On Tuesday 3 October 2023, the commencement ceremony of the new academic year took place at the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice. On this occasion, the Rector of the University of South Bohemia, Prof. Bohumil Jiroušek, PhD, presented the awards for outstanding pedagogical achievements and popularisation of science for the first time.
At 4 p.m. the new academic year officially started with a special speech by the Rector of the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice in the presence of the USB management, the Rector's Board and other distinguished guests. In his speech, he addressed not only the turbulent events of the previous years, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, Russia's attack on Ukraine, high inflation and fluctuating energy prices but also the successes of the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice in this difficult period.
‘The management of the national pandemic crisis, when we were able to stick together as a University, the Strategic Plan of the University, which steered the University towards 2030, the handling of the evaluation according to the 2017+ methodology in the international evaluation panel in 2020, the implementation of the first meeting of the International Board of USB in 2022, securing the construction and reconstruction of many buildings on and off campus, even though the costs in the construction sector have increased enormously, can be considered a success of the past four years,’ the Rector mentioned in his speech.
In the context of the difficult period, he emphasised the need for cohesion of all faculties of the University of South Bohemia. ‘The overall social situation is not entirely good, a bad mood is spreading through Europe and the Czech Republic, for which governments are not very much to blame, although they could probably communicate better, as we should all listen to others more, not exaggerate our egos. On the other hand, the University of South Bohemia as a whole is in good shape, ready to be among the best not only in the Czech Republic, if we are willing to develop our activities, to look for solutions, not for reasons why it should not work, if we do not kick the ankles of the future management of the university, but try to contribute our part to its successful growth, even in the field of sustainable activities, which also necessarily belong to today's university,’ the Rector urged in his speech.
In conclusion, he thanked not only the management of the University of South Bohemia, but also all the staff and students for handling all stressful situations with detachment and for all the work that everyone does for the benefit of the University as a whole and its individual parts.
The speech of the Rector of the University of South Bohemia was followed by a lecture by Prof. Martin Cajthaml, Ph.D., from the Department of Philosophy and Patrology of the Faculty of Theology of the Cyril and Methodius University in Olomouc on the topic of Rationality of goals and the common good of the university.
At the end of the ceremony, the Rector of the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Prof. Bohumil Jiroušek, PhD, presented the Jarloch Award for outstanding pedagogical achievements and the Jana Anna Kateřina Zátková Award for popularization of science. The commemorative certificates and medals of the newly awarded prizes were created by the representatives of the Department of Art Education of the USB Faculty of Education. The author of the medal of the Jarloch Award for pedagogical activity is Mgr. Olga Divišová and the author of the graphic sheet of the Jan Anna Kateřina Zátková Award for popularisation of science is doc. Lenka Vojtová Vilhelmová, M.F.A. At the same time, the Rector also presented the USB Commemorative Medals for long-standing personal contribution to the development of USB.
Names of the awardees:
Jarloch Award for outstanding pedagogical achievements:
Doc. Ing. Darja Holátová, Ph.D.
RNDr. Magda Zrzavá, Ph.D.
Jana Anna Kateřina Zátková Award for Popularisation of Science:
Mgr. Věra Suchomelová, Th.D.
Doc. Ing. Jan Mráz, Ph.D.
RNDr. Petr Veselý, Ph.D.
Commemorative medal of USB in ČB for many years of personal contribution to the development of USB:
Prof. PhDr. Alena Jaklová, CSc.
Prof. RNDr. Tomáš Polívka, Ph.D.
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