication experts in Olomouc focused on storytelling and sustainable communication, and the establishment of nine international Communities of Practice. It also features innovative teaching through the LOUIS tool and invites applications to the third open call for international research and education. Discover what opportunities Aurora currently offers to you.

New issue of the Project Service UP bulletin

Numbers, results and stories. Take a look at the Project Service annual report for 2025. We will recall successful defences by UP junior researchers. You should not miss the new EXPRO and Junior STAR calls linked to the transition to the GRITA system. And how can we bring top leaders to the Czech Republic? Read the conclusions from the discussion on the planned Industrial Chairs competition. You can find the new issue on the Project Service UP website. (in Czech)

CHALLENGES

Six Months of Movement: a new university challenge for a more active lifestyle

(Almost) every day starts with a trip to the university – and that is exactly what you can try to change. Join the new university challenge, which will support you in finding simpler, healthier and more active ways of getting to work or to school. Walking, bikes, scooters and public transport all count – in short, every journey without a car. The challenge will run from April to September, every month you can look forward to a small themed challenge and there will also be bike rides and other joint events. Join us: you can find more on the Sustainable University website.

Open your mouth to the whole world and give life!

Open your mouth to the whole world. Give life. Under this slogan, a recruitment campaign of the Czech Registry of Hematopoietic Cell Donors at IKEM to support hematopoietic cell donation will again take place on Thursday 26 March in front of the UP Faculty of Law building. The face of the campaign is Rector Michael Kohajda. Come and sign up between 8:30 and 15:30 and you may one day save someone’s life – the basic criteria are: registration with any Czech health insurance company, age up to 40, perfect health, no health problems and no long‑term medication, and a body weight over 50 kg.

COURSES AND CONFERENCES

How to develop students’ soft skills using the LOUIS tool

How can you, while teaching any subject, simultaneously develop other skills in your students, such as information literacy, creativity or teamwork? Teachers have already been helped with this for several years by the educational tool LOUIS, developed within the Aurora network. Learn how to use it in another of the courses, which this time will take place in June 2026 in Amsterdam. You can register until 2 April. You can find details on the Aurora website.

Metamorphosis: a conference on science popularisation

Do you want to be able to present science so that people really understand it – and enjoy it at the same time? At the Metamorphosis conference (in Czech), held under the umbrella of the Researcher’s Night, you can look forward to two days packed with inspiring lectures, practical workshops, sharing of experience and networking with experts from the Czech Republic and abroad. You will learn how to communicate complex topics effectively and clearly, how to work with audiences, the media and digital tools, and how to build trust in science in society.
The event is intended for researchers, doctoral candidates and students, communication and marketing staff, science popularisers, teachers and everyone who wants to present scientific topics to a wider public in a modern and attractive way.

Return to science: series of workshops on reconciling private and working life

If you are currently returning from maternity or parental leave to an academic and research environment, the UP Human Resources Management Office has prepared a series of workshops for you that can make your return easier and give you more confidence and peace of mind. The first online course, Back to Science!, will already take place on 10 April and is intended for those returning after a career break who need to regain their bearings in the current research environment.

ICOK Startup Academy

Do you want a flying start for your startup? Take advantage of this year’s offer from the Olomouc Region Innovation Centre! Apply with your project by this Friday 27 March. If you are among those selected, you can look forward to a hefty dose of valuable know‑how and contacts with investors as well as experienced figures from the business community. Details and the application form are on the website. (in Czech)

INVITATIONS

Celebrate Czech Easter Traditions with Us!

We warmly invite the entire university community to join us for a delightful cultural event celebrating the charm and richness of Czech Easter traditions. Come and discover unique customs that have been passed down through generations. Learn about the art of decorating traditional Easter eggs (kraslice) and explore the playful tradition of pomlázka, where beautifully braided willow switches symbolize good health, vitality, and the arrival of spring.

Guests will be able to enjoy a selection of traditional Czech Easter treats, including sweet pastries and savory specialties. The event will also feature music, craft stations, and opportunities to try some of the most beloved Czech holiday activities yourself. More information here.

Save the date: UP Sports Day

Get your body moving, recharge your batteries and enjoy a day full of physical activity – the Sports Day of Palacký University returns on Wednesday 13 May 2026! It will offer plenty of indoor and outdoor sports and movement activities for groups and individuals. New features of this year’s edition include a university‑wide dragon boat race and the Olomouc bike ride. Rector’s day off is usually announced for Sports Day, and all physical activities within Sports Day are free of charge for UP staff and students. The programme will gradually appear on the website.

UP Majáles will fill the Letňák Summer Cinema with music

The Olomouc Majáles of Palacký University will for the first time move to the grounds of the open‑air cinema, where it will offer a two‑day programme full of music, culture and student life. Visitors can look forward to concerts by bands such as Vypsaná fiXa, Slavíček or ATMO Music, complemented by theatre, slam poetry, workshops and presentations by student and non‑profit organisations. There will also be the traditional coronation of the Majáles king or queen. Come and enjoy a unique atmosphere, meet inspiring people and experience the university a little differently. Follow olomouckymajales.cz (in Czech), IG or FB.

Repulsive or magical: Who will survive?

On the last weekend of March (28 and 29 March), the Fort Science will host encounters with creatures that inspire both respect and admiration. You can look forward to live animals, unique collections, science curiosities and playful workshops for children. You will, for example, meet the largest and rarest snake in the Czech Republic – the Aesculapian snake, discover the only naturally occurring turtle in Central Europe – the European pond turtle, and find out why the pearl lizard is the largest European lizard. Come and discover who is able to survive in nature as well as in space – you can find the full programme on the Fort Science website. (in Czech)

Exhibition in the botanical garden: the world under an electron microscope

From April, the Botanical Garden of the UP Faculty of Science (in Czech) will open its gates. Come and discover the delicate beauty of spring bulbs, sit by the pond under the only memorial tree (in Czech) on UP grounds and find out how intensely the most fragrant honeysuckle smells. Until 17 April 2026 you can also visit the Structures of the Micro‑World (in Czech) exhibition in the Josef Otruba Hall, which presents detailed forms of cells and fine plant structures.

NEW REGULATIONS

• Lifelong Learning Code at UP – Amendment No. 1
  This amendment to the internal regulation of UP, effective from 16 March 2026, (in Czech) is intended for UP employees and participants in lifelong learning. It responds to Amendment No. 52/2025 Coll. to the Higher Education Act, which designated internationally recognised courses as lifelong learning. It also responds to the statutory addition of recognition of fulfilment of study obligations from lifelong learning corresponding to at most 60% of the number of credits needed for regular completion of studies not only within accredited study programmes but newly also in the field of education for which the higher education institution has institutional accreditation. Furthermore, in a separate article it regulates new lifelong learning programmes awarded with a micro‑credential, introduces two new grading levels for verification of learning outcomes by another announced final or partial form in the sense of passed and not passed. It also updates references to amended UP regulations.
  
  

• Rules of the UP Review Commission – Amendment No. 1
  This amendment to the internal regulation of UP, effective from 16 March 2026, (in Czech) concerns all academic staff and employees of UP and UP students. In connection with the amendment to the Higher Education Act, it reflects terminological changes and extends the possible number of members of the review commission to include associate professors.

  
  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

Flash competition for free tickets to the “Repulsive or magical” event

For this weekend already (28–29 March), the Fort Science is preparing the event “Repulsive or magical” and you can win tickets for two people. The question is: Which animal appears on the event poster? Send your answers by Thursday 26 March 23:59 (!) to the email soutez@upol.cz; on Friday morning we will draw the winner. Write "Pevnost poznani" in the subject.

Enjoy the dm Family Mile within the 1/2 marathon with the university for free!

Thanks to the partnership with the Mattoni 1/2Marathon Olomouc, we are once again offering university employees the opportunity to obtain free registrations for the dm Family Mile, which is a traditional part of the Olomouc half marathon. If you are interested in a registration code, send an email to soutez@upol.cz by Wednesday 1 April stating how many codes you are interested in. Do not forget to include “Rodinná míle” (Family Mile) in the subject line of the email. Given the limited number of free registrations, speed is of the essence!

Win a voucher for Bohemsca

In cooperation with the BOHEMSCA brand, we have prepared a competition for you for a gift voucher worth CZK 2,000 for purchases in the Bohemsca e‑shop. BOHEMSCA offers, for example, lemonades, tonics, kombucha, vitamin water or energy drinks. How to take part? Just send us by Wednesday 1 April an email to soutez@upol.cz with the answer to the question: Which Bohemsca product do you like best and why? Do not forget to include “Bohemsca” in the subject line of the email.

Competition for tickets to Colours of Ostrava

We have prepared a competition for you for 2 tickets to the Colours of Ostrava festival. Tickets are non‑transferable. How to take part? Just send us by Wednesday 1 April an email to soutez@upol.cz with the answer to the question: What is the name of the festival organised by the organisers of Colours of Ostrava, which will take place in Ostrava on 26–27 June? Do not forget to include “Colours of Ostrava” in the subject line of the email. We will draw the winner from the correct answers.

Compete for two tickets to the APA Carnival

Spanish and Mexican specialities, piñatas, a henna stall, the band Fantajm, performances by the Bílá holubice dance group and the crowning of the king and queen are all promised in the programme of the APA Carnival, which, organised by students of the Department of Adapted Physical Activities of the UP Faculty of Physical Culture, will take over the BEA Centre Olomouc on Friday 10 April. With a bit of luck, you can enjoy this colourful evening for just one message. Simply write to the event’s Instagram or Facebook by Thursday 2 April what costume you plan to wear, and two VIP tickets could be yours.