Palacký University, Olomouc
Encyclopedia
The Palacký University of Olomouc is the oldest university
in Moravia
and the second-oldest in the Czech Republic. It was established in 1573 as a public university led by the Jesuit order in Olomouc
, which was at that time the capital of Moravia and the seat of the episcopacy
. At first it taught only theology
, but soon the fields of philosophy
, law
and medicine
were added.
After the Bohemian King Joseph II
's reforms in the 1770s the University became increasingly state-directed, while today it is a public university. During the Revolution of 1848
University students and professors played a very active role on the side of democratisation. The conservative King Francis Joseph I closed most of its faculties during the 1850s, but they were reopened by an act of the Interim National Assembly passed on 21 February 1946. This act also extended the name from University of Olomouc to Palacký University of Olomouc, naming it for František Palacký
, a 19th-century Moravia
n historian and politician.
Today the University is an example of an old university in a small town, like Yale University
in New Haven and the University of Tübingen in Tübingen
. The town of Olomouc
has 100,000 inhabitants (and as many again in its suburbs), and some 25,000 University students (including those at Moravian College Olomouc), which is the highest density of university students in Central Europe
. The town itself is very old and picturesque and it is surrounded by sports facilities and nature.
Many notable people have studied there, including Albrecht von Wallenstein
and Gregor Mendel
.
and the second oldest in the Czech Crown lands. Its foundation was an important element of the Counter-Reformation
in Moravia, as the church of Rome began its fight back against Protestantism
. Roughly 90% of the population of the Czech lands
was already Protestant
by the time the Habsburgs took over the throne in 1526. The Protestant Hussites
were working for the provision of universal education, which was a particular challenge for the Catholics. By the middle of the century there was not a single town without a Protestant school in the Czech lands, and many had more than one, mostly with two to six teachers each. In Jihlava
, a principal Protestant center in Moravia, there were six schools: two Czech, two German, one for girls and one teaching in Latin, which was at the level of a high / grammar school
, lecturing on Latin, Greek and Hebrew, Rhetorics, Dialectics, fundamentals of Philosophy and fine arts, as well as religion according to the Lutheran Augustana
. With the University of Prague also firmly in hands of Protestants, the local Catholic church was unable to compete in the field of education. Therefore the Jesuits were invited, with the backing of the Catholic Habsburg rulers, to come to the Czech lands and establish a number of Catholic educational institutions, foremost the Academy in Prague
and the one in Olomouc.
The Olomouc bishop Vilém Prusinovský z Víckova invited the Jesuits to Olomouc in 1566. The Jesuits established a monastery, and then progressively established the Gymnasium (school)
, the Academy, the Priest Seminary, and the Seminary of St. Francis Xavier
For Poor Students.
The college was promoted to University status in 1573, and thence the and the Academy of Nobility were established. The University was closed during plagues
in 1599 and 1623, and during the Bohemian Revolt in the Thirty Years' War. It was ransacked by the Swedish Empire
's armies.
In the counter-reformation
and succeeding decades, it became significantly influential as the Jesuit grip loosened. In 1773, after the dissolution
of the Jesuit order, it was turned into a secular institution run by the State. In the end, it was separated from the Olomouc episcopal institutions and relocated to Brno in 1778. It returned to Olomouc four years later, its status downgraded to that of a lyceum
.
In 1827 it once again was promoted to University status. The short life of this renamed "Franzens University" (1827 – 1860) perhaps eclipses its high scientific standard (especially in natural sciences, law and medicine) and its political importance, particularly in the "Springtime of Peoples" during the Revolutions of 1848 in the Habsburg areas
, when it became the centre of the struggle for national revival
in Moravia. The Habsburg régime retaliated by closing most of the University in the 1850s. Olomouc's university was fully re-established in 1946, inaugurating the modern era of the University.
, dialectic
, rhetoric
and liturgy
. The first Master
, Bohumil, was appointed in 1286. In 1492 the first college dignitary, Heřman, was appointed.
The college was rebuilt by Bishop Marek Khuen z Olomouce in 1564 to provide lectures both to public administrators and to prospective teachers. His successor Vilém Prusinovský z Víckova invited Jesuits to Olomouc in 1566. Several education initiatives rapidly ensued in the city: it is apparent that by 1567 the Jesuits were running the College. The Olomouc episcopacy pledged to finance the college with 500 Tolar
s a year (the amount was raised to 2000 Tolars a year in 1570).
appointed Jan Grodecký to be Bishop of Olomouc and at the same time gave the Olomouc Jesuit College the right to award university degrees. The first Rector was Hurtado Peréz (Mula
, Spain
1526 – Olomouc 1594). University education itself started on 3 October 1576, when the Englishman George Warr started to lecture on philosophy. In the same year the first students were officially enrolled in the University's registry and the students were "subdued" in an admission ceremony, which was supposed to relieve them of base morals.
In 1578 the authority of the University was expanded by the creation of a special papal seminary ( called in (second Collegium Nordicum was established in Braunsberg; the one in Olomouc lasted until 1741) The previous sphere of responsibility, which had covered Silesia
, Poland, Hungary and the Austrian lands as well as Moravia
, was now broadened to include Germany, Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. The aim of the seminary was to create devoted and well educated catholic priests who would then return to their homelands, and there promote and protect the catholic church's interests and objectives.
In 1581 the University received an Imperial Privilege
from the emperor Rudolf II, whereby degrees awarded by the Jesuit University had the same value as those from any comparable university. At the same time the privilege established university jurisdiction over students and professors, which meant that university members enjoyed a form of clerical immunity and could not face trial before civil courts even in respect of criminal proceedings. In 1582 the Bishop and Jesuits forced Protestant school in Olomouc to close. Meanwhile the bishop, Stanislav Pavlovský, called for the establishment of faculties of law and medicine. He was able to convince the Rector, Bartoloměj Villerius, to support his proposal. Later in the 1588 the emperor Rudolf II, in a document written in the Czech language, gave his support for establishment of all these faculties; however the idea failed at the time due to lack of finance. In 1590 the University had about 600 students, while by 1617 their number exceeded one thousand. In the era before the Battle of White Mountain
Olomouc University was composed of a grouping of connected and comprehensive colleges and dormitories. The areas taught were humaniora (preparation for university-level studies), philosophy (liberal arts
), and theology.
Rudolf II was succeeded in 1612 by his brother, the Emperor Matthias
who sought to install the fiercely Catholic Ferdinand of Styria
on the Bohemian throne
(which was conjoined with that of the March of Moravia
), but in 1618 the Protestant Bohemian and Moravian noblemen, who feared losing religious freedom (two of the Protestant churches being already forcibly closed), started the Bohemian Revolt. Consequently the Jesuits were driven out of Olomouc and the University ceased operating, only to be restored in 1621 after the revolt was crushed. The Jesuits and the University benefited considerably from the defeat of Protestants: most of the Protestant nobles were either executed or expelled after the Revolt and their properties were confiscated. Prior to the Revolt the University was mostly funded from donations of patrons. However, the new Emperor Ferdinand II
gave the University several substantial estates which he had confiscated from the defeated rebels. Foremost among these was the manor of Nový Jičín
which provided a good income. Other properties donated by the Emperor included a farm formerly owned by Jan Adam Prusínovský, a relative of the founder of the Jesuit college. From 1622 the entire education system of the Czech Crown lands was placed under Jesuit control, including even the University of Prague and the University of Wrocław (Silesia
was also a Czech Crown land at the time). By 1631 the University had some 1100 students of which around thirty were annually conferred Doctor of Philosophy
title. The lectures on mathematics allured so wide audience, that they eventually became open to public.
The Thirty Years' War
(1618 – 1648) prevented further development of the University. The Swedish kings wanted to destroy once and for all the bases from which the Catholic Church and the Jesuit Order drew the manpower and economic resources needed for their attempts to reintroduce the spiritual rule of Rome into the Scandinavian North. These were foremost the Jesuit College in Braunsberg, which fell into the Swedish hands in 1626, and Olomouc. The Swedes occupied
Olomouc from 1642 to 1650. They plundered the University's vast library and the population of the town declined from over to . As a result, Olomouc University's most precious relics are now in the National Library of Sweden in Stockholm
, including codices
made under the patronage of Bishop of Olomouc Jindřich Zdíka
.
buildings for the Order and University in order to advertise their newly acquired domination of the Czech lands. This was happening against the background of savage re-Catholization which, along with war and plague saw the population decline from over 3 million to some 800,000 people. Even the Czech language was considered to be heresy
by the Jesuits who were burning books written in Czech: the language was gradually reduced to nothing more than a means of communication between peasants, most of whom were illiterate. The era, generally described as the Dark Age of the Czech Nation, was nevertheless a period of expansion for the Jesuit University of Olomouc: several sciences were now taught at the University, including mathematics
and physics
(by Jakub Kresa
and Jan Tesánek
), and cartography
(by Valentin Stansel
). Hebrew
was also studied. Among notable people connected with the University at the time are the mathematician Jan Marek Marci
and the historian Bohuslav Balbín
.
The make-up of the University changed. Before the war the majority of lecturers were foreigners: now most of them were from Czech Crown lands. The number of students rose to 1,500 in year 1727: in addition to locals there were many students from Hungary
, Lusatia
, Poland
and Lithuania
as well as from Russia
.
Most of the older Protestant nobility having been either killed or expelled, the new Moravian nobility were keen to expand the range of areas taught beyond just theology and philosophy. Despite opposition from the Jesuits, the Emperor Leopold I
authorized the introduction of legal studies in 1679. A vigorous power struggle between the Jesuits and secular legal professors ensued. Several interventions by Emperors were needed to keep the legal studies going during the following decades. Karel Ferdinand Irmler
started to lecture in both canonical and secular law at the University. However, the quarrels with the Rector became so intense that the nobility requested him to teach only secular law. Consequently he was forbidden to give lectures at the University and had to teach in his home, while later professors gave law lectures in the building of Olomouc court. In 1725 the nobility forced the establishment of the — the Academy of Nobility — by the decree of Emperor Charles VI
. By this time the Emperor had compelled the Jesuits to accept without obstruction the study of secular law at the University. The law professors were lecturing at both the University and the Academy (where in addition to law, economics, mathematics, geometry, history and geography along with architecture - both civil and military - were also now available). The Academy remained in Olomouc until 1847, when it was relocated to Brno: here it became the basis for what was later to become the Brno University of Technology
.
(from 1740 to her death in 1780) tertiary education
in the Habsburg Monarchy underwent reform in an effort to put it under state control. At Olomouc the Office of Faculty Directors was established in 1752: the Directors were directly answerable to the Queen. In 1754 there were 10 professors of theology giving lectures to 241 students, 5 professors of philosophy giving lectures to 389 students and 3 professors of law giving lectures to 40 students. The number of students reached its peak in year 1772, when there were altogether 1859 of them.
Meanwhile, in 1746, Faculty of Philosophy alumni Joseph von Petrasch
established the first learned society in the lands under control of Austrian Habsburgs
, the Societas eruditorum incognitorum in terris Austriacis
. Not connected with the University, the Olomouc based Society was publishing the first scientific journal in the monarchy, the Monatliche auszüge.
The power struggle between the empress Maria Theresa and Jesuits escalated in 1765. Until then, the position of University's Rector Magnificus was automatically in the hands of the rector of the Jesuit order. Firstly, the Empress took away the Jesuit's monopoly over the position by imposing that the Rector Magnificus was to be elected by academia. As a theologian was elected Rector Magnificus in 1765, the empress assumed the power and appointed her own favourite, secular professor of law Johann Heinrich Bösenselle
, as the head of university in 1766. Meanwhile, the Empress decided to fortify the town heavily, in line with contemporary practice and reflecting the increased military threat from Prussia
. The consequence of constraining the city within its upgraded fortifications was that scope for commercial development became very restricted. Olomouc's experience was in stark contrast with that of Brno to the south, which was further away from the Silesian war zones
, and which became the centre of the Moravian Industrial Revolution
.
In July 1773, responding to pressure from the new emperor
, Pope Clement XIV
dissolved the Jesuit Order and the University came under intensified state control. Several university buildings were taken over for use by the army, and by the end of 1770s the University was left with only the St. Xavier
's building (currently the Faculty of Theology). At the same time the main language was changed from Latin to German; the Czech language remained in use for lectures to trainee priests, who would need it to communicate with their congregations. Czech gained importance in 1830s as part of the Czech National Revival
.
had become the de facto
capital of Moravia. This fact, as well as dissatisfaction with the University management due to persisting influence of the Church, led to the University relocating there in 1778. In Brno, the number of students declined to mere 575. There were nine professors at the faculty of theology, two at law and four at philosophy (one of which was professor of Political science, which would later become part of the faculty of law).
However, at the end of 1777 the diocese of Olomouc
had been elevated to the status of an archdiocese, and in 1782 the first Archbishop of Olomouc Antonín Theodor Colloredo-Waldsee enforced relocation back by decree of Emperor Joseph II
. At the same time the institution lost its university status, becoming a mere academict Lyceum. The Emperor had decided to retain only three universities, in Prague, Vienna, and Lviv
. Teaching of medicine became a separate field, in which surgeons and obstetricians' assistants were taught.
Significant loss of rights and privileges resulted from the change to an academic Lyceum. Legal jurisdiction over professors and students was no more: in 1783 the right to award Masters and Doctoral degrees was taken over by the Emperor
(Bachelor degrees in philosophy were however awarded until 1821), and lectures were significantly cut back. However, after the death of Joseph II the situation gradually eased. Theology courses were restored to a full five years, while Philosophy was extended to three years and by 1810 Legal Studies took four years. By 1804 the Lyceum had some 730 students, which was comparable with University of Prague's 760. In 1805 studies were temporarily suspended, as many students entered the Army during the Napoleonic Wars
. Another suspension of lectures took place in 1809 because the Lyceum's buildings were taken over to accommodate army personnel. In 1826, there were altogether 26 professors at the Lyceum.
), persuaded the Emperor to promote the Lyceum, which now became the Francis University, with Faculties of Philosophy, Theology, and Law and School of Medicine and Surgery.
The University was again reaching its previous standard. For example in year 1839 there were seven law, seven philosophy and one theology doctoral degrees awarded, while 25 graduates obtained diploma in medicine and surgery. The number of students of Medicine and Surgery rose to some 100 every year, which was the second highest in the lands under control of Austrian Habsburgs (after University of Graz
).
Olomouc became important centre of Czech National awakening. In 1834 the Department of Czech Language and Literature was established at the Academy
.
was welcomed by the university's students and professors. Some 11,000 people lived in Olomouc by this time, which was only a third of estimated population level back in 1600. The local garrison in 1848 nevertheless contained some 5,000 soldiers, which was a powerful anti-revolutionary force. Mostly the students and professors of law and philosophy were supportive of the Revolution, while the theologians distanced themselves from it. In March 1848 the students and professors petitioned the Emperor
requesting, among other things, lectures in the Czech language and extensions to the University's freedoms and privileges. Later during the same month they established armed Academic Legion of 382 men: its first company consisted of lawyers while the second comprised philosophers and members of the medical faculty. Many of these left Olomouc in order to support the actions of revolutionary students in Vienna. Leading revolutionaries from Olomouc University included professors Ignác Jan Hanuš, Jan Helcelet and Andreas Jeitteles. These, together with students, participated in associations and started newspapers in Czech and German. The black-red-golden flag of Burschenschaft
waived over the University buildings.
Although many students were supporting the Revolution regardless of their ethnicity, there was a clear ideological split between the Czech and German partisans as to the aims of the Revolution. While the German faction supported the goal of a "Greater Germany"
, the Czech side favoured some form of democratic federation
of Austrian and Slavic nations. The Czechs took part in the Prague Slavic Congress
while the "Greater Germany" faction joined in the Frankfurt Congress. Growing government alarm was reflected at the Olomouc fortress which was in full combat readiness by July 1848, which was enough to deter revolutionary actions in the town.
By October 1848 the Revolution in this region had been defeated, and indeed the Emperor with his court moved
to Olomouc where, at the archbishop's palace, he abdicated in favour of his nephew
in December 1848. At the University, supporters of Revolution were persecuted, while many who had remained conservative (including, notably, Theology Faculty members) would in the longer term benefit from their restraint.
brought retribution from the government in Vienna. In 1851, as the régime regained self-confidence, growing government intolerance of dissent
and the subsequent decline in student numbers led to the closure of the Faculty of Philosophy. The Faculty of Law, which in 1849 had actually started teaching in the Czech language, was closed at the start of the 1855/56 academic year. In 1860 Emperor Franz Joseph I
closed virtually the whole university. Only the independent Faculty of Theology and the independent University Library remained open, for nearly another eighty years, until, following the German invasion
, all the Czech Universities were closed
in November 1939. The School of Surgery also survived the emperor's decree in 1860, but closed in 1873. The historic maces
from the late 16th century along with the Rector's Chain from the 19th century were transferred to the University of Innsbruck. Many years later Innsbruck, in 1998, donated an exact copy of the Rector's Mace to Palacký University, but it is still, in 2011, using the Olomouc University original maces and other regalia
as its own ceremonial equipment.
There were efforts to reopen the University during 1890's and again, after the establishment of an independent Czechoslovakia
, in 1918, but all these attempts failed.
The Communist takeover in 1948
led to changes that would affect all Czech universities. Palacký University was hit by the persecutions, but since the university had only recently reopened, relatively few members of the Palacký academic community were affected. Nevertheless, in 1950 the Faculty of Theology was closed again, reflecting the Communist government's mistrust of the churches. The establishment in 1952 of the Olomouc School of Education (with faculties of Social Sciences and Natural Sciences) was followed by a gradual closure of the Faculty of Philosophy and Faculty of Education. Therefore in years 1954-1958 the Palacký University had only Faculty of Medicine. The School of Education was itself closed in 1958, re-establishing once again the University's Faculty of Philosophy, and affiliating the Faculty of Science. The Faculty of Education was created later in 1964: the University, as in earlier centuries, once again consisted of four faculties.
During the Prague Spring
, which attracted much international attention in 1968, many members of the Palacký academic community took part in democratisation efforts, seeking to move the ruling totalitarian dictatorship towards socialist democracy. The movement was crushed and the reforms reversed when combined Warsaw Pact armies from the Soviet Union, Bulgaria, East Germany, Hungary and Poland
invaded Czechoslovakia. Soviet military occupation followed. At this time the Union of University Students of Bohemia and Moravia, a new student organisation, was established at Olomouc, and later organised student strikes in Autumn 1968. At the same time efforts were made to restore the Faculty of Theology, but they failed and it remained no more than a branch of the Charles University Theological Faculty of Litoměřice
, and was forced to shut down again in 1974.
The Communist regime's efforts to "restore order" in a so-called Normalization
process between 1969 and1989, involved mass purges of academic staff, which in one way or another affected one lecturer in four.
In 1989 the Student Strike Committee was the only Velvet Revolution
movement in Olomouc.
Today the University comprises 8 faculties with some students.
The University is also the patron of the annual Academia Film Olomouc
festival and Olomouc Festival of Film Animation.
There is no faculty of technology, as there are three technological universities within about hour's drive from Olomouc (Technical University
in Ostrava
to the North, University of Technology
in Brno
to the South and Tomáš Baťa University
in Zlín
to the East).
While historically the Faculty was preparing future priests, its mission was extended in 1992. The Faculty offers Bachelor's degree
s and Master's degree
s in Theology, in Catholic Pedagogy run in collaboration with the Faculty of Education, and in Social and Charitative Work run in collaboration with College of Social Work Olomouc. It also offeres Doctorates of Theology
in three fields as well as lifelong learning
.
In the year 2000 a student of the Faculty Václav Novák uncovered child sex abuse case of Catholic priest František Merta
. Novák also alleged, that the archbishop of Olomouc
Jan Graubner
was aware of the abuse, but instead of involving the state authorities he covered evidence and introduced policy of transferring abusive priests to different parishes. While František Merta was convicted, Jan Graubner's involvement has been never substantially proven. Václav Novák was later that year kicked out of the Faculty for alleged non-fulfilment of study duties, while Novák asserted that his exclusion is in fact punishment for uncovering Graubner's participation in the child sex abuse case.
In the academic year 2010/11 there were students, with a faculty:student ratio of 1:53.
As the Czech Republic has one of the least religious populations in the world, the Catholic Church faces lack of Czechs interested in being ordinated as priests. Shortages of Czech priest students and priests both generally and at the Faculty of Theology are balanced by their importation from other countries, foremost from Poland
.
in the traditional sense) was established three years after the Olomouc College got University rights. Englishman George Warr professed the first lecture on logics on 3 October 1576. From the beginning it was teaching the liberal arts, the Trivium (grammar, rhetoric, dialectics) which led to the Baccalaureus degree, and the Quadrivium
(arithmetic, music, geometry and astronomy) which led to the Magister degree. Sharing the fate of Theological faculty in years 1618-1621, it saw a great revival with not so much the field of philosophy, but the fields of science, mathematics, physics, astronomy, cartography and finally also genetics being pursued by notable persons connected to the Faculty (however these fields are today read at the Faculty of Science). Following the Olomouc University students' participation in 1848 revolution
the Faculty of Philosophy was the first one to be suppressed by the Habsurgs in 1851. It was reestablished in 1946. With 1953 establishment of the School of Education of Olomouc the Palacký University Faculty of Philosophy was dissolved until being reopened in 1958.
Today its students can study more than 600 combinations of subjects in the large spectrum of humanities
, social sciences
, linguistics
and arts integration
. Some may be studied by distance education
, and others are also offered as lifelong learning
.
The Philosophical Faculty offers Bachelor's
and Master's degree
s in Philology
of Chinese
, Czech
, Dutch, English
, French, German
, Italian, Japanese, Latin
, Polish
, Portuguese, Russian
, Spanish and Ukrainian
. In the field of languages it further offers degrees on English
, French
, Dutch
, Polish
, Russian
, Ukrainian
and Japanese
, all of them with specialization in Applied economics
. There are further studies of History
, Musicology
, Psychology
, the Theory and History of the Dramatic Arts, the Theory and History of the Visual Arts, Political Science
and European Studies
, Euroculture as Erasmus Mundus
programme, Adult Education
, Philosophy
, Sociology
, Archives Keeping, Journalism
, Social sciences, Jewish studies
and many of other programmes.
Students who plan to teach at secondary schools can obtain the required qualifications by passing courses in pedagogy and psychology during late part of their study.
The Faculty offers doctoral studies
in Czech Language
, Czech Literature
, French Literature
, Romance Languages
, German Language
, German Literature
, English
and American Literature
, English Language
, Russian Language
, Polish Language
, History - Czech and Slovak History, General History
, Auxiliary Historical Sciences
, Political Science
, Sociology
, Clinical Psychology
, Educational psychology
, Andragogy
, Theory of Literature, Theory and History of Literature, Theatre and Film, Theory and History of Fine Arts, Theory and History of Music.
The Centre for Distance Learning, together with other departments, offers a wide range of activities for the general public (e.g. courses of graphology, courses for social workers, etc.).
In 2011 the faculty had students. In 2010 about people registered for the entrance examinations.
The Faculty also provides courses for international students. The Summer School of Slavic Languages has a long tradition and a very good reputation.
was read at the Faculty of Theology since 1667, it was especially the Moravian Nobility, which pursued establishment of secular Professorate of Law in 1679 by a decree of Emperor Leopold I
. The first Olomouc professor of law was Karel Ferdinand Irmler
. The secular legal studies faced very strong opposition from the Jesuits: initially the professors taught at private premises, while later the lectures were held at the Olomouc Court of Law. Large number of Emperors' interventions was needed to secure continuation of legal studies in following decades. Since 1709 the Olomouc University law professors were appointed directly by the Emperor, in 1714 the Jesuits were forced to accept secular legal lectures within the University grounds. The situation improved after establishment of the Academy of Nobility in 1725 (law professors taught at both the University and Academy). In 1732 Olomouc became the first law school in the Habsburg monarchy to teach Fief and Public law
at an independent department
. Later, in 1755, the lectures were extended to cover also international
and natural law
. In 1766 the first non-Jesuit University Rector was appointed - the professor of law Johann Heinrich Bösenselle
.
In 1760s the Olomouc law school became the centre of the Enlightenment in the Habsburg Monarchy
with professor Josef Vratislav Monse
as its most important figure facing very strong opposition of the Jesuits. In 1778 the Professorate was elevated to Directorate, and it officially became fully fledged Faculty of Law in 1784, entering its best era before 1848 Revolution. The professors and students of law were the main force of the Revolution in Olomouc.
Being forced to shut down by the Habsburg régime
at the beginning of study year 1855/1856, it was re-established by the Olomouc University Restoration Act of 1946, however in fact the Faculty could be reopened only following the Velvet Revolution
, in 1991. In its new era, the Faculty became one of the pioneers of clinical legal education
in the Continental Europe
.
In 1996 it was the first law school in Central Europe
to introduce legal clinic
s and even now it is the only faculty in the Czech Republic that provides to its students wide range of clinical education. The clinics were quickly expanded and improved, especially after 2006 thanks to a project to advance practical education, which gained financial support from both the Czech national budget and from the European Social Fund
. In 2011 there were more than 15 clinical subjects.
The Faculty offers four programes: a five-year-long Master's degree
in Law and Legal Theory, a three-year-long Bachelor's degree
in Legal specialisation aimed at public administration
workers, a two-year-long postgraduate Master's degree
in European studies with focus on European law (offered also as double degree
with University of Salzburg
Faculty of Law) and a doctorate
in Theoretical legal science . The degree (JUDr.) may be also obtained.
In 2010, 300 students were accepted to the five-year Law course out of applicants. The bachelor courses accept about 130 students each year, with the European studies program accepting 50. In 2011 students of Law in aggregate totalled ; the student-teacher ratio was 83.
The Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry offers six-year-long Masters programs of General Medicine and five-year-long programs of Dentistry
. Both programs may be studied completely either in Czech
or English
. The faculty also offers 23 doctoral programs in Czech and English.
Practical education is carried out mostly at the Olomouc Faculty Hospital. The hospital is with its 1407 beds and 49 departments and clinics (year 2010) the largest one in Olomouc Region
. It was established in 1892 and opened four years later. It's Eye Clinic was the place of the world's first successful tissue transplantation in 1905 (performed by Eduard Konrad Zirm
). During the years 1992-2004 it was enlarged and modernised and today it is one of the most modern Czech hospitals. A construction of a new department called BIOMEDREG will begin in 2010. It will focus on cancer and infectious deceases research and treatment and is scheduled to open in 2013.
The faculty's long-term research and development focuses on four fields: oncology
, heart disease
and vein disorders
, experimental toxicology
and pharmacology
, and organ transplant
s. The research teams focus on molecular biology
, immunology
and epidemiology
.
In the academic year 2008/2009 there were students of General Medicine (180 of them studying in English), 450 students of dentistry, and 360 doctoral students.
the interim Czechoslovak Parliament passed the law which created educational faculties in existing universities (the ones in other universities were closed by the German occupiers
in 1939).
Being established 1946 the Faculty of Education was educating future teachers of kindergarten and primary and secondary schools, as well as providing courses for those already teaching. Education of prospective secondary school teachers was done jointly with the Faculty of Philosophy (in the fields of music, drawing and physical arts). 1953 brought complete reform of teacher training methods. The Faculty became the base for the newly established School of Education (separate of the University), so between 1954 and 1964 the Faculty in its former sense did not exist. Teacher training for kindergartens and the first four years of primary education was conducted by the universities, while prospective teachers of Years 5 to 8. of primary schools were educated in specialist higher schools (there was none of this type in Olomouc). In 1960 the so called "Educational Institutes" were established to educate prospective primary school teachers. Another reform of 1964 transformed these institutes into Faculties of Education and integrated them into the existing universities. This opened the current period of the Faculty's history. Since 1990 the Faculty has specialised foremost in education of prospective primary- and secondary-school teachers.
The Faculty of Education provides tertiary education to prospective teachers of kindergarten
s, grammar school
s, secondary school
s and other pedagogical and educational establishments. It also educates public employees of both the government and quango
sectors. The Faculty offers Bachelor's degree
s, Master's degree
s and Doctorates of Philosophy
, as well as appointing Professors.
In 2011 there were students of the faculty; the number of freshmen
was and there were 1347 graduates; there were also students of other forms of education forms such as life-long learning. The faculty has a student-teacher ratio of 184.1.
The Faculty of Science is oriented to research and offers Bachelor's degree
s, Master's degree
s and Doctorates of Philosophy
in various fields such as mathematics
, physics
, chemistry
, biology
, Earth science
s, and so on. Since 2009 the faculty has residence in a new building not far from the city center, between the Faculty of Law and the University halls of residence. The biology workshops and some laboratories are situated on their own small campus at the south-east edge of the city.
In 2009 there were students studying at the faculty; the number of freshmen
was while there were 713 graduates. The faculty has 333 academic employees and other 600 non-academic workers.
(PE), Physical therapy
, recreation
and public security
. These may be studied in three-year-long Bachelor's and 2-year-long postgraduate Master's programmes. The faculty also has the doctoral program of Kinanthropology
.
Its research efforts focus in fields of issues and prevention of physical, mental and sociological health of a man in relation to physical activities; basic problems of the human motor system
, its diagnosis and improvement; methodological problems of education of PE; development of new fields and finding solutions issues of specific fields.
With the Neředín hall of residence (used mostly by foreign students) the Faculty's buildings constitute a small campus on the western outskirts of the city.
In 2011 there were students at the faculty; the number of freshmen
was 873 while there were 367 graduates.
Since 1992 the Faculty of Medicine had offered bachelor programmes of Nursing and Therapeutic Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy. In 1996 the Institute of Nursing Practice and Theory was established at the faculty. This act of separation was supported by Virginia Commonwealth University
and led to the empowerment of the field. Since 2000 the Masters program of Economics and Management of Health Services has been taught. In 2002 other fields were added such as Obstetric Assistant. In 2003 a vice-dean for these fields was appointed for the first time. In 2006 the faculty's structure changed by the creation of the Center of Health (Non-Physician) Fields, which later became the base for the Faculty of Health Sciences.
In 2011 there were 815 students at the faculty.
, dance
, callanetics
, firearms shooting
, and martial arts
to team sport
s, paintball
, equestrianism
and golf
.
There are several University buildings provided for these activities. The University Sports Hall meets Olympic Games
requirements for volleyball
, basketball
and handball
matches. The whole complex of outdoor sports grounds together with the University docks appertain to the hall. Another gymnasium is at the buildings of the Faculty of Physical Culture (on the Neředín campus), and another is next to the Olomouc Hockey Stadium. Others are within halls of residence.
University sport championships are not major events in the Czech Republic as they are in the United States
for example. So many students' sporting life is connected more with Olomouc town (especially when it comes to supporting a team); different Olomouc sport clubs play in national and international leagues, such SK Sigma Olomouc
and 1. HFK Olomouc
(soccer), HC Olomouc
(ice hockey), and Skokani Olomouc (baseball).
Most University buildings have free Wi-Fi
, while nearly every dormitory room has a high speed wired LAN
connection.
The Swedish occupation of Olomouc from 1642 to 1650 led to total ruination of the Library. Everything that had any value was stolen (including codices
made under the patronage of the Bishop of Olomouc Jindřich Zdíka
), while the rest was destroyed. Altogether some 100 wagons fully loaded with books and scripts were dispatched to Sweden. As a result, Olomouc University's most precious relics are now in the National Library of Sweden in Stockholm
. The Library was nevertheless restored relatively rapidly after the Swedes left.
Under the Jesuits the Library was open only to the University's lecturers and students. Following the dissolution of the order in 1773 it was reconstituted as the Public University Library, with the stress on more widely shared access. At the same time library funds from Moravian Jesuit Colleges that had been closed down were transferred to Olomouc University Library. Later on, funds from dissolved monasteries also found their way into the same budget.
The Library continued in operation, together with the Faculty of Theology, after the University was closed down in 1860: this has ensured some continuity between the old and re-established universities in Olomouc. When the University was closed, the library held over 250,000 volumes. Then, the Library's responsibilities included holding a copy of everything printed in Moravia (and for part of the period in Silesia). This would support the rapid and efficient development of scientific work after the re-establishment of University in 1946.
Initially, in 1946 he University Library remained under the direct control of Ministry of Culture. It was renamed the Scientific Library of Olomouc in 1960 and placed under regional control, it retained, and still retains, the function of a public University Library. It is still administered separately from the University.
Nowadays the University Library itself is divided between the Central Library and a series of specialist libraries, most of them attached to the appropriate university faculty.
The Central Library, known as the Armoury , is situated in the historic building of the former Theresian
Artillery armoury almost in the town centre, directly in front of the Archbishop's Palace and next to the University Rectory and Philosophy Faculty.
In the Campaigns of 1742, the Habsburg Monarchy
lost most of Silesia
and Kłodzko (now in Poland
) which were both Lands under the Czech Crown prior to 1742. Olomouc suddenly found itself close to the frontier with Prussia. The Empress Maria Theresa
therefore decided to fortify the town. Olomouc's fortifications were extensively upgraded to match contemporary weapons. The artillery armoury became part of the fortification. Military considerations received absolute priority, and the Armoury was built right next to the Archbishop's palace: ecclesiastical buildings (such as the former Academy of Noblemen) were even demolished to make space for it. Construction of the Armoury was completed in 1771.
Strictly symmetrical both inside and out, the building is relatively large, featuring the military architecture characteristic of the period. Today the armoury is recognized as one of the most important buildings in Olomouc.
The Armoury was used by the military until 1989 (the Czech Army Joint Forces still have their headquasters in Olomouc today). After the Velvet Revolution
, the armoury became the property of the University: it was then decided to accommodate the information centre in it. However, the building was in very poor condition and needed extensive reconstruction.
Reconstruction started in 1992 and in 1997 the Central Library opened. However, it was not until 2000 that the building works were finished and the whole building could be opened. The Central Library occupies about half of the Armoury, while the rest is occupied by the Centre for Information Technologies, the University Press, the University Archive and the Eurocentre.
The British Centre Library is housed on the university grounds and run by the British Council
.
There are rooms with one single bed, or two or three of them; some rooms are equipped with double beds. Most of the halls of residence are either close to the city centre (by the new Faculty of Science building) or on the outskirts, at the Neředín campus of Faculty of Physical Culture, while there are some buildings in other parts of town. Internet connections, intranet telephone lines, kitchens, study rooms and washing mashines are standard equipment.
Compared to other Czech universities, the student-bed ratio is relatively low (there are usually more beds than students). Although for the first couple of weeks of an academic year all beds are taken, within a month or two there are free beds. Therefore the University can accommodate almost all those who want them, whereas many other Czech universities can provide room only for freshmen. Many students prefer to rent flats, because the rents are about the same as for halls of residence.
As the University is self-governing, and halls of residence are part of the University, there is also the Halls of Residence Council. Students in halls vote for representatives (usually one for each building) to safeguard their rights. For example, the Halls of Residence Bureau needs the Council's approval in case of price increase, or if it wants to evict a student for order disturbances.
The Scientific-Technical Park
aims to bridge the gap between the academical-scientific world and private business, to use the university research potential in cooperation with private companies. It also helps starting entrepreneur
s through its Incubator of Entrepreneurship. Special attention is paid to fields of nanotechnology
, biotechnology
and information technology
. It also manages the catalogue of University apparatus and services to make it accessible to private companies.
The University Press focuses especially on publishing the scientific and research activities of the University. It publishes and distributes works on subjects which are too specialized or have too narrow reader constituency to appeal to commercial publishers, as well as publishing study books, study texts and professional journals. In 2009 it had 28 employees and published 252 new releases and 343 other releases.
(1678 – 1735), alumnus of the Faculty of Philosophy, who was the first Czech sinologist
. He wrote a treatise on Chinese music and was also the author of the first precise map of Beijing
.
Czech universities have a long tradition of self-governance and independence from state interference, which goes back to the Middle Ages. Today, self-governance is assured by the University Education Act No. 111/1998 (the Act deals only with public universities). The following governance bodies are similar for all Czech public universities.
are elected separately. Each faculty is represented by two lecturers and one student (independent of the number of faculty students).
The Academical Senate has the most important role in the life of the University, as most acts of other university administration are either governed by rules and regulations adopted by the Senate (such as the Statute of University) or require the approval of the Senate (such as the yearly budget of the University). The Senate adopts internal regulations, it controls the use of University finances and property, and following the rector's proposal it appoints and dismisses members of the Scientific Board, Disciplinary Commission, and so on.
The Senate also nominates a candidate for the position of Rector (who is appointed by the President of the Czech Republic
). The nomination must be agreed by a simple majority of all Senators, while a dismissal must be agreed by at least three fifths of all Senators. The vote to elect or repeal a Rector is secret, while other Senate votes are open. A senator may not also be the Rector, Vice-rector, a Faculty Dean or a Vice-dean.
The 2011-2014 leadership is:
The Palacký Academical Senate has also two commissions: the Economic Commission and the Legislative Commission.
. The term of office is four years and a person may hold it for at most two consecutive terms.
The Rector appoints vice-rectors, who act as deputies to the extent the Rector determines. Rectors' salaries are determined directly by the Minister of Education.
The first Rector was in 1573 Hurtado Pérez. Until 1765, the position of Rector Magnificus was automatically in the hands of the rector of Jesuit Order. The first non-jesuit Rector was in 1766 Johann Heinrich Bösenselle. Among the most notable rectors are the founder of modern Moravian historiography
Josef Vratislav Monse
or Slovenia
n philosopher Franz Samuel Karpe
. The current Rector is Professor Miroslav Mašláň. He has appointed seven vice-rectors, one of them being the previous Rector: Professor Lubomír Dvořák
(now Vice-Rector for Regional Development).
In July 2010, the Board had 36 members, 22 of them being professors, the rest (except one) being docents.
of the students and they propose the verdicts to the respective faculty Dean.
transactions, establishing other legal personalities
for the university, the transfer of money or property between them, and so on) and it gives its opinion on the University budget, long-term University objectives, and so on. Members are appointed by the Minister of Education (after discussion with the Rector) for a period of six years; one third of the council is appointed every two years. Members represent the general public, municipal and regional authorities as well as state administration. University employees cannot be Council members. Sessions take place at least twice a year. Election of the chairman, vice-chairman and rules of procedure are set by the University Statute
Among the fifteen members of Palacký University Administrative Council are Jan Březina
MEP
, Archbishop of Olomouc Jan Graubner
, and Olomouc Region
Governor Martin Tesařík.
is responsible for the management and administration of the University and also represents the University to the extent determined by the Rector, who appoints and revokes the Bursar. As of July 2010 the office is held by Henrieta Crkoňová.
. Nevertheless the internal affairs of faculties are run by their respective self-governing bodies, which have similar rules and functions as those at the University level. Each faculty therefore has a Faculty Senate (also with students' and lecturers' curia
), which among other things nominates the Dean (appointed by the Rector). As mentioned before, disciplinary misdemeanours are tried by the Faculty Disciplinary Commissions, while issues concerning study programmes are dealt with by the Faculty Scientific Boards. Each faculty has a Secretary instead of a Bursar.
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
in Moravia
Moravia
Moravia is a historical region in Central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, and one of the former Czech lands, together with Bohemia and Silesia. It takes its name from the Morava River which rises in the northwest of the region...
and the second-oldest in the Czech Republic. It was established in 1573 as a public university led by the Jesuit order in Olomouc
Olomouc
Olomouc is a city in Moravia, in the east of the Czech Republic. The city is located on the Morava river and is the ecclesiastical metropolis and historical capital city of Moravia. Nowadays, it is an administrative centre of the Olomouc Region and sixth largest city in the Czech Republic...
, which was at that time the capital of Moravia and the seat of the episcopacy
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Olomouc
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Olomouc is an archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in the Czech Republic. Not much is known about the beginnings of the Diocese of Olomouc...
. At first it taught only theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
, but soon the fields of philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
, law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
and medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
were added.
After the Bohemian King Joseph II
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Joseph II was Holy Roman Emperor from 1765 to 1790 and ruler of the Habsburg lands from 1780 to 1790. He was the eldest son of Empress Maria Theresa and her husband, Francis I...
's reforms in the 1770s the University became increasingly state-directed, while today it is a public university. During the Revolution of 1848
Revolutions of 1848 in the Habsburg areas
From March 1848 through July 1849, the Habsburg Austrian Empire was threatened by revolutionary movements. Much of the revolutionary activity was of a nationalist character: the empire, ruled from Vienna, included Austrian Germans, Hungarians, Slovenes, Poles, Czechs, Slovaks, Ruthenians,...
University students and professors played a very active role on the side of democratisation. The conservative King Francis Joseph I closed most of its faculties during the 1850s, but they were reopened by an act of the Interim National Assembly passed on 21 February 1946. This act also extended the name from University of Olomouc to Palacký University of Olomouc, naming it for František Palacký
František Palacký
František Palacký was a Czech historian and politician.-Biography:...
, a 19th-century Moravia
Moravia
Moravia is a historical region in Central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, and one of the former Czech lands, together with Bohemia and Silesia. It takes its name from the Morava River which rises in the northwest of the region...
n historian and politician.
Today the University is an example of an old university in a small town, like Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in New Haven and the University of Tübingen in Tübingen
Tübingen
Tübingen is a traditional university town in central Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated south of the state capital, Stuttgart, on a ridge between the Neckar and Ammer rivers.-Geography:...
. The town of Olomouc
Olomouc
Olomouc is a city in Moravia, in the east of the Czech Republic. The city is located on the Morava river and is the ecclesiastical metropolis and historical capital city of Moravia. Nowadays, it is an administrative centre of the Olomouc Region and sixth largest city in the Czech Republic...
has 100,000 inhabitants (and as many again in its suburbs), and some 25,000 University students (including those at Moravian College Olomouc), which is the highest density of university students in Central Europe
Central Europe
Central Europe or alternatively Middle Europe is a region of the European continent lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe...
. The town itself is very old and picturesque and it is surrounded by sports facilities and nature.
Many notable people have studied there, including Albrecht von Wallenstein
Albrecht von Wallenstein
Albrecht Wenzel Eusebius von Wallenstein , actually von Waldstein, was a Bohemian soldier and politician, who offered his services, and an army of 30,000 to 100,000 men during the Danish period of the Thirty Years' War , to the Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II...
and Gregor Mendel
Gregor Mendel
Gregor Johann Mendel was an Austrian scientist and Augustinian friar who gained posthumous fame as the founder of the new science of genetics. Mendel demonstrated that the inheritance of certain traits in pea plants follows particular patterns, now referred to as the laws of Mendelian inheritance...
.
History
The University is the oldest in MoraviaMoravia
Moravia is a historical region in Central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, and one of the former Czech lands, together with Bohemia and Silesia. It takes its name from the Morava River which rises in the northwest of the region...
and the second oldest in the Czech Crown lands. Its foundation was an important element of the Counter-Reformation
Counter-Reformation
The Counter-Reformation was the period of Catholic revival beginning with the Council of Trent and ending at the close of the Thirty Years' War, 1648 as a response to the Protestant Reformation.The Counter-Reformation was a comprehensive effort, composed of four major elements:#Ecclesiastical or...
in Moravia, as the church of Rome began its fight back against Protestantism
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
. Roughly 90% of the population of the Czech lands
Czech lands
Czech lands is an auxiliary term used mainly to describe the combination of Bohemia, Moravia and Czech Silesia. Today, those three historic provinces compose the Czech Republic. The Czech lands had been settled by the Celts , then later by various Germanic tribes until the beginning of 7th...
was already Protestant
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
by the time the Habsburgs took over the throne in 1526. The Protestant Hussites
Unity of the Brethren
The Unity of the Brethren is a Christian denomination whose roots are in the pre-reformation work of priest and philosopher Jan Hus, who was martyred in 1415.-History in Bohemia:...
were working for the provision of universal education, which was a particular challenge for the Catholics. By the middle of the century there was not a single town without a Protestant school in the Czech lands, and many had more than one, mostly with two to six teachers each. In Jihlava
Jihlava
Jihlava is a city in the Czech Republic. Jihlava is a centre of the Vysočina Region, situated on the Jihlava river on the ancient frontier between Moravia and Bohemia, and is the oldest mining town in the Czech Republic, ca. 50 years older than Kutná Hora.Among the principal buildings are the...
, a principal Protestant center in Moravia, there were six schools: two Czech, two German, one for girls and one teaching in Latin, which was at the level of a high / grammar school
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
, lecturing on Latin, Greek and Hebrew, Rhetorics, Dialectics, fundamentals of Philosophy and fine arts, as well as religion according to the Lutheran Augustana
Augsburg Confession
The Augsburg Confession, also known as the "Augustana" from its Latin name, Confessio Augustana, is the primary confession of faith of the Lutheran Church and one of the most important documents of the Lutheran reformation...
. With the University of Prague also firmly in hands of Protestants, the local Catholic church was unable to compete in the field of education. Therefore the Jesuits were invited, with the backing of the Catholic Habsburg rulers, to come to the Czech lands and establish a number of Catholic educational institutions, foremost the Academy in Prague
Clementinum
The Clementinum is a historic complex of buildings in Prague. Until recently the complex hosted the National, University and Technical libraries, the City Library also being located nearby on Mariánské Náměstí. The Technical library and the Municipal library have moved to the Prague National...
and the one in Olomouc.
The Olomouc bishop Vilém Prusinovský z Víckova invited the Jesuits to Olomouc in 1566. The Jesuits established a monastery, and then progressively established the Gymnasium (school)
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
, the Academy, the Priest Seminary, and the Seminary of St. Francis Xavier
Francis Xavier
Francis Xavier, born Francisco de Jasso y Azpilicueta was a pioneering Roman Catholic missionary born in the Kingdom of Navarre and co-founder of the Society of Jesus. He was a student of Saint Ignatius of Loyola and one of the first seven Jesuits, dedicated at Montmartre in 1534...
For Poor Students.
The college was promoted to University status in 1573, and thence the and the Academy of Nobility were established. The University was closed during plagues
Bubonic plague
Plague is a deadly infectious disease that is caused by the enterobacteria Yersinia pestis, named after the French-Swiss bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin. Primarily carried by rodents and spread to humans via fleas, the disease is notorious throughout history, due to the unrivaled scale of death...
in 1599 and 1623, and during the Bohemian Revolt in the Thirty Years' War. It was ransacked by the Swedish Empire
Swedish Empire
The Swedish Empire refers to the Kingdom of Sweden between 1561 and 1721 . During this time, Sweden was one of the great European powers. In Swedish, the period is called Stormaktstiden, literally meaning "the Great Power Era"...
's armies.
In the counter-reformation
Counter-Reformation
The Counter-Reformation was the period of Catholic revival beginning with the Council of Trent and ending at the close of the Thirty Years' War, 1648 as a response to the Protestant Reformation.The Counter-Reformation was a comprehensive effort, composed of four major elements:#Ecclesiastical or...
and succeeding decades, it became significantly influential as the Jesuit grip loosened. In 1773, after the dissolution
Dissolution
Dissolution or dissolve may refer to:* Dissolution , in law, means to end a legal entity or agreement such as a marriage, adoption, or corporation...
of the Jesuit order, it was turned into a secular institution run by the State. In the end, it was separated from the Olomouc episcopal institutions and relocated to Brno in 1778. It returned to Olomouc four years later, its status downgraded to that of a lyceum
Lyceum
The lyceum is a category of educational institution defined within the education system of many countries, mainly in Europe. The definition varies between countries; usually it is a type of secondary school.-History:...
.
In 1827 it once again was promoted to University status. The short life of this renamed "Franzens University" (1827 – 1860) perhaps eclipses its high scientific standard (especially in natural sciences, law and medicine) and its political importance, particularly in the "Springtime of Peoples" during the Revolutions of 1848 in the Habsburg areas
Revolutions of 1848 in the Habsburg areas
From March 1848 through July 1849, the Habsburg Austrian Empire was threatened by revolutionary movements. Much of the revolutionary activity was of a nationalist character: the empire, ruled from Vienna, included Austrian Germans, Hungarians, Slovenes, Poles, Czechs, Slovaks, Ruthenians,...
, when it became the centre of the struggle for national revival
Czech National Revival
Czech National Revival was a cultural movement, which took part in the Czech lands during the 18th and 19th century. The purpose of this movement was to revive Czech language, culture and national identity...
in Moravia. The Habsburg régime retaliated by closing most of the University in the 1850s. Olomouc's university was fully re-established in 1946, inaugurating the modern era of the University.
Before the University
Education in Olomouc had a long tradition before the Jesuit College obtained University status. As early as 1249 a school was established by the Bishop of Olomouc Bruno ze Šamberka. Lectures covered grammarGrammar
In linguistics, grammar is the set of structural rules that govern the composition of clauses, phrases, and words in any given natural language. The term refers also to the study of such rules, and this field includes morphology, syntax, and phonology, often complemented by phonetics, semantics,...
, dialectic
Dialectic
Dialectic is a method of argument for resolving disagreement that has been central to Indic and European philosophy since antiquity. The word dialectic originated in Ancient Greece, and was made popular by Plato in the Socratic dialogues...
, rhetoric
Rhetoric
Rhetoric is the art of discourse, an art that aims to improve the facility of speakers or writers who attempt to inform, persuade, or motivate particular audiences in specific situations. As a subject of formal study and a productive civic practice, rhetoric has played a central role in the Western...
and liturgy
Liturgy
Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
. The first Master
Master (college)
A Master is the title of the head of some colleges and other educational institutions. This applies especially at some colleges and institutions at the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge .- See also :* Master A Master (or in female form Mistress) is the title of the head of some...
, Bohumil, was appointed in 1286. In 1492 the first college dignitary, Heřman, was appointed.
The college was rebuilt by Bishop Marek Khuen z Olomouce in 1564 to provide lectures both to public administrators and to prospective teachers. His successor Vilém Prusinovský z Víckova invited Jesuits to Olomouc in 1566. Several education initiatives rapidly ensued in the city: it is apparent that by 1567 the Jesuits were running the College. The Olomouc episcopacy pledged to finance the college with 500 Tolar
Tolar
Tolar is the Czech name for the silver coin mined in Bohemia in 16th century in Údolí Svatého Jáchyma . The modern word dollar was derived from the Spanish dollars, so called in the English speaking world because they were of similar size, and weight to the German Thalers...
s a year (the amount was raised to 2000 Tolars a year in 1570).
Founding of the Jesuit University
On 22 December 1573 Maximilian I, Holy Roman EmperorMaximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor
Maximilian I , the son of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor and Eleanor of Portugal, was King of the Romans from 1486 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1493 until his death, though he was never in fact crowned by the Pope, the journey to Rome always being too risky...
appointed Jan Grodecký to be Bishop of Olomouc and at the same time gave the Olomouc Jesuit College the right to award university degrees. The first Rector was Hurtado Peréz (Mula
Mula, Spain
Mula is a municipality in the center of the autonomous community of Region of Murcia in southeastern Spain, with nearly 17,076 inhabitants . It is best-known for the tamboradas held during the Holy Week...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
1526 – Olomouc 1594). University education itself started on 3 October 1576, when the Englishman George Warr started to lecture on philosophy. In the same year the first students were officially enrolled in the University's registry and the students were "subdued" in an admission ceremony, which was supposed to relieve them of base morals.
In 1578 the authority of the University was expanded by the creation of a special papal seminary ( called in (second Collegium Nordicum was established in Braunsberg; the one in Olomouc lasted until 1741) The previous sphere of responsibility, which had covered Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
, Poland, Hungary and the Austrian lands as well as Moravia
Moravia
Moravia is a historical region in Central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, and one of the former Czech lands, together with Bohemia and Silesia. It takes its name from the Morava River which rises in the northwest of the region...
, was now broadened to include Germany, Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. The aim of the seminary was to create devoted and well educated catholic priests who would then return to their homelands, and there promote and protect the catholic church's interests and objectives.
In 1581 the University received an Imperial Privilege
Privilege
A privilege is a special entitlement to immunity granted by the state or another authority to a restricted group, either by birth or on a conditional basis. It can be revoked in certain circumstances. In modern democratic states, a privilege is conditional and granted only after birth...
from the emperor Rudolf II, whereby degrees awarded by the Jesuit University had the same value as those from any comparable university. At the same time the privilege established university jurisdiction over students and professors, which meant that university members enjoyed a form of clerical immunity and could not face trial before civil courts even in respect of criminal proceedings. In 1582 the Bishop and Jesuits forced Protestant school in Olomouc to close. Meanwhile the bishop, Stanislav Pavlovský, called for the establishment of faculties of law and medicine. He was able to convince the Rector, Bartoloměj Villerius, to support his proposal. Later in the 1588 the emperor Rudolf II, in a document written in the Czech language, gave his support for establishment of all these faculties; however the idea failed at the time due to lack of finance. In 1590 the University had about 600 students, while by 1617 their number exceeded one thousand. In the era before the Battle of White Mountain
Battle of White Mountain
The Battle of White Mountain, 8 November 1620 was an early battle in the Thirty Years' War in which an army of 30,000 Bohemians and mercenaries under Christian of Anhalt were routed by 27,000 men of the combined armies of Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor under Charles Bonaventure de Longueval,...
Olomouc University was composed of a grouping of connected and comprehensive colleges and dormitories. The areas taught were humaniora (preparation for university-level studies), philosophy (liberal arts
Liberal arts
The term liberal arts refers to those subjects which in classical antiquity were considered essential for a free citizen to study. Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic were the core liberal arts. In medieval times these subjects were extended to include mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy...
), and theology.
Rudolf II was succeeded in 1612 by his brother, the Emperor Matthias
Matthias, Holy Roman Emperor
Matthias of Austria was Holy Roman Emperor from 1612, King of Hungary and Croatia from 1608 and King of Bohemia from 1611...
who sought to install the fiercely Catholic Ferdinand of Styria
Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand II , a member of the House of Habsburg, was Holy Roman Emperor , King of Bohemia , and King of Hungary . His rule coincided with the Thirty Years' War.- Life :...
on the Bohemian throne
Kingdom of Bohemia
The Kingdom of Bohemia was a country located in the region of Bohemia in Central Europe, most of whose territory is currently located in the modern-day Czech Republic. The King was Elector of Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution in 1806, whereupon it became part of the Austrian Empire, and...
(which was conjoined with that of the March of Moravia
March of Moravia
The March or Margraviate of Moravia, was a marcher state, sometimes de facto independent and varyingly within the power of the Duchy, later Kingdom of Bohemia...
), but in 1618 the Protestant Bohemian and Moravian noblemen, who feared losing religious freedom (two of the Protestant churches being already forcibly closed), started the Bohemian Revolt. Consequently the Jesuits were driven out of Olomouc and the University ceased operating, only to be restored in 1621 after the revolt was crushed. The Jesuits and the University benefited considerably from the defeat of Protestants: most of the Protestant nobles were either executed or expelled after the Revolt and their properties were confiscated. Prior to the Revolt the University was mostly funded from donations of patrons. However, the new Emperor Ferdinand II
Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand II , a member of the House of Habsburg, was Holy Roman Emperor , King of Bohemia , and King of Hungary . His rule coincided with the Thirty Years' War.- Life :...
gave the University several substantial estates which he had confiscated from the defeated rebels. Foremost among these was the manor of Nový Jičín
Nový Jicín
Nový Jičín is a town in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. It has ca. 26,500 inhabitants. The city is situated on the spurs of the Carpathian Mountains about from the Czech Republic's 3rd biggest city, Ostrava...
which provided a good income. Other properties donated by the Emperor included a farm formerly owned by Jan Adam Prusínovský, a relative of the founder of the Jesuit college. From 1622 the entire education system of the Czech Crown lands was placed under Jesuit control, including even the University of Prague and the University of Wrocław (Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
was also a Czech Crown land at the time). By 1631 the University had some 1100 students of which around thirty were annually conferred Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
title. The lectures on mathematics allured so wide audience, that they eventually became open to public.
The Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
(1618 – 1648) prevented further development of the University. The Swedish kings wanted to destroy once and for all the bases from which the Catholic Church and the Jesuit Order drew the manpower and economic resources needed for their attempts to reintroduce the spiritual rule of Rome into the Scandinavian North. These were foremost the Jesuit College in Braunsberg, which fell into the Swedish hands in 1626, and Olomouc. The Swedes occupied
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
Olomouc from 1642 to 1650. They plundered the University's vast library and the population of the town declined from over to . As a result, Olomouc University's most precious relics are now in the National Library of Sweden in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, including codices
Codex
A codex is a book in the format used for modern books, with multiple quires or gatherings typically bound together and given a cover.Developed by the Romans from wooden writing tablets, its gradual replacement...
made under the patronage of Bishop of Olomouc Jindřich Zdíka
Henry Zdík
Henry Zdík was bishop of Olomouc from 1126 to 1150.In 1141 Zdik with papal authorization undertook a mission against the Prussians....
.
Revival and expansion after the Thirty Years' War
After the war ended the Jesuits started an extensive construction programme, building a series of imposing BaroqueBaroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
buildings for the Order and University in order to advertise their newly acquired domination of the Czech lands. This was happening against the background of savage re-Catholization which, along with war and plague saw the population decline from over 3 million to some 800,000 people. Even the Czech language was considered to be heresy
Heresy
Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...
by the Jesuits who were burning books written in Czech: the language was gradually reduced to nothing more than a means of communication between peasants, most of whom were illiterate. The era, generally described as the Dark Age of the Czech Nation, was nevertheless a period of expansion for the Jesuit University of Olomouc: several sciences were now taught at the University, including mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
and physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
(by Jakub Kresa
Jakub Kresa
Jakub Kresa, , was one of the most important Czech mathematicians of the Baroque era.-Early life:Jakub Kresa was born into a smallholder's family at Smržice, not far from Prostějov. He studied at the Jesuit gymnasium in Brno. There he proved to be an extraordinary student...
and Jan Tesánek
Jan Tesánek
Jan Tesánek was a Bohemian scholar and author of scientific literature.Tesánek studied a gymnasium in Prague and later at Faculty of Philosophy of Charles University. In 1745, he became a Jesuit and studied mathematics, physics and astronomy under Joseph Stepling. Stepling introduced Tesánek to...
), and cartography
Cartography
Cartography is the study and practice of making maps. Combining science, aesthetics, and technique, cartography builds on the premise that reality can be modeled in ways that communicate spatial information effectively.The fundamental problems of traditional cartography are to:*Set the map's...
(by Valentin Stansel
Valentin Stansel
Valentin Stansel was a Czech Jesuit astronomer who worked in Brazil.-Biography:Stansel was born in Olomouc, Moravia. He entered the Society of Jesus on 1 October 1637, and taught rhetoric and mathematics at University of Olomouc and in Prague...
). Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
was also studied. Among notable people connected with the University at the time are the mathematician Jan Marek Marci
Jan Marek Marci
Jan Marek Marci , or Johannes Marcus Marci, was a Bohemian doctor and scientist, rector of the University of Prague, and official physician to the Holy Roman Emperors...
and the historian Bohuslav Balbín
Bohuslav Balbín
Bohuslav Balbín was a Czech writer and Jesuit, the "Bohemian Pliny," whose Vita beatae Joannis Nepomuceni martyris was published in Prague, 1670,...
.
The make-up of the University changed. Before the war the majority of lecturers were foreigners: now most of them were from Czech Crown lands. The number of students rose to 1,500 in year 1727: in addition to locals there were many students from Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, Lusatia
Lusatia
Lusatia is a historical region in Central Europe. It stretches from the Bóbr and Kwisa rivers in the east to the Elbe valley in the west, today located within the German states of Saxony and Brandenburg as well as in the Lower Silesian and Lubusz voivodeships of western Poland...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
as well as from Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
.
Most of the older Protestant nobility having been either killed or expelled, the new Moravian nobility were keen to expand the range of areas taught beyond just theology and philosophy. Despite opposition from the Jesuits, the Emperor Leopold I
Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
| style="float:right;" | Leopold I was a Holy Roman Emperor, King of Hungary and King of Bohemia. A member of the Habsburg family, he was the second son of Emperor Ferdinand III and his first wife, Maria Anna of Spain. His maternal grandparents were Philip III of Spain and Margaret of Austria...
authorized the introduction of legal studies in 1679. A vigorous power struggle between the Jesuits and secular legal professors ensued. Several interventions by Emperors were needed to keep the legal studies going during the following decades. Karel Ferdinand Irmler
Karel Ferdinand Irmler
Karel Ferdinand Irmler was a Moravian lawyer and the first professor of secular law at University of Olomouc.Irmler was born on March 18, 1650 in Olomouc to a family of local physician. He studied at the Faculty of Philosophy of University of Olomouc and Law at the University of Prague, where he...
started to lecture in both canonical and secular law at the University. However, the quarrels with the Rector became so intense that the nobility requested him to teach only secular law. Consequently he was forbidden to give lectures at the University and had to teach in his home, while later professors gave law lectures in the building of Olomouc court. In 1725 the nobility forced the establishment of the — the Academy of Nobility — by the decree of Emperor Charles VI
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles VI was the penultimate Habsburg sovereign of the Habsburg Empire. He succeeded his elder brother, Joseph I, as Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia , Hungary and Croatia , Archduke of Austria, etc., in 1711...
. By this time the Emperor had compelled the Jesuits to accept without obstruction the study of secular law at the University. The law professors were lecturing at both the University and the Academy (where in addition to law, economics, mathematics, geometry, history and geography along with architecture - both civil and military - were also now available). The Academy remained in Olomouc until 1847, when it was relocated to Brno: here it became the basis for what was later to become the Brno University of Technology
Brno University of Technology
Brno University of Technology is a university located in Brno, Czech Republic...
.
Under state control
During the rule of Queen Maria Theresa of AustriaMaria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina was the only female ruler of the Habsburg dominions and the last of the House of Habsburg. She was the sovereign of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, Mantua, Milan, Lodomeria and Galicia, the Austrian Netherlands and Parma...
(from 1740 to her death in 1780) tertiary education
Tertiary education
Tertiary education, also referred to as third stage, third level, and post-secondary education, is the educational level following the completion of a school providing a secondary education, such as a high school, secondary school, university-preparatory school...
in the Habsburg Monarchy underwent reform in an effort to put it under state control. At Olomouc the Office of Faculty Directors was established in 1752: the Directors were directly answerable to the Queen. In 1754 there were 10 professors of theology giving lectures to 241 students, 5 professors of philosophy giving lectures to 389 students and 3 professors of law giving lectures to 40 students. The number of students reached its peak in year 1772, when there were altogether 1859 of them.
Meanwhile, in 1746, Faculty of Philosophy alumni Joseph von Petrasch
Joseph von Petrasch
Joseph Leopold Freiherr von Petrasch was a soldier, a writer and a philologist...
established the first learned society in the lands under control of Austrian Habsburgs
Habsburg Monarchy
The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
, the Societas eruditorum incognitorum in terris Austriacis
Societas eruditorum incognitorum in terris Austriacis
Societas eruditorum incognitorum in terris Austriacis was the first learned society in the lands under control of Austrian Habsburgs. It was established, formally, in 1746 at the university and episcopal town of Olomouc in order to spread Enlightenment ideas...
. Not connected with the University, the Olomouc based Society was publishing the first scientific journal in the monarchy, the Monatliche auszüge.
The power struggle between the empress Maria Theresa and Jesuits escalated in 1765. Until then, the position of University's Rector Magnificus was automatically in the hands of the rector of the Jesuit order. Firstly, the Empress took away the Jesuit's monopoly over the position by imposing that the Rector Magnificus was to be elected by academia. As a theologian was elected Rector Magnificus in 1765, the empress assumed the power and appointed her own favourite, secular professor of law Johann Heinrich Bösenselle
Johann Heinrich Bösenselle
Johann Heinrich Bösenselle, , , was a lawyer, professor of law and Rector of University of Olomouc.Originally from Westphalia, Johann Heinrich Bösenselle assumed position of Professor of Law at University of Olomouc in 1751. Bösenselle, together with Professor of Law Josef Antonín Sommer , strived...
, as the head of university in 1766. Meanwhile, the Empress decided to fortify the town heavily, in line with contemporary practice and reflecting the increased military threat from Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
. The consequence of constraining the city within its upgraded fortifications was that scope for commercial development became very restricted. Olomouc's experience was in stark contrast with that of Brno to the south, which was further away from the Silesian war zones
Silesian Wars
The Silesian Wars were a series of wars between Prussia and Austria for control of Silesia. They formed parts of the larger War of the Austrian Succession and Seven Years' War. They eventually ended with Silesia being incorporated into Prussia, and Austrian recognition of this...
, and which became the centre of the Moravian Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
.
In July 1773, responding to pressure from the new emperor
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Joseph II was Holy Roman Emperor from 1765 to 1790 and ruler of the Habsburg lands from 1780 to 1790. He was the eldest son of Empress Maria Theresa and her husband, Francis I...
, Pope Clement XIV
Pope Clement XIV
Pope Clement XIV , born Giovanni Vincenzo Antonio Ganganelli, was Pope from 1769 to 1774. At the time of his election, he was the only Franciscan friar in the College of Cardinals.-Early life:...
dissolved the Jesuit Order and the University came under intensified state control. Several university buildings were taken over for use by the army, and by the end of 1770s the University was left with only the St. Xavier
Francis Xavier
Francis Xavier, born Francisco de Jasso y Azpilicueta was a pioneering Roman Catholic missionary born in the Kingdom of Navarre and co-founder of the Society of Jesus. He was a student of Saint Ignatius of Loyola and one of the first seven Jesuits, dedicated at Montmartre in 1534...
's building (currently the Faculty of Theology). At the same time the main language was changed from Latin to German; the Czech language remained in use for lectures to trainee priests, who would need it to communicate with their congregations. Czech gained importance in 1830s as part of the Czech National Revival
Czech National Revival
Czech National Revival was a cultural movement, which took part in the Czech lands during the 18th and 19th century. The purpose of this movement was to revive Czech language, culture and national identity...
.
Temporary relocation: the university downgraded
By the closing decades of the eighteenth century BrnoBrno
Brno by population and area is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, the largest Moravian city, and the historical capital city of the Margraviate of Moravia. Brno is the administrative centre of the South Moravian Region where it forms a separate district Brno-City District...
had become the de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
capital of Moravia. This fact, as well as dissatisfaction with the University management due to persisting influence of the Church, led to the University relocating there in 1778. In Brno, the number of students declined to mere 575. There were nine professors at the faculty of theology, two at law and four at philosophy (one of which was professor of Political science, which would later become part of the faculty of law).
However, at the end of 1777 the diocese of Olomouc
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Olomouc
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Olomouc is an archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in the Czech Republic. Not much is known about the beginnings of the Diocese of Olomouc...
had been elevated to the status of an archdiocese, and in 1782 the first Archbishop of Olomouc Antonín Theodor Colloredo-Waldsee enforced relocation back by decree of Emperor Joseph II
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Joseph II was Holy Roman Emperor from 1765 to 1790 and ruler of the Habsburg lands from 1780 to 1790. He was the eldest son of Empress Maria Theresa and her husband, Francis I...
. At the same time the institution lost its university status, becoming a mere academict Lyceum. The Emperor had decided to retain only three universities, in Prague, Vienna, and Lviv
Lviv University
The Lviv University or officially the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv is the oldest continuously operating university in Ukraine...
. Teaching of medicine became a separate field, in which surgeons and obstetricians' assistants were taught.
Significant loss of rights and privileges resulted from the change to an academic Lyceum. Legal jurisdiction over professors and students was no more: in 1783 the right to award Masters and Doctoral degrees was taken over by the Emperor
Joseph II
Joseph II may refer to:*Joseph II *Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor Austria*Patriarch Joseph II of Constantinople *Pope Joseph II of Alexandria...
(Bachelor degrees in philosophy were however awarded until 1821), and lectures were significantly cut back. However, after the death of Joseph II the situation gradually eased. Theology courses were restored to a full five years, while Philosophy was extended to three years and by 1810 Legal Studies took four years. By 1804 the Lyceum had some 730 students, which was comparable with University of Prague's 760. In 1805 studies were temporarily suspended, as many students entered the Army during the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
. Another suspension of lectures took place in 1809 because the Lyceum's buildings were taken over to accommodate army personnel. In 1826, there were altogether 26 professors at the Lyceum.
University status restored
Attempts to restore the Lyceum to full university status finally succeeded in 1827, when the Cardinal Archbishop of Olomouc, Rudolf Johannes Joseph Rainier von Habsburg-Lothringen (brother of the Emperor Francis IIFrancis II, Holy Roman Emperor
Francis II was the last Holy Roman Emperor, ruling from 1792 until 6 August 1806, when he dissolved the Empire after the disastrous defeat of the Third Coalition by Napoleon at the Battle of Austerlitz...
), persuaded the Emperor to promote the Lyceum, which now became the Francis University, with Faculties of Philosophy, Theology, and Law and School of Medicine and Surgery.
The University was again reaching its previous standard. For example in year 1839 there were seven law, seven philosophy and one theology doctoral degrees awarded, while 25 graduates obtained diploma in medicine and surgery. The number of students of Medicine and Surgery rose to some 100 every year, which was the second highest in the lands under control of Austrian Habsburgs (after University of Graz
University of Graz
The University of Graz , a university located in Graz, Austria, is the second-largest and second-oldest university in Austria....
).
Olomouc became important centre of Czech National awakening. In 1834 the Department of Czech Language and Literature was established at the Academy
Collegium Nobilium
-Olomouc:Following the Thirty Years' War, the education in Moravia was firmly in the hands of Jesuits. Moravian nobility were keen to expand the range of areas taught at the University of Olomouc beyond just theology and philosophy. Despite opposition from the Jesuits, the Emperor Leopold I...
.
Olomouc University in the year of revolutions
The 1848 revolutionRevolutions of 1848 in the Habsburg areas
From March 1848 through July 1849, the Habsburg Austrian Empire was threatened by revolutionary movements. Much of the revolutionary activity was of a nationalist character: the empire, ruled from Vienna, included Austrian Germans, Hungarians, Slovenes, Poles, Czechs, Slovaks, Ruthenians,...
was welcomed by the university's students and professors. Some 11,000 people lived in Olomouc by this time, which was only a third of estimated population level back in 1600. The local garrison in 1848 nevertheless contained some 5,000 soldiers, which was a powerful anti-revolutionary force. Mostly the students and professors of law and philosophy were supportive of the Revolution, while the theologians distanced themselves from it. In March 1848 the students and professors petitioned the Emperor
Ferdinand I of Austria
Ferdinand I was Emperor of Austria, President of the German Confederation, King of Hungary and Bohemia , as well as associated dominions from the death of his father, Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor, until his abdication after the Revolutions of 1848.He married Maria Anna of Savoy, the sixth child...
requesting, among other things, lectures in the Czech language and extensions to the University's freedoms and privileges. Later during the same month they established armed Academic Legion of 382 men: its first company consisted of lawyers while the second comprised philosophers and members of the medical faculty. Many of these left Olomouc in order to support the actions of revolutionary students in Vienna. Leading revolutionaries from Olomouc University included professors Ignác Jan Hanuš, Jan Helcelet and Andreas Jeitteles. These, together with students, participated in associations and started newspapers in Czech and German. The black-red-golden flag of Burschenschaft
Burschenschaft
German Burschenschaften are a special type of Studentenverbindungen . Burschenschaften were founded in the 19th century as associations of university students inspired by liberal and nationalistic ideas.-History:-Beginnings 1815–c...
waived over the University buildings.
Although many students were supporting the Revolution regardless of their ethnicity, there was a clear ideological split between the Czech and German partisans as to the aims of the Revolution. While the German faction supported the goal of a "Greater Germany"
German question
The German question was a debate in the 19th century, especially during the Revolutions of 1848, over the best way to achieve the Unification of Germany. From 1815–1871, a number of 37 independent German-speaking states existed within the German Confederation...
, the Czech side favoured some form of democratic federation
Austroslavism
Austroslavism was a political concept and program aimed to solve problems of Slavic peoples in the Austrian Empire.It was most influential among Czech liberals around the middle of the 19th century...
of Austrian and Slavic nations. The Czechs took part in the Prague Slavic Congress
Prague Slavic Congress, 1848
The Prague Slavic Congress of 1848 took place in Prague between June 2 and June 12, 1848. It was one of several times that voices from all Slav populations of Central Europe were heard in one place...
while the "Greater Germany" faction joined in the Frankfurt Congress. Growing government alarm was reflected at the Olomouc fortress which was in full combat readiness by July 1848, which was enough to deter revolutionary actions in the town.
By October 1848 the Revolution in this region had been defeated, and indeed the Emperor with his court moved
Vienna Uprising
The Vienna Uprising or October Revolution of October 1848 was the last uprising in the Austrian Revolution of 1848....
to Olomouc where, at the archbishop's palace, he abdicated in favour of his nephew
Franz Joseph I of Austria
Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I was Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia, King of Croatia, Apostolic King of Hungary, King of Galicia and Lodomeria and Grand Duke of Cracow from 1848 until his death in 1916.In the December of 1848, Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria abdicated the throne as part of...
in December 1848. At the University, supporters of Revolution were persecuted, while many who had remained conservative (including, notably, Theology Faculty members) would in the longer term benefit from their restraint.
Decline and closure
The university came out of the revolution as essentially bilingual (Czech and German) institution. In due course the university's support for the democratisation and the Czech National RevivalCzech National Revival
Czech National Revival was a cultural movement, which took part in the Czech lands during the 18th and 19th century. The purpose of this movement was to revive Czech language, culture and national identity...
brought retribution from the government in Vienna. In 1851, as the régime regained self-confidence, growing government intolerance of dissent
Absolutism (European history)
Absolutism or The Age of Absolutism is a historiographical term used to describe a form of monarchical power that is unrestrained by all other institutions, such as churches, legislatures, or social elites...
and the subsequent decline in student numbers led to the closure of the Faculty of Philosophy. The Faculty of Law, which in 1849 had actually started teaching in the Czech language, was closed at the start of the 1855/56 academic year. In 1860 Emperor Franz Joseph I
Franz Joseph I of Austria
Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I was Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia, King of Croatia, Apostolic King of Hungary, King of Galicia and Lodomeria and Grand Duke of Cracow from 1848 until his death in 1916.In the December of 1848, Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria abdicated the throne as part of...
closed virtually the whole university. Only the independent Faculty of Theology and the independent University Library remained open, for nearly another eighty years, until, following the German invasion
German occupation of Czechoslovakia
German occupation of Czechoslovakia began with the Nazi annexation of Czechoslovakia's northern and western border regions, known collectively as the Sudetenland, under terms outlined by the Munich Agreement. Nazi leader Adolf Hitler's pretext for this effort was the alleged privations suffered by...
, all the Czech Universities were closed
International Students' Day
International Students' Day is an international observance of student community, held annually on November 17.Taking the day differently than its original meaning, a number of universities mark it, sometimes on a day other than November 17, for a nonpolitical celebration of the multiculturalism of...
in November 1939. The School of Surgery also survived the emperor's decree in 1860, but closed in 1873. The historic maces
Ceremonial mace
The ceremonial mace is a highly ornamented staff of metal or wood, carried before a sovereign or other high official in civic ceremonies by a mace-bearer, intended to represent the official's authority. The mace, as used today, derives from the original mace used as a weapon...
from the late 16th century along with the Rector's Chain from the 19th century were transferred to the University of Innsbruck. Many years later Innsbruck, in 1998, donated an exact copy of the Rector's Mace to Palacký University, but it is still, in 2011, using the Olomouc University original maces and other regalia
Regalia
Regalia is Latin plurale tantum for the privileges and the insignia characteristic of a Sovereign.The word stems from the Latin substantivation of the adjective regalis, 'regal', itself from Rex, 'king'...
as its own ceremonial equipment.
There were efforts to reopen the University during 1890's and again, after the establishment of an independent Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
, in 1918, but all these attempts failed.
Restoration of the University
On 21 February 1946 the Interim National Assembly passed the Olomouc University Restoration Act, which anticipated restoration of Faculties of Theology, Law, Medicine, Philosophy. Exactly one year later, the University was reopened, with no Faculty of Law but one of Education, which was established by a separate Act of 9 April 1946.The Communist takeover in 1948
Czechoslovak coup d'état of 1948
The Czechoslovak coup d'état of 1948 – in Communist historiography known as "Victorious February" – was an event late that February in which the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, with Soviet backing, assumed undisputed control over the government of Czechoslovakia, ushering in over four decades...
led to changes that would affect all Czech universities. Palacký University was hit by the persecutions, but since the university had only recently reopened, relatively few members of the Palacký academic community were affected. Nevertheless, in 1950 the Faculty of Theology was closed again, reflecting the Communist government's mistrust of the churches. The establishment in 1952 of the Olomouc School of Education (with faculties of Social Sciences and Natural Sciences) was followed by a gradual closure of the Faculty of Philosophy and Faculty of Education. Therefore in years 1954-1958 the Palacký University had only Faculty of Medicine. The School of Education was itself closed in 1958, re-establishing once again the University's Faculty of Philosophy, and affiliating the Faculty of Science. The Faculty of Education was created later in 1964: the University, as in earlier centuries, once again consisted of four faculties.
During the Prague Spring
Prague Spring
The Prague Spring was a period of political liberalization in Czechoslovakia during the era of its domination by the Soviet Union after World War II...
, which attracted much international attention in 1968, many members of the Palacký academic community took part in democratisation efforts, seeking to move the ruling totalitarian dictatorship towards socialist democracy. The movement was crushed and the reforms reversed when combined Warsaw Pact armies from the Soviet Union, Bulgaria, East Germany, Hungary and Poland
Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia
On the night of 20–21 August 1968, the Soviet Union and her main satellite states in the Warsaw Pact – Bulgaria, the German Democratic Republic , Hungary and Poland – invaded the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic in order to halt Alexander Dubček's Prague Spring political liberalization...
invaded Czechoslovakia. Soviet military occupation followed. At this time the Union of University Students of Bohemia and Moravia, a new student organisation, was established at Olomouc, and later organised student strikes in Autumn 1968. At the same time efforts were made to restore the Faculty of Theology, but they failed and it remained no more than a branch of the Charles University Theological Faculty of Litoměřice
Litomerice
Litoměřice is a town at the junction of the rivers Elbe and Ohře in the north part of the Czech Republic, approximately 64 km northwest of Prague....
, and was forced to shut down again in 1974.
The Communist regime's efforts to "restore order" in a so-called Normalization
Normalization (Czechoslovakia)
In the history of Czechoslovakia, normalization is a name commonly given to the period 1969 to about 1987. It was characterized by initial restoration of the conditions prevailing before the reform period led by Alexander Dubček , first of all, the firm rule of the Communist Party of...
process between 1969 and1989, involved mass purges of academic staff, which in one way or another affected one lecturer in four.
In 1989 the Student Strike Committee was the only Velvet Revolution
Velvet Revolution
The Velvet Revolution or Gentle Revolution was a non-violent revolution in Czechoslovakia that took place from November 17 – December 29, 1989...
movement in Olomouc.
Today the University comprises 8 faculties with some students.
The University is also the patron of the annual Academia Film Olomouc
Academia Film Olomouc
Academia Film Olomouc is the international festival of science documentary films held annually in April under the patronage of the Palacký University, Olomouc, Czech Republic...
festival and Olomouc Festival of Film Animation.
Timeline
- 1573–1773: The Jesuit University. Gymnasium, initially Philosophy and Theology faculties, later also Law and Medicine
- 1773–1782: The State University. From 1778 to 1782 the University is temporarily relocated to BrnoBrnoBrno by population and area is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, the largest Moravian city, and the historical capital city of the Margraviate of Moravia. Brno is the administrative centre of the South Moravian Region where it forms a separate district Brno-City District...
. - 1782–1827: The Lyceum. After its return to Olomouc, the University has its status reduced to a Lyceum.
- 1827–1860: The Emperor Francis University. Emperor Francis IIFrancis II, Holy Roman EmperorFrancis II was the last Holy Roman Emperor, ruling from 1792 until 6 August 1806, when he dissolved the Empire after the disastrous defeat of the Third Coalition by Napoleon at the Battle of Austerlitz...
promotes Lyceum to University, Emperor Francis Joseph I dissolves the University. - 1861–1946: Only the Faculty of Theology remains, independent of the University proper. (closed by Germans 1939-1945)
- 1946: The Palacký University. The Palacký University Restoration Act of February 2 restores the university with Faculties of Theology, Law, Medicine and Philosophy.
- 1947, February 2: One year after the Restoration Act is passed, the University is opened with Faculties of Theology, Medicine, Philosophy and a Faculty of Education established by a separate act.
- 1950: The Faculty of Theology is dissolved.
- 1953: The School of Education is established with Faculties of Social Sciences and Natural Sciences. Later the Faculties of Education and Philosophy are dissolved.
- 1958: The Faculty of Science is established and the Faculty of Philosophy restored. Teacher training continues at the Educational Institute until its dissolution in 1964.
- 1964: The Faculty of Education is restored.
- 1968: The Faculty of Theology restores its function as a branch of Charles University Theological Faculty of LitoměřiceLitomericeLitoměřice is a town at the junction of the rivers Elbe and Ohře in the north part of the Czech Republic, approximately 64 km northwest of Prague....
- 1974: The Faculty of Theology is once again shut down by force.
- 1989: The university has Faculties of Medicine, Philosophy, Education and Science. Another three Faculties are to be established after the Velvet revolutionVelvet RevolutionThe Velvet Revolution or Gentle Revolution was a non-violent revolution in Czechoslovakia that took place from November 17 – December 29, 1989...
. - 1990: The Faculty of Theology is restored.
- 1991: The Faculty of Physical Culture is established, while the 1946 Restoration Act is fulfilled by opening the Faculty of Law.
- 1998, June 12: The University of Innsbruck donates an exact copy of the Rector's Mace.
- 2000: Reconstructed Armoury, in which the Central Library is sited, opens.
- 2002: The Art Center building opens in the reconstructed Jesuit building. Three art departments of the Faculty of Philosophy and two art departments of the Faculty of Education are sited there.
- 2003: The University accedes to Magna Charta Universatum to formally start the Bologna ProcessBologna processThe purpose of the Bologna Process is the creation of the European Higher Education Area by making academic degree standards and quality assurance standards more comparable and compatible throughout Europe, in particular under the Lisbon Recognition Convention...
. - 2008: The Faculty of Health Sciences is established.
Faculties
The Palacký University has eight faculties. These faculties are theology, philosophy, law, medicine and dentistry, education, science, physical culture, and health science (in historical order). As of 2011, four of the faculties have female deans (theology, law, education and health sciences).There is no faculty of technology, as there are three technological universities within about hour's drive from Olomouc (Technical University
Technical University of Ostrava
The Technical University of Ostrava , is a university located in the city of Ostrava, Moravian-Silesian Region, Czech Republic....
in Ostrava
Ostrava
Ostrava is the third largest city in the Czech Republic and the second largest urban agglomeration after Prague. Located close to the Polish border, it is also the administrative center of the Moravian-Silesian Region and of the Municipality with Extended Competence. Ostrava was candidate for the...
to the North, University of Technology
Brno University of Technology
Brno University of Technology is a university located in Brno, Czech Republic...
in Brno
Brno
Brno by population and area is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, the largest Moravian city, and the historical capital city of the Margraviate of Moravia. Brno is the administrative centre of the South Moravian Region where it forms a separate district Brno-City District...
to the South and Tomáš Baťa University
Tomas Bata University in Zlín
Tomas Bata University in Zlín , , is a progressive university comprised of six faculties offering students the possibility of studying technology, economics, humanities, arts and health care. The University is named after the world-famous entrepreneur Tomas Bata who was also the originator of the...
in Zlín
Zlín
Zlín , from 1949 to 1989 Gottwaldov , is a city in the Zlín Region, southeastern Moravia, Czech Republic, on the Dřevnice River. The development of the modern city is closely connected to the Bata Shoes company...
to the East).
Saints Cyril and Methodius Faculty of Theology
The Faculty of Theology is the oldest one, being there already in 1573 when the Olomouc College was promoted to the University. It was perceived by the Czech Protestant population as the core symbol of recatholization forced by Habsburgs, which led to the Jesuits being driven out of Olomouc at the beginning of the Bohemian Revolt and whole University being closed in the years 1618-1621. The Faculty of Theology continued to have university privileges, including the right to award university degrees even when the University itself was downgraded to Lyceum in the years 1782-1827. Following the Habsburg repression of the University in 1860, it was the only functioning faculty up until the re-establishment of the whole University in 1946, together with the University Library safeguarding the continuation between the old and re-established University of Olomouc. The Faculty's name was extended to Saints Cyril and Methodius Faculty of Theology in 1919. It was closed by the Germans in 1939-1945 with its students and professors being enslaved and deported to work in Germany. It was closed again by the communists in 1950-1968 and repeatedly in 1974-1989.While historically the Faculty was preparing future priests, its mission was extended in 1992. The Faculty offers Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
s and Master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
s in Theology, in Catholic Pedagogy run in collaboration with the Faculty of Education, and in Social and Charitative Work run in collaboration with College of Social Work Olomouc. It also offeres Doctorates of Theology
Doctor of Theology
Doctor of Theology is a terminal academic degree in theology. It is a research degree that is considered by the U.S. National Science Foundation to be the equivalent of a Doctor of Philosophy....
in three fields as well as lifelong learning
Lifelong learning
Lifelong learning is the continuous building of skills and knowledge throughout the life of an individual. It occurs through experiences encountered in the course of a lifetime...
.
In the year 2000 a student of the Faculty Václav Novák uncovered child sex abuse case of Catholic priest František Merta
František Merta
František Merta caused a scandal in the Czech Republic when, as a Catholic priest in the Olomouc Archdiocese, he was convicted in 2000 of indecent assault of 20 boys dating back to 1995.-The case:...
. Novák also alleged, that the archbishop of Olomouc
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Olomouc
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Olomouc is an archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in the Czech Republic. Not much is known about the beginnings of the Diocese of Olomouc...
Jan Graubner
Jan Graubner
Jan Graubner is the Roman Catholic archbishop of Olomouc, Czech Republic. On 23 June 1973, he was ordained as a priest. On 17 March 1990, he was named auxiliary bishop of Olomouc and titular bishop of Tagaria. The principal consecrator at Graubner's ordination as a bishop on 7 April 1990 was...
was aware of the abuse, but instead of involving the state authorities he covered evidence and introduced policy of transferring abusive priests to different parishes. While František Merta was convicted, Jan Graubner's involvement has been never substantially proven. Václav Novák was later that year kicked out of the Faculty for alleged non-fulfilment of study duties, while Novák asserted that his exclusion is in fact punishment for uncovering Graubner's participation in the child sex abuse case.
In the academic year 2010/11 there were students, with a faculty:student ratio of 1:53.
As the Czech Republic has one of the least religious populations in the world, the Catholic Church faces lack of Czechs interested in being ordinated as priests. Shortages of Czech priest students and priests both generally and at the Faculty of Theology are balanced by their importation from other countries, foremost from Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
.
Philosophy
The Faculty of Philosophy (Faculty of Liberal ArtsFaculty of Arts
The Faculty of Arts was one of the four traditional divisions of the teaching bodies of medieval universities, the others being Theology, Law and Medicine...
in the traditional sense) was established three years after the Olomouc College got University rights. Englishman George Warr professed the first lecture on logics on 3 October 1576. From the beginning it was teaching the liberal arts, the Trivium (grammar, rhetoric, dialectics) which led to the Baccalaureus degree, and the Quadrivium
Quadrivium
The quadrivium comprised the four subjects, or arts, taught in medieval universities, after teaching the trivium. The word is Latin, meaning "the four ways" , and its use for the 4 subjects has been attributed to Boethius or Cassiodorus in the 6th century...
(arithmetic, music, geometry and astronomy) which led to the Magister degree. Sharing the fate of Theological faculty in years 1618-1621, it saw a great revival with not so much the field of philosophy, but the fields of science, mathematics, physics, astronomy, cartography and finally also genetics being pursued by notable persons connected to the Faculty (however these fields are today read at the Faculty of Science). Following the Olomouc University students' participation in 1848 revolution
Revolutions of 1848 in the Habsburg areas
From March 1848 through July 1849, the Habsburg Austrian Empire was threatened by revolutionary movements. Much of the revolutionary activity was of a nationalist character: the empire, ruled from Vienna, included Austrian Germans, Hungarians, Slovenes, Poles, Czechs, Slovaks, Ruthenians,...
the Faculty of Philosophy was the first one to be suppressed by the Habsurgs in 1851. It was reestablished in 1946. With 1953 establishment of the School of Education of Olomouc the Palacký University Faculty of Philosophy was dissolved until being reopened in 1958.
Today its students can study more than 600 combinations of subjects in the large spectrum of humanities
Humanities
The humanities are academic disciplines that study the human condition, using methods that are primarily analytical, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural sciences....
, social sciences
Social sciences
Social science is the field of study concerned with society. "Social science" is commonly used as an umbrella term to refer to a plurality of fields outside of the natural sciences usually exclusive of the administrative or managerial sciences...
, linguistics
Linguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. Linguistics can be broadly broken into three categories or subfields of study: language form, language meaning, and language in context....
and arts integration
Arts integration
Arts integration is a term applied to an approach to teaching and learning that uses the fine and performing arts as primary pathways to learning. Arts integration differs from traditional arts education by its inclusion of both an arts discipline and a traditional subject as part of learning Arts...
. Some may be studied by distance education
Distance education
Distance education or distance learning is a field of education that focuses on teaching methods and technology with the aim of delivering teaching, often on an individual basis, to students who are not physically present in a traditional educational setting such as a classroom...
, and others are also offered as lifelong learning
Lifelong learning
Lifelong learning is the continuous building of skills and knowledge throughout the life of an individual. It occurs through experiences encountered in the course of a lifetime...
.
The Philosophical Faculty offers Bachelor's
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
and Master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
s in Philology
Philology
Philology is the study of language in written historical sources; it is a combination of literary studies, history and linguistics.Classical philology is the philology of Greek and Classical Latin...
of Chinese
Sinology
Sinology in general use is the study of China and things related to China, but, especially in the American academic context, refers more strictly to the study of classical language and literature, and the philological approach...
, Czech
Czech studies
Czech studies is the field of humanities that researches, documents and disseminates Czech language and literature in both its historic and present-day forms...
, Dutch, English
English studies
English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
, French, German
German studies
German studies is the field of humanities that researches, documents, and disseminates German language and literature in both its historic and present forms. Academic departments of German studies often include classes on German culture, German history, and German politics in addition to the...
, Italian, Japanese, Latin
Classical philology
Classical philology is the study of ancient Greek and classical Latin. Classical philology has been defined as "the careful study of the literary and philosophical texts of the ancient Greek and Roman worlds." Greek and Latin literature and civilization have traditionally been considered...
, Polish
Polish studies
Polish studies is the field of humanities that researches, documents and disseminates Polish language and literature in both its historic and present-day forms...
, Portuguese, Russian
Russian Studies
Russian studies is a field of study first developed during the Cold War. It is an interdisciplinary field crossing history and language studies. It is closely related to Soviet and Communist studies...
, Spanish and Ukrainian
Ukrainian studies
Ukrainian studies - interdisciplinary field of research dedicated to Ukrainian language, literature, history and culture in a broad sense.- Ukrainian studies outside Ukraine :A number of research institutes outside of Ukraine focus on Ukrainian studies...
. In the field of languages it further offers degrees on English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
, Polish
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
, Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
, Ukrainian
Ukrainian language
Ukrainian is a language of the East Slavic subgroup of the Slavic languages. It is the official state language of Ukraine. Written Ukrainian uses a variant of the Cyrillic alphabet....
and Japanese
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
, all of them with specialization in Applied economics
Applied economics
Applied economics is a term that refers to the application of economic theory and analysis. While not a field of economics, it is typically characterized by the application of economic theory and econometrics to address practical issues in a range of fields including labour economics, industrial...
. There are further studies of History
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
, Musicology
Musicology
Musicology is the scholarly study of music. The word is used in narrow, broad and intermediate senses. In the narrow sense, musicology is confined to the music history of Western culture...
, Psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
, the Theory and History of the Dramatic Arts, the Theory and History of the Visual Arts, Political Science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
and European Studies
European studies
European studies is a field of study offered by many academic colleges and universities that focuses on current developments in European integration....
, Euroculture as Erasmus Mundus
Erasmus Mundus
The European Union's Erasmus Mundus programme aims to enhance quality in higher educationthrough scholarships and academic co-operation between Europe and the rest of the world.Erasmus Mundus comprises three Actions:-Erasmus Mundus Joint Programmes:...
programme, Adult Education
Adult education
Adult education is the practice of teaching and educating adults. Adult education takes place in the workplace, through 'extension' school or 'school of continuing education' . Other learning places include folk high schools, community colleges, and lifelong learning centers...
, Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
, Sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
, Archives Keeping, Journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
, Social sciences, Jewish studies
Jewish studies
Jewish studies is an academic discipline centered on the study of Jews and Judaism. Jewish studies is interdisciplinary and combines aspects of history , religious studies, archeology, sociology, languages , political science, area studies, women's studies, and ethnic studies...
and many of other programmes.
Students who plan to teach at secondary schools can obtain the required qualifications by passing courses in pedagogy and psychology during late part of their study.
The Faculty offers doctoral studies
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in Czech Language
Czech language
Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers; it is the majority language in the Czech Republic and spoken by Czechs worldwide. The language was known as Bohemian in English until the late 19th century...
, Czech Literature
Czech literature
Czech literature is the literature written by Czechs or other inhabitants of the Czech state, mostly in the Czech language, although other languages like Old Church Slavonic, Latin or German have been also used, especially in the past. Modern authors from the Czech territory who wrote in other...
, French Literature
French literature
French literature is, generally speaking, literature written in the French language, particularly by citizens of France; it may also refer to literature written by people living in France who speak traditional languages of France other than French. Literature written in French language, by citizens...
, Romance Languages
Romance languages
The Romance languages are a branch of the Indo-European language family, more precisely of the Italic languages subfamily, comprising all the languages that descend from Vulgar Latin, the language of ancient Rome...
, German Language
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, German Literature
German literature
German literature comprises those literary texts written in the German language. This includes literature written in Germany, Austria, the German part of Switzerland, and to a lesser extent works of the German diaspora. German literature of the modern period is mostly in Standard German, but there...
, English
English literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
and American Literature
American literature
American literature is the written or literary work produced in the area of the United States and its preceding colonies. For more specific discussions of poetry and theater, see Poetry of the United States and Theater in the United States. During its early history, America was a series of British...
, English Language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, Russian Language
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
, Polish Language
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
, History - Czech and Slovak History, General History
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
, Auxiliary Historical Sciences
Auxiliary sciences of history
Auxiliary sciences of history are scholarly disciplines which help evaluate and use historical sources and are seen as auxiliary for historical research...
, Political Science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
, Sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
, Clinical Psychology
Clinical psychology
Clinical psychology is an integration of science, theory and clinical knowledge for the purpose of understanding, preventing, and relieving psychologically-based distress or dysfunction and to promote subjective well-being and personal development...
, Educational psychology
Educational psychology
Educational psychology is the study of how humans learn in educational settings, the effectiveness of educational interventions, the psychology of teaching, and the social psychology of schools as organizations. Educational psychology is concerned with how students learn and develop, often focusing...
, Andragogy
Andragogy
Andragogy consists of learning strategies focused on adults. It is often interpreted as the process of engaging adult learners with the structure of learning experience. The term ‘andragogy’ has been used in different times and countries with various connotations. Nowadays there exist mainly three...
, Theory of Literature, Theory and History of Literature, Theatre and Film, Theory and History of Fine Arts, Theory and History of Music.
The Centre for Distance Learning, together with other departments, offers a wide range of activities for the general public (e.g. courses of graphology, courses for social workers, etc.).
In 2011 the faculty had students. In 2010 about people registered for the entrance examinations.
The Faculty also provides courses for international students. The Summer School of Slavic Languages has a long tradition and a very good reputation.
Law
Although there were attempts in 1580s to establish also Faculties of Law and Medicine, they failed due to lack of financing. While Canon lawCanon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
was read at the Faculty of Theology since 1667, it was especially the Moravian Nobility, which pursued establishment of secular Professorate of Law in 1679 by a decree of Emperor Leopold I
Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
| style="float:right;" | Leopold I was a Holy Roman Emperor, King of Hungary and King of Bohemia. A member of the Habsburg family, he was the second son of Emperor Ferdinand III and his first wife, Maria Anna of Spain. His maternal grandparents were Philip III of Spain and Margaret of Austria...
. The first Olomouc professor of law was Karel Ferdinand Irmler
Karel Ferdinand Irmler
Karel Ferdinand Irmler was a Moravian lawyer and the first professor of secular law at University of Olomouc.Irmler was born on March 18, 1650 in Olomouc to a family of local physician. He studied at the Faculty of Philosophy of University of Olomouc and Law at the University of Prague, where he...
. The secular legal studies faced very strong opposition from the Jesuits: initially the professors taught at private premises, while later the lectures were held at the Olomouc Court of Law. Large number of Emperors' interventions was needed to secure continuation of legal studies in following decades. Since 1709 the Olomouc University law professors were appointed directly by the Emperor, in 1714 the Jesuits were forced to accept secular legal lectures within the University grounds. The situation improved after establishment of the Academy of Nobility in 1725 (law professors taught at both the University and Academy). In 1732 Olomouc became the first law school in the Habsburg monarchy to teach Fief and Public law
Public law
Public law is a theory of law governing the relationship between individuals and the state. Under this theory, constitutional law, administrative law and criminal law are sub-divisions of public law...
at an independent department
Academic department
An academic department is a division of a university or school faculty devoted to a particular academic discipline. This article covers United States usage at the university level....
. Later, in 1755, the lectures were extended to cover also international
International law
Public international law concerns the structure and conduct of sovereign states; analogous entities, such as the Holy See; and intergovernmental organizations. To a lesser degree, international law also may affect multinational corporations and individuals, an impact increasingly evolving beyond...
and natural law
Natural law
Natural law, or the law of nature , is any system of law which is purportedly determined by nature, and thus universal. Classically, natural law refers to the use of reason to analyze human nature and deduce binding rules of moral behavior. Natural law is contrasted with the positive law Natural...
. In 1766 the first non-Jesuit University Rector was appointed - the professor of law Johann Heinrich Bösenselle
Johann Heinrich Bösenselle
Johann Heinrich Bösenselle, , , was a lawyer, professor of law and Rector of University of Olomouc.Originally from Westphalia, Johann Heinrich Bösenselle assumed position of Professor of Law at University of Olomouc in 1751. Bösenselle, together with Professor of Law Josef Antonín Sommer , strived...
.
In 1760s the Olomouc law school became the centre of the Enlightenment in the Habsburg Monarchy
Habsburg Monarchy
The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
with professor Josef Vratislav Monse
Josef Vratislav Monse
Josef Vratislav Monse was a Moravian lawyer and historian.He was a leading enlightenment figure in the Habsburg Monarchy and an early exponent of the Czech National Revival in Moravia. Monse played a key role in the development of modern Moravian Historiography...
as its most important figure facing very strong opposition of the Jesuits. In 1778 the Professorate was elevated to Directorate, and it officially became fully fledged Faculty of Law in 1784, entering its best era before 1848 Revolution. The professors and students of law were the main force of the Revolution in Olomouc.
Being forced to shut down by the Habsburg régime
Habsburg Monarchy
The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
at the beginning of study year 1855/1856, it was re-established by the Olomouc University Restoration Act of 1946, however in fact the Faculty could be reopened only following the Velvet Revolution
Velvet Revolution
The Velvet Revolution or Gentle Revolution was a non-violent revolution in Czechoslovakia that took place from November 17 – December 29, 1989...
, in 1991. In its new era, the Faculty became one of the pioneers of clinical legal education
Legal clinic
The phrase legal clinic may refer to any private, nonprofit law practice serving the public interest. In the academic context, these law school clinics provide hands-on experience to law school students and services to various clients. Academic Clinics are usually directed by clinical professors...
in the Continental Europe
Continental Europe
Continental Europe, also referred to as mainland Europe or simply the Continent, is the continent of Europe, explicitly excluding European islands....
.
In 1996 it was the first law school in Central Europe
Central Europe
Central Europe or alternatively Middle Europe is a region of the European continent lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe...
to introduce legal clinic
Legal clinic
The phrase legal clinic may refer to any private, nonprofit law practice serving the public interest. In the academic context, these law school clinics provide hands-on experience to law school students and services to various clients. Academic Clinics are usually directed by clinical professors...
s and even now it is the only faculty in the Czech Republic that provides to its students wide range of clinical education. The clinics were quickly expanded and improved, especially after 2006 thanks to a project to advance practical education, which gained financial support from both the Czech national budget and from the European Social Fund
European Social Fund
The European Social Fund is the European Union’s main financial instrument for supporting employment in the Member States as well as promoting economic and social cohesion. ESF spending amounts to around 10% of the EU’s total budget....
. In 2011 there were more than 15 clinical subjects.
The Faculty offers four programes: a five-year-long Master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in Law and Legal Theory, a three-year-long Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in Legal specialisation aimed at public administration
Public administration
Public Administration houses the implementation of government policy and an academic discipline that studies this implementation and that prepares civil servants for this work. As a "field of inquiry with a diverse scope" its "fundamental goal.....
workers, a two-year-long postgraduate Master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in European studies with focus on European law (offered also as double degree
Double degree
A double-degree program, sometimes called a combined degree, conjoint degree, dual degree, or simultaneous degree program, involves a student's working for two different university degrees in parallel, either at the same institution or at different institutions , completing them in less time than...
with University of Salzburg
University of Salzburg
The University of Salzburg, or Paris Lodron University after its founder, the Prince Archbishop Paris Lodron, is located in the Austrian city of Salzburg, Salzburgerland, home of Mozart. It is divided into 4 faculties: catholic theology, law, humanities and natural science.Founded in 1622, it...
Faculty of Law) and a doctorate
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in Theoretical legal science . The degree (JUDr.) may be also obtained.
In 2010, 300 students were accepted to the five-year Law course out of applicants. The bachelor courses accept about 130 students each year, with the European studies program accepting 50. In 2011 students of Law in aggregate totalled ; the student-teacher ratio was 83.
Medicine and Dentistry
Medical lectures started in 1753 at the Faculty of Philosophy. As the University was relocated to Brno in 1778, the Department of Surgery was established by the Faculty of Philosophy. This department in 1782 became the University's Department of Surgery. The Department of Medicine and Surgery was disaffiliated in 1849 and continued operation independently until it was closed later in 1873. The Faculty was reestablished in 1946. With the Faculty of Law not being actually reopened in 1950s, the Faculty of Theology being suppressed by the communists in 1950 and with Faculty of Philosophy being closed in 1954, it was the sole faculty of the University from year 1954 to year 1958, in which the Faculty of Philosophy was reestablished while the new Faculty of Science opened.The Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry offers six-year-long Masters programs of General Medicine and five-year-long programs of Dentistry
Dentistry
Dentistry is the branch of medicine that is involved in the study, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders and conditions of the oral cavity, maxillofacial area and the adjacent and associated structures and their impact on the human body. Dentistry is widely considered...
. Both programs may be studied completely either in Czech
Czech language
Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers; it is the majority language in the Czech Republic and spoken by Czechs worldwide. The language was known as Bohemian in English until the late 19th century...
or English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. The faculty also offers 23 doctoral programs in Czech and English.
Practical education is carried out mostly at the Olomouc Faculty Hospital. The hospital is with its 1407 beds and 49 departments and clinics (year 2010) the largest one in Olomouc Region
Olomouc Region
Olomouc Region is an administrative unit of the Czech Republic, located in the north-western and central part of its historical region of Moravia and in a small part of the historical region of Silesia . It is named for its capital Olomouc.-External links:* *...
. It was established in 1892 and opened four years later. It's Eye Clinic was the place of the world's first successful tissue transplantation in 1905 (performed by Eduard Konrad Zirm
Eduard Zirm
Eduard Konrad Zirm was an ophthalmologist who performed the first successful human tissue transplant on 7 December 1905....
). During the years 1992-2004 it was enlarged and modernised and today it is one of the most modern Czech hospitals. A construction of a new department called BIOMEDREG will begin in 2010. It will focus on cancer and infectious deceases research and treatment and is scheduled to open in 2013.
The faculty's long-term research and development focuses on four fields: oncology
Oncology
Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with cancer...
, heart disease
Heart disease
Heart disease, cardiac disease or cardiopathy is an umbrella term for a variety of diseases affecting the heart. , it is the leading cause of death in the United States, England, Canada and Wales, accounting for 25.4% of the total deaths in the United States.-Types:-Coronary heart disease:Coronary...
and vein disorders
Vein disorders
A vein disorder is a class of disease involving veins of the circulatory system.Common vein disorders include:*Varicose veins*Deep vein thrombosis...
, experimental toxicology
Toxicology
Toxicology is a branch of biology, chemistry, and medicine concerned with the study of the adverse effects of chemicals on living organisms...
and pharmacology
Pharmacology
Pharmacology is the branch of medicine and biology concerned with the study of drug action. More specifically, it is the study of the interactions that occur between a living organism and chemicals that affect normal or abnormal biochemical function...
, and organ transplant
Organ transplant
Organ transplantation is the moving of an organ from one body to another or from a donor site on the patient's own body, for the purpose of replacing the recipient's damaged or absent organ. The emerging field of regenerative medicine is allowing scientists and engineers to create organs to be...
s. The research teams focus on molecular biology
Molecular biology
Molecular biology is the branch of biology that deals with the molecular basis of biological activity. This field overlaps with other areas of biology and chemistry, particularly genetics and biochemistry...
, immunology
Immunology
Immunology is a broad branch of biomedical science that covers the study of all aspects of the immune system in all organisms. It deals with the physiological functioning of the immune system in states of both health and diseases; malfunctions of the immune system in immunological disorders ; the...
and epidemiology
Epidemiology
Epidemiology is the study of health-event, health-characteristic, or health-determinant patterns in a population. It is the cornerstone method of public health research, and helps inform policy decisions and evidence-based medicine by identifying risk factors for disease and targets for preventive...
.
In the academic year 2008/2009 there were students of General Medicine (180 of them studying in English), 450 students of dentistry, and 360 doctoral students.
Education
While other Faculties were reestablished by the Olomouc University Restoration Act of 21 February 1946, the Faculty of Education was established by a separate act of April 1946: after a 1945 Beneš decreeBeneš decrees
Decrees of the President of the Republic , more commonly known as the Beneš decrees, were a series of laws that were drafted by the Czechoslovak Government-in-Exile in the absence of the Czechoslovak parliament during the German occupation of Czechoslovakia in World War II and issued by President...
the interim Czechoslovak Parliament passed the law which created educational faculties in existing universities (the ones in other universities were closed by the German occupiers
German occupation of Czechoslovakia
German occupation of Czechoslovakia began with the Nazi annexation of Czechoslovakia's northern and western border regions, known collectively as the Sudetenland, under terms outlined by the Munich Agreement. Nazi leader Adolf Hitler's pretext for this effort was the alleged privations suffered by...
in 1939).
Being established 1946 the Faculty of Education was educating future teachers of kindergarten and primary and secondary schools, as well as providing courses for those already teaching. Education of prospective secondary school teachers was done jointly with the Faculty of Philosophy (in the fields of music, drawing and physical arts). 1953 brought complete reform of teacher training methods. The Faculty became the base for the newly established School of Education (separate of the University), so between 1954 and 1964 the Faculty in its former sense did not exist. Teacher training for kindergartens and the first four years of primary education was conducted by the universities, while prospective teachers of Years 5 to 8. of primary schools were educated in specialist higher schools (there was none of this type in Olomouc). In 1960 the so called "Educational Institutes" were established to educate prospective primary school teachers. Another reform of 1964 transformed these institutes into Faculties of Education and integrated them into the existing universities. This opened the current period of the Faculty's history. Since 1990 the Faculty has specialised foremost in education of prospective primary- and secondary-school teachers.
The Faculty of Education provides tertiary education to prospective teachers of kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
s, grammar school
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
s, secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
s and other pedagogical and educational establishments. It also educates public employees of both the government and quango
Quango
Quango or qango is an acronym used notably in the United Kingdom, Ireland and elsewhere to label an organisation to which government has devolved power...
sectors. The Faculty offers Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
s, Master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
s and Doctorates of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
, as well as appointing Professors.
In 2011 there were students of the faculty; the number of freshmen
Freshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
was and there were 1347 graduates; there were also students of other forms of education forms such as life-long learning. The faculty has a student-teacher ratio of 184.1.
Science
The fields of science, mathematics, physics, astronomy, cartography as well as genetics were pursued already by notable persons connected to the old Olomouc University's Faculty of Philosophy. In 1953 the Olomouc School of Education was established with Faculty of Social Sciences and Faculty of Natural Sciences. The latter one was in 1958 incorporated into the University as the Faculty of Science.The Faculty of Science is oriented to research and offers Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
s, Master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
s and Doctorates of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in various fields such as mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
, chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
, biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
, Earth science
Earth science
Earth science is an all-embracing term for the sciences related to the planet Earth. It is arguably a special case in planetary science, the Earth being the only known life-bearing planet. There are both reductionist and holistic approaches to Earth sciences...
s, and so on. Since 2009 the faculty has residence in a new building not far from the city center, between the Faculty of Law and the University halls of residence. The biology workshops and some laboratories are situated on their own small campus at the south-east edge of the city.
In 2009 there were students studying at the faculty; the number of freshmen
Freshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
was while there were 713 graduates. The faculty has 333 academic employees and other 600 non-academic workers.
Physical Culture
The Faculty of Physical Culture was established in 1991. It has many different programmes, including education of prospective teachers of physical educationPhysical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
(PE), Physical therapy
Physical therapy
Physical therapy , often abbreviated PT, is a health care profession. Physical therapy is concerned with identifying and maximizing quality of life and movement potential within the spheres of promotion, prevention, diagnosis, treatment/intervention,and rehabilitation...
, recreation
Recreation
Recreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The "need to do something for recreation" is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasure and are considered to be "fun"...
and public security
Public security
To meet the increasing challenges in the public security area, responsible public institutions and organisations can tap into their own intelligence to successfully address possible threats in advance...
. These may be studied in three-year-long Bachelor's and 2-year-long postgraduate Master's programmes. The faculty also has the doctoral program of Kinanthropology
Applied kinesiology
Applied kinesiology is an alternative medicine method used for diagnosis and determination of therapy. According to practitioners using Applied Kinesiology techniques, it provides feedback on the functional status of the body. AK is a practice within the realm of alternative medicine and is...
.
Its research efforts focus in fields of issues and prevention of physical, mental and sociological health of a man in relation to physical activities; basic problems of the human motor system
Motor system
The motor system is the part of the central nervous system that is involved with movement. It consists of the pyramidal and extrapyramidal system....
, its diagnosis and improvement; methodological problems of education of PE; development of new fields and finding solutions issues of specific fields.
With the Neředín hall of residence (used mostly by foreign students) the Faculty's buildings constitute a small campus on the western outskirts of the city.
In 2011 there were students at the faculty; the number of freshmen
Freshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
was 873 while there were 367 graduates.
Health Sciences
The Faculty of Health Sciences was founded in 2008, and so it is the youngest of the eight faculties. It was established by spinning off some fields from the Faculty of Medicine.Since 1992 the Faculty of Medicine had offered bachelor programmes of Nursing and Therapeutic Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy. In 1996 the Institute of Nursing Practice and Theory was established at the faculty. This act of separation was supported by Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University is a public university located in Richmond, Virginia. It comprises two campuses in the Downtown Richmond area, the product of a merger between the Richmond Professional Institute and the Medical College of Virginia in 1968...
and led to the empowerment of the field. Since 2000 the Masters program of Economics and Management of Health Services has been taught. In 2002 other fields were added such as Obstetric Assistant. In 2003 a vice-dean for these fields was appointed for the first time. In 2006 the faculty's structure changed by the creation of the Center of Health (Non-Physician) Fields, which later became the base for the Faculty of Health Sciences.
In 2011 there were 815 students at the faculty.
Academic Sports Centre
The Academic Sports Centre offers sports, excursions, and other activities for University students and employees. The offer covers dozens of fields from yogaYoga
Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
, dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
, callanetics
Callanetics
The Callanetics exercise programme was created by Callan Pinckney in the early 1980s. It is a system of exercise involving frequent repetition of small muscular movements and squeezes, designed to improve muscle tone...
, firearms shooting
Gun politics in the Czech republic
Gun politics in the Czech Republic incorporates the political and regulatory aspects of firearms usage in the country. Policy in the Czech Republic is in many respects less restrictive than elsewhere in Europe . The most recent Gun Act was passed in 2001, replacing the previous law and tightening...
, and martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
to team sport
Team sport
A team sport includes any sport which involves players working together towards a shared objective. A team sport is an activity in which a group of individuals, on the same team, work together to accomplish an ultimate goal which is usually to win. This can be done in a number of ways such as...
s, paintball
Paintball
Paintball is a sport in which players compete, in teams or individually, to eliminate opponents by tagging them with capsules containing water soluble dye and gelatin shell outside propelled from a device called a paintball marker . Paintballs have a non-toxic, biodegradable, water soluble...
, equestrianism
Equestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
and golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
.
There are several University buildings provided for these activities. The University Sports Hall meets Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
requirements for volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and handball
Team handball
Handball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
matches. The whole complex of outdoor sports grounds together with the University docks appertain to the hall. Another gymnasium is at the buildings of the Faculty of Physical Culture (on the Neředín campus), and another is next to the Olomouc Hockey Stadium. Others are within halls of residence.
University sport championships are not major events in the Czech Republic as they are in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
for example. So many students' sporting life is connected more with Olomouc town (especially when it comes to supporting a team); different Olomouc sport clubs play in national and international leagues, such SK Sigma Olomouc
SK Sigma Olomouc
SK Sigma Olomouc is a Czech football club from the city of Olomouc. They reached the quarterfinals of the 1991-1992 UEFA Cup.Since 2011, Olomouc have had an agreement where FK SAN-JV Šumperk is acting as their farm team.- Historical names :...
and 1. HFK Olomouc
1. HFK Olomouc
1. HFK Olomouc is a football club in the Czech Republic, based in Olomouc. The club is currently playing in the Moravian-Silesian Football League....
(soccer), HC Olomouc
HC Olomouc
HC Olomouc is an ice hockey team in the First National Hockey League from Olomouc. They won the Extraliga championship in the 1993/1994 season...
(ice hockey), and Skokani Olomouc (baseball).
Centre for Information Technologies
The Centre for Information Technologies (IT) leads the development of, and safeguards the operational security of, University IT activities to support science and research activities, lectures and university administration. It is also responsible for implementing modern technologies and technical support as well as training University employees in their use.Most University buildings have free Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
, while nearly every dormitory room has a high speed wired LAN
Län
Län and lääni refer to the administrative divisions used in Sweden and previously in Finland. The provinces of Finland were abolished on January 1, 2010....
connection.
University Library
The Library was established as the Jesuits were invited to Olomouc in 1566 to take control over the Olomouc College. Its bookstock consisted primarily of donations from bishops and noblemen. Particular generosity was shown by Vilém Prusinovský z Víckova, the Bishop of Olomouc, who gave the College to the Jesuits and allowed them to take for it any Greek or Latin books from the episcopal library.The Swedish occupation of Olomouc from 1642 to 1650 led to total ruination of the Library. Everything that had any value was stolen (including codices
Codex
A codex is a book in the format used for modern books, with multiple quires or gatherings typically bound together and given a cover.Developed by the Romans from wooden writing tablets, its gradual replacement...
made under the patronage of the Bishop of Olomouc Jindřich Zdíka
Henry Zdík
Henry Zdík was bishop of Olomouc from 1126 to 1150.In 1141 Zdik with papal authorization undertook a mission against the Prussians....
), while the rest was destroyed. Altogether some 100 wagons fully loaded with books and scripts were dispatched to Sweden. As a result, Olomouc University's most precious relics are now in the National Library of Sweden in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
. The Library was nevertheless restored relatively rapidly after the Swedes left.
Under the Jesuits the Library was open only to the University's lecturers and students. Following the dissolution of the order in 1773 it was reconstituted as the Public University Library, with the stress on more widely shared access. At the same time library funds from Moravian Jesuit Colleges that had been closed down were transferred to Olomouc University Library. Later on, funds from dissolved monasteries also found their way into the same budget.
The Library continued in operation, together with the Faculty of Theology, after the University was closed down in 1860: this has ensured some continuity between the old and re-established universities in Olomouc. When the University was closed, the library held over 250,000 volumes. Then, the Library's responsibilities included holding a copy of everything printed in Moravia (and for part of the period in Silesia). This would support the rapid and efficient development of scientific work after the re-establishment of University in 1946.
Initially, in 1946 he University Library remained under the direct control of Ministry of Culture. It was renamed the Scientific Library of Olomouc in 1960 and placed under regional control, it retained, and still retains, the function of a public University Library. It is still administered separately from the University.
Nowadays the University Library itself is divided between the Central Library and a series of specialist libraries, most of them attached to the appropriate university faculty.
Central Library (Armoury)
The Central Library, known as the Armoury , is situated in the historic building of the former Theresian
Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina was the only female ruler of the Habsburg dominions and the last of the House of Habsburg. She was the sovereign of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, Mantua, Milan, Lodomeria and Galicia, the Austrian Netherlands and Parma...
Artillery armoury almost in the town centre, directly in front of the Archbishop's Palace and next to the University Rectory and Philosophy Faculty.
In the Campaigns of 1742, the Habsburg Monarchy
Habsburg Monarchy
The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
lost most of Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
and Kłodzko (now in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
) which were both Lands under the Czech Crown prior to 1742. Olomouc suddenly found itself close to the frontier with Prussia. The Empress Maria Theresa
Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina was the only female ruler of the Habsburg dominions and the last of the House of Habsburg. She was the sovereign of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, Mantua, Milan, Lodomeria and Galicia, the Austrian Netherlands and Parma...
therefore decided to fortify the town. Olomouc's fortifications were extensively upgraded to match contemporary weapons. The artillery armoury became part of the fortification. Military considerations received absolute priority, and the Armoury was built right next to the Archbishop's palace: ecclesiastical buildings (such as the former Academy of Noblemen) were even demolished to make space for it. Construction of the Armoury was completed in 1771.
Strictly symmetrical both inside and out, the building is relatively large, featuring the military architecture characteristic of the period. Today the armoury is recognized as one of the most important buildings in Olomouc.
The Armoury was used by the military until 1989 (the Czech Army Joint Forces still have their headquasters in Olomouc today). After the Velvet Revolution
Velvet Revolution
The Velvet Revolution or Gentle Revolution was a non-violent revolution in Czechoslovakia that took place from November 17 – December 29, 1989...
, the armoury became the property of the University: it was then decided to accommodate the information centre in it. However, the building was in very poor condition and needed extensive reconstruction.
Reconstruction started in 1992 and in 1997 the Central Library opened. However, it was not until 2000 that the building works were finished and the whole building could be opened. The Central Library occupies about half of the Armoury, while the rest is occupied by the Centre for Information Technologies, the University Press, the University Archive and the Eurocentre.
Other libraries
The Saints Cyril and Methodius Faculty of Theology and the Faculties of Medicine, Science, Education, Physical Culture, Law, and Health Sciences each have their own libraries; the Faculty of Education's is called the Study Hall.The British Centre Library is housed on the university grounds and run by the British Council
British Council
The British Council is a United Kingdom-based organisation specialising in international educational and cultural opportunities. It is registered as a charity both in England and Wales, and in Scotland...
.
Project service
The University Project Service is an information and consultancy centre which assists those wishing to obtain grants and donations. It also manages administrative and financial aspects of given projects and it lectures on the topic.Halls of Residence Bureau
The Halls of Residence Bureau offers year-round accommodation and boarding for students, university employees and also for the general public (when there is spare capacity). Especially during the summer months, when most students vacate dormitories, it offers accommodation and boarding for both individual tourists and large groups (conferences, sports championships, and so on). The halls of residence have more than beds, while the boarding services are used by more than people daily.There are rooms with one single bed, or two or three of them; some rooms are equipped with double beds. Most of the halls of residence are either close to the city centre (by the new Faculty of Science building) or on the outskirts, at the Neředín campus of Faculty of Physical Culture, while there are some buildings in other parts of town. Internet connections, intranet telephone lines, kitchens, study rooms and washing mashines are standard equipment.
Compared to other Czech universities, the student-bed ratio is relatively low (there are usually more beds than students). Although for the first couple of weeks of an academic year all beds are taken, within a month or two there are free beds. Therefore the University can accommodate almost all those who want them, whereas many other Czech universities can provide room only for freshmen. Many students prefer to rent flats, because the rents are about the same as for halls of residence.
As the University is self-governing, and halls of residence are part of the University, there is also the Halls of Residence Council. Students in halls vote for representatives (usually one for each building) to safeguard their rights. For example, the Halls of Residence Bureau needs the Council's approval in case of price increase, or if it wants to evict a student for order disturbances.
Scientific-Technical Park
The Scientific-Technical Park
Science park
A research park, science park, or science and technology park is an area with a collection of buildings dedicated to scientific research on a business footing. There are many approximate synonyms for "science park", including research park, technology park, technopolis and biomedical park...
aims to bridge the gap between the academical-scientific world and private business, to use the university research potential in cooperation with private companies. It also helps starting entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
s through its Incubator of Entrepreneurship. Special attention is paid to fields of nanotechnology
Nanotechnology
Nanotechnology is the study of manipulating matter on an atomic and molecular scale. Generally, nanotechnology deals with developing materials, devices, or other structures possessing at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100 nanometres...
, biotechnology
Biotechnology
Biotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
and information technology
Information technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
. It also manages the catalogue of University apparatus and services to make it accessible to private companies.
University Press
The University Press focuses especially on publishing the scientific and research activities of the University. It publishes and distributes works on subjects which are too specialized or have too narrow reader constituency to appeal to commercial publishers, as well as publishing study books, study texts and professional journals. In 2009 it had 28 employees and published 252 new releases and 343 other releases.
Confucius Institute
The Confucius Institute provides Chinese schooling. It follows in the footsteps of Karel SlavíčekKarel Slavíček
Karel Slavíček, , was a Jesuit missionary and scientist, the first Czech sinologist and author of the first precise map of Beijing.-Early life and studies in the Czech lands:...
(1678 – 1735), alumnus of the Faculty of Philosophy, who was the first Czech sinologist
Sinology
Sinology in general use is the study of China and things related to China, but, especially in the American academic context, refers more strictly to the study of classical language and literature, and the philological approach...
. He wrote a treatise on Chinese music and was also the author of the first precise map of Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
.
Governance
Czech universities have a long tradition of self-governance and independence from state interference, which goes back to the Middle Ages. Today, self-governance is assured by the University Education Act No. 111/1998 (the Act deals only with public universities). The following governance bodies are similar for all Czech public universities.
Academical Senate
The Academical Senate of a Czech public university is its self-governance representative body. According to the law it shall have at least eleven members, with at least one third and at most one half of its members being students. The Palacký University Academical Senate has twenty-four members, of which eight are students, the minimum of one third. Senators are elected by secret ballot for a period of three years. The students' and lecturers' curiaCuria
A curia in early Roman times was a subdivision of the people, i.e. more or less a tribe, and with a metonymy it came to mean also the meeting place where the tribe discussed its affairs...
are elected separately. Each faculty is represented by two lecturers and one student (independent of the number of faculty students).
The Academical Senate has the most important role in the life of the University, as most acts of other university administration are either governed by rules and regulations adopted by the Senate (such as the Statute of University) or require the approval of the Senate (such as the yearly budget of the University). The Senate adopts internal regulations, it controls the use of University finances and property, and following the rector's proposal it appoints and dismisses members of the Scientific Board, Disciplinary Commission, and so on.
The Senate also nominates a candidate for the position of Rector (who is appointed by the President of the Czech Republic
President of the Czech Republic
The President of the Czech Republic is the head of state of the Czech Republic. Unlike his counterparts in Austria and Hungary, who are generally considered figureheads, the Czech President has a considerable role in political affairs...
). The nomination must be agreed by a simple majority of all Senators, while a dismissal must be agreed by at least three fifths of all Senators. The vote to elect or repeal a Rector is secret, while other Senate votes are open. A senator may not also be the Rector, Vice-rector, a Faculty Dean or a Vice-dean.
The 2011-2014 leadership is:
- Chairman: doc. Mgr. Miroslav Dopita, Ph.D. (Faculty of Education representative; lecturers' curiaCuriaA curia in early Roman times was a subdivision of the people, i.e. more or less a tribe, and with a metonymy it came to mean also the meeting place where the tribe discussed its affairs...
) - Vice-chairman (lecturers' curia): RNDr. Marek Jukl, Ph.D. (Faculty of Science representative)
- Vice-chairman (students' curia): Ivan Kalivoda (Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry representative)
The Palacký Academical Senate has also two commissions: the Economic Commission and the Legislative Commission.
Rector
The Rector is the head of the University. The Rector acts in the name of the University and decides the University's affairs unless prohibited by law. The Rector is nominated by the University Academical Senate and appointed by the President of the Czech RepublicPresident of the Czech Republic
The President of the Czech Republic is the head of state of the Czech Republic. Unlike his counterparts in Austria and Hungary, who are generally considered figureheads, the Czech President has a considerable role in political affairs...
. The term of office is four years and a person may hold it for at most two consecutive terms.
The Rector appoints vice-rectors, who act as deputies to the extent the Rector determines. Rectors' salaries are determined directly by the Minister of Education.
The first Rector was in 1573 Hurtado Pérez. Until 1765, the position of Rector Magnificus was automatically in the hands of the rector of Jesuit Order. The first non-jesuit Rector was in 1766 Johann Heinrich Bösenselle. Among the most notable rectors are the founder of modern Moravian historiography
Historiography
Historiography refers either to the study of the history and methodology of history as a discipline, or to a body of historical work on a specialized topic...
Josef Vratislav Monse
Josef Vratislav Monse
Josef Vratislav Monse was a Moravian lawyer and historian.He was a leading enlightenment figure in the Habsburg Monarchy and an early exponent of the Czech National Revival in Moravia. Monse played a key role in the development of modern Moravian Historiography...
or Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
n philosopher Franz Samuel Karpe
Franz Samuel Karpe
Franz Samuel Karpe, , was a Slovene philosopher and rector of University of Olomouc.-Biography:Franz Samuel Karpe was born in Kranj, nowadays Slovenia, to a townsman's family. His parents died soon and subsequently Count Lichteberg's family assumed responsibility for his upbringing and education...
. The current Rector is Professor Miroslav Mašláň. He has appointed seven vice-rectors, one of them being the previous Rector: Professor Lubomír Dvořák
Lubomír Dvořák
Prof. Ing. Lubomír Dvořák, CSc. is a Czech scientist specialising in Experimental physics.From 1997 to 2000 and again between 2006 and 2010 he was Rector of the Palacký University of Olomouc....
(now Vice-Rector for Regional Development).
Scientific Board
The Scientific Board consists of notable representatives in the fields in which the University executes educational, scientific, research, artistic or other creative activity. It is chaired by the University Rector. No more than two-thirds of the Board members can be members of the University's academical community. The Scientific Board discusses the University's long-term objectives. It approves study programmes (unless such approval falls under the authority of a faculty Scientific Board) and it also participates in the process of assigning a professor title.In July 2010, the Board had 36 members, 22 of them being professors, the rest (except one) being docents.
Disciplinary Commission
The members of the University Disciplinary Commission (as well as the chairman) are appointed by the Rector (subject to Senate approval) to serve for two years. Half the members are students. Because all Palacký University students are enrolled into their respective faculties, there is no need for a central University Disciplinary Commission, but there are Disciplinary Commissions at each faculty (the members being appointed by a dean, subject to Faculty Senate approval). The Disciplinary Commissions handle disciplinary misdemeanoursMisdemeanor
A misdemeanor is a "lesser" criminal act in many common law legal systems. Misdemeanors are generally punished much less severely than felonies, but theoretically more so than administrative infractions and regulatory offences...
of the students and they propose the verdicts to the respective faculty Dean.
Administrative Council
The Administrative Council approves some of the university deeds (real estateReal estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
transactions, establishing other legal personalities
Legal personality
Legal personality is the characteristic of a non-human entity regarded by law to have the status of a person....
for the university, the transfer of money or property between them, and so on) and it gives its opinion on the University budget, long-term University objectives, and so on. Members are appointed by the Minister of Education (after discussion with the Rector) for a period of six years; one third of the council is appointed every two years. Members represent the general public, municipal and regional authorities as well as state administration. University employees cannot be Council members. Sessions take place at least twice a year. Election of the chairman, vice-chairman and rules of procedure are set by the University Statute
Among the fifteen members of Palacký University Administrative Council are Jan Březina
Jan Brezina
Jan Březina is a Czech politician andMember of the European Parliamentwith the Christian Democratic Union - Czechoslovak People's Party,part of the European People's Party and sits on...
MEP
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
, Archbishop of Olomouc Jan Graubner
Jan Graubner
Jan Graubner is the Roman Catholic archbishop of Olomouc, Czech Republic. On 23 June 1973, he was ordained as a priest. On 17 March 1990, he was named auxiliary bishop of Olomouc and titular bishop of Tagaria. The principal consecrator at Graubner's ordination as a bishop on 7 April 1990 was...
, and Olomouc Region
Olomouc Region
Olomouc Region is an administrative unit of the Czech Republic, located in the north-western and central part of its historical region of Moravia and in a small part of the historical region of Silesia . It is named for its capital Olomouc.-External links:* *...
Governor Martin Tesařík.
Bursar
The BursarBursar
A bursar is a senior professional financial administrator in a school or university.Billing of student tuition accounts are the responsibility of the Office of the Bursar. This involves sending bills and making payment plans with the ultimate goal of getting the student accounts paid off...
is responsible for the management and administration of the University and also represents the University to the extent determined by the Rector, who appoints and revokes the Bursar. As of July 2010 the office is held by Henrieta Crkoňová.
Other bodies
- University Chancellor: Rostislav Sladký
- Rector's advisory board
- Editorial Commission
- Commission for Information Technologies
- Ethical Commission
Faculty governance
The faculties are parts of the University. Only the University as a whole is a legal personalityLegal personality
Legal personality is the characteristic of a non-human entity regarded by law to have the status of a person....
. Nevertheless the internal affairs of faculties are run by their respective self-governing bodies, which have similar rules and functions as those at the University level. Each faculty therefore has a Faculty Senate (also with students' and lecturers' curia
Curia
A curia in early Roman times was a subdivision of the people, i.e. more or less a tribe, and with a metonymy it came to mean also the meeting place where the tribe discussed its affairs...
), which among other things nominates the Dean (appointed by the Rector). As mentioned before, disciplinary misdemeanours are tried by the Faculty Disciplinary Commissions, while issues concerning study programmes are dealt with by the Faculty Scientific Boards. Each faculty has a Secretary instead of a Bursar.
Staff
- Valentin StanselValentin StanselValentin Stansel was a Czech Jesuit astronomer who worked in Brazil.-Biography:Stansel was born in Olomouc, Moravia. He entered the Society of Jesus on 1 October 1637, and taught rhetoric and mathematics at University of Olomouc and in Prague...
(1621–1705) – mathematician, astronomer - Johann Jahoda (1623–1676) – humanist
- Bartholomeus Christel (1624–1701) – professor of aesthetic
- Melchior Hanel (1627–1689) – linguist, philosopher, theologian
- Johann Dilat (1638–1698) – historian
- Franz Kamperger (1628–1689) – theologian
- Adam Adamandy KochańskiAdam Adamandy KochanskiAdam Adamandy Kochański was a Polish mathematician.Kochański was born in Dobrzyń nad Wisłą. He began his education in Toruń, and in 1652 he entered the Society of Jesus in Vilnius under Cardinal Brandr Beekman-Ellner. He studied philosophy at Vilnius University . He also studied mathematics,...
(1631–1700) – PolishPolesthumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
mathematician - Ferdinand Waldhauser (1641–1681) – philosopher, theologian
- Jakub KresaJakub KresaJakub Kresa, , was one of the most important Czech mathematicians of the Baroque era.-Early life:Jakub Kresa was born into a smallholder's family at Smržice, not far from Prostějov. He studied at the Jesuit gymnasium in Brno. There he proved to be an extraordinary student...
(1648–1715) – mathematician (dubbed "EuclidEuclidEuclid , fl. 300 BC, also known as Euclid of Alexandria, was a Greek mathematician, often referred to as the "Father of Geometry". He was active in Alexandria during the reign of Ptolemy I...
of the West") - Karel Ferdinand IrmlerKarel Ferdinand IrmlerKarel Ferdinand Irmler was a Moravian lawyer and the first professor of secular law at University of Olomouc.Irmler was born on March 18, 1650 in Olomouc to a family of local physician. He studied at the Faculty of Philosophy of University of Olomouc and Law at the University of Prague, where he...
(1650–?) – Professor of Law (1679 – 1691) - Josef Dalbert (1683–?) – historian
- Kryštof Josef HollandtKryštof Josef HollandtKryštof Josef Hollandt was a Moravian lawyer and professor of law at University of Olomouc in years 1695-1707, author of commentary on institutiones....
(?–1713) – author of commentary on institutiones - Johann From (1685–1739) –
- Johann Hillebrandt (1686–1761) – philosopher, theologian
- Johann Schmidt (1693–1762) – historian
- Ignaz Popp (1697–1765) – historian
- Josef Wach (1711–1777) – jurist
- Thaddäus Polansky (1713–1770) – scientist (physics), theologian
- Jan TesánekJan TesánekJan Tesánek was a Bohemian scholar and author of scientific literature.Tesánek studied a gymnasium in Prague and later at Faculty of Philosophy of Charles University. In 1745, he became a Jesuit and studied mathematics, physics and astronomy under Joseph Stepling. Stepling introduced Tesánek to...
(1728–1788) – author of scientific literature, mathematician - Johann Heinrich BösenselleJohann Heinrich BösenselleJohann Heinrich Bösenselle, , , was a lawyer, professor of law and Rector of University of Olomouc.Originally from Westphalia, Johann Heinrich Bösenselle assumed position of Professor of Law at University of Olomouc in 1751. Bösenselle, together with Professor of Law Josef Antonín Sommer , strived...
(?–1767) – first secular Rector - Josef Vratislav MonseJosef Vratislav MonseJosef Vratislav Monse was a Moravian lawyer and historian.He was a leading enlightenment figure in the Habsburg Monarchy and an early exponent of the Czech National Revival in Moravia. Monse played a key role in the development of modern Moravian Historiography...
(1733–1793) – leading person of Enlightenment in Habsburg monarchy - Franz Samuel KarpeFranz Samuel KarpeFranz Samuel Karpe, , was a Slovene philosopher and rector of University of Olomouc.-Biography:Franz Samuel Karpe was born in Kranj, nowadays Slovenia, to a townsman's family. His parents died soon and subsequently Count Lichteberg's family assumed responsibility for his upbringing and education...
(1747–1806) – SloveneSloveniaSlovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
philosopher - Vincenz Augustus Wagner – author of Austrian Negotiable instrumentNegotiable instrumentA negotiable instrument is a document guaranteeing the payment of a specific amount of money, either on demand, or at a set time. According to the Section 13 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 in India, a negotiable instrument means a promissory note, bill of exchange or cheque payable either...
law - Johann Nepomuk RustJohann Nepomuk RustJohann Nepomuk Rust was a surgeon and military physician born at Jánský Vrh, Javorník, Austrian Silesia ....
(1775–1840) – physician and military Surgeon General - Andreas von Baumgartner (1775–1840) – physicistPhysicistA physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
and Austrian statesman - Friedrich FranzFriedrich FranzFriedrich Franz was a photography pioneer and university teacher of Gregor Mendel.Friedrich Franz was also the name of several members of the House of Mecklenburg-Schwerin:*Friedrich Franz I, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin...
(1796–1860) – daguerreotyper, influenced Mendel - Alois Vojtěch ŠemberaAlois Vojtech ŠemberaAlois Vojtěch Šembera was a Czech linguist, historian of literature, writer, journalist and patriot....
(1807–1882) – very imporant figure of the Czech National RevivalCzech National RevivalCzech National Revival was a cultural movement, which took part in the Czech lands during the 18th and 19th century. The purpose of this movement was to revive Czech language, culture and national identity... - Adalbert Theodor MichelAdalbert Theodor MichelAdalbert Theodor Michel was an Austrian lawyer, law professor and rector of Universities in Olomouc and in Graz .-Biography:Michel graduated University in Prague as doctor of law in 1844. After graduating he was shortly lecturing at the Universities in Prague and Vienna...
(1821–1877) – professor of private law - Anton GindelyAnton GindelyAnton Gindely was a Bohemian historian, a son of an ethnic-German father from Hungary and a Czech mother, born in Prague.He studied in Prague and in Olomouc, and, after travelling extensively in search of historical material, became professor of history at the German Charles-Ferdinand University...
(1829–1892) – historian - Pavel Trost (1907–1987) – linguist
- Aljo Beran (1907–1990) – painter, author of the Palacký University emblem
- Milič Čapek (1909–1997) – philosopher
- Emil HolasEmil HolasProf. PhDr. Emil Holas, DrSc. was a Psychology educator and writer from Czech Republic. Dr. Holas studied Latin, French, and Philosophy at Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic. Between 1952 and 1960 Dr. Holas lead the Department of Psychology at Palacký University in Olomouc, Czech Republic...
(1917–1985) – psychologist - Jiří LevýJirí LevýJiří Levý was a Czech literary theoretician, literary historian and translation theoretician.-Early life and career:Jiří Levý was born on 8 August 1926 in Košice , and died on 17 January 1967 in Brno ....
(1926–1967) – literary historian and translation theoretician - Vladislav DavidVladislav DavidVladislav David is a Czech lawyer and leading professor of public international law in the Czech Republic.- Biography :...
(b. 1927) – leading Czech jurist in international public law - Antonín Procházka (1927–2006) – JusticeJudgeA judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
of the Constitutional Court of the Czech RepublicConstitutional Court of the Czech RepublicThe Constitutional Court of the Czech Republic is a specialized type of court which primarily works to protect the people of the Czech Republic against violations of the constitution. In this respect, it is similar in functionality to the US Supreme Court, but is distinct from the Supreme Court of... - Heinrich Pompeÿ (b. 1936) – German theologist, psychologist,
- František Mezihorák (b. 1937) – historian, Senator
- Nina ŠkottováNina ŠkottováNina Škottová is a Czech politician andMember of the European Parliament with the Civic Democratic Party,part of the European Democrats and sits onthe European Parliament's Committee on Budgets....
(b. 1946) – pharmacologist, politician, Member of the European ParliamentMember of the European ParliamentA Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,... - Eliška Wagnerová(b. 1948) – JusticeJudgeA judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
of the Constitutional Court of the Czech RepublicConstitutional Court of the Czech RepublicThe Constitutional Court of the Czech Republic is a specialized type of court which primarily works to protect the people of the Czech Republic against violations of the constitution. In this respect, it is similar in functionality to the US Supreme Court, but is distinct from the Supreme Court of... - Stanislav Balík (b. 1956) – JusticeJudgeA judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
of the Constitutional Court of the Czech RepublicConstitutional Court of the Czech RepublicThe Constitutional Court of the Czech Republic is a specialized type of court which primarily works to protect the people of the Czech Republic against violations of the constitution. In this respect, it is similar in functionality to the US Supreme Court, but is distinct from the Supreme Court of...
Alumni
- Saint John SarkanderJohn SarkanderSaint John Sarkander was a Polish and Moravian priest.Sarkander studied since 1597 at the University of Olomouc and then since 1600 at the Charles University, where he became doctor of philosophy. Later, he studied theology at University of Graz. He was ordained in 1609 and worked in Holešov from...
(1576–1620) – PolishPolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
Roman Catholic martyrMartyrA martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:... - Saint John Ogilvie (1579–1615) – a ScottishScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
Roman Catholic Jesuit martyrMartyrA martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:... - Albrecht von WallensteinAlbrecht von WallensteinAlbrecht Wenzel Eusebius von Wallenstein , actually von Waldstein, was a Bohemian soldier and politician, who offered his services, and an army of 30,000 to 100,000 men during the Danish period of the Thirty Years' War , to the Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II...
(1583–1634) – supreme commander of the armies of Habsburg Monarchy, major figure of Thirty Years' WarThirty Years' WarThe Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
(matriculatedMatriculationMatriculation, in the broadest sense, means to be registered or added to a list, from the Latin matricula – little list. In Scottish heraldry, for instance, a matriculation is a registration of armorial bearings...
1605) - Wenceslas Pantaleon KirwitzerWenceslas Pantaleon KirwitzerWenceslas Pantaleon Kirwitzer was an astronomer and a Jesuit missionary.- Life :Kirwitzer was born in Kadaň , Bohemia to a protestant family descended from the village of Krbice so his surname was derived from "Kürbitzer"...
(1588–1626) – an astronomerAstronomerAn astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
and a Jesuit missionaryMissionaryA missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin... - Stanisław Zaremba (?–1648) – Polish writer, Roman Catholic Bishop of Kiev
- Johannes Marcus Marci (1595–1667) – philosopher, scientist
- Bohuslav BalbínBohuslav BalbínBohuslav Balbín was a Czech writer and Jesuit, the "Bohemian Pliny," whose Vita beatae Joannis Nepomuceni martyris was published in Prague, 1670,...
(1621–1688) – writer, historian - Francis Taaffe, 3rd Earl of CarlingfordFrancis Taaffe, 3rd Earl of CarlingfordFrancis Taaffe, 3rd Earl of Carlingford , was 4th Viscount Taaffe, of Corren and 4th Baron of Ballymote and an army commander and politician from Irish descent in the service of Emperor Ferdinand III in the Austrian capital Vienna and later of Duke Charles IV of Lorraine in Nancy.Francis Taaffe was...
(1639–1704) – army commander, politician - Varlaam Yasinsky (?–1707) – Rector of Kiev CollegeKiev Theological AcademyThe Kievan Theological Academy and Seminary is the oldest college of the Russian Orthodox Church. It is situated in Kiev and traces its history back to 1615, when Yelisey Pletenetsky founded a "brotherhood school" at the Theophany Monastery....
, Metropolitan of Kiev, Galicia and Russia - Lev ZalenskyjLev ZalenskyjLev Szlubic Zalenskyj was the Metropolitan of Kiev, Galicia and Russia of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church from 1694 to his death in 1708.-Life:...
(c1648–1708) – Metropolitan of Kiev, Galicia and Russia - Franz RetzFranz RetzFranz Retz was a Bohemian Jesuit, elected fifteenth Superior General of the Society of Jesus, which he governed from 7 March 1730 to 19 November 1750.-Formation:...
(1673–1750) – fifteenth Superior General of the Society of JesusSuperior General of the Society of JesusThe Superior General of the Society of Jesus is the official title of the leader of the Society of Jesus—the Roman Catholic religious order, also known as the Jesuits. He is generally addressed as Father General. The position carries the nickname of Black Pope, after his simple black priest's... - Jan Talentius – mathematician, author of Gemmula mathematica sive ars liberatis etc., Bregae
- Karel SlavíčekKarel SlavíčekKarel Slavíček, , was a Jesuit missionary and scientist, the first Czech sinologist and author of the first precise map of Beijing.-Early life and studies in the Czech lands:...
(1678–1735) – the first Czech sinologist, author of the first precise map of BeijingBeijingBeijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's... - Joseph Leopold Freiherr von Petrasch (1714–1772) – founder of the first learned society in Habsburg Monarchy, the Societas eruditorum incognitorumSocietas eruditorum incognitorum in terris AustriacisSocietas eruditorum incognitorum in terris Austriacis was the first learned society in the lands under control of Austrian Habsburgs. It was established, formally, in 1746 at the university and episcopal town of Olomouc in order to spread Enlightenment ideas...
- Johann Rudolf KutschkerJohann Rudolf KutschkerJohann Baptist Rudolph Kutschker was an Austrian Cardinal .Johann Rudolf Kutschker was born in Seifersdorf , Austrian Silesia...
(1750–1816) – Cardinal, Archbishop of Vienna - Raphael Georg Kiesewetter (1773–1850) – music historian
- Johann JahnJohann JahnJohann Jahn, was a German Orientalist. He studied at the Faculty of Philosophy of University of Olomouc, and in 1772 began his theological studies at the Premonstratensian convent of Bruck, near Znaim...
(1750–1816) – orientalist - Pavel Vranický (1756–1808) – MoraviaMoraviaMoravia is a historical region in Central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, and one of the former Czech lands, together with Bohemia and Silesia. It takes its name from the Morava River which rises in the northwest of the region...
n classicalClassical period (music)The dates of the Classical Period in Western music are generally accepted as being between about 1750 and 1830. However, the term classical music is used colloquially to describe a variety of Western musical styles from the ninth century to the present, and especially from the sixteenth or...
composerComposerA composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media... - Johann Karl NestlerJohann Karl NestlerJohann Karl Nestler, was a Czech-German scientist in the field of hereditary traits, professor of natural history and agriculture at the Philosophical Faculty of University of Olomouc, dean of the faculty and rector of the university, and doyen of the Czech agriculture science.-Biography:Nestler...
(1783–1841) – agronomistAgronomistAn agronomist is a scientist who specializes in agronomy, which is the science of utilizing plants for food, fuel, feed, and fiber. An agronomist is an expert in agricultural and allied sciences, with the exception veterinary sciences.Agronomists deal with interactions between plants, soils, and...
, early researcher of genetics - František Jan Mošner (1797–1876) – professor of ObstetricsObstetricsObstetrics is the medical specialty dealing with the care of all women's reproductive tracts and their children during pregnancy , childbirth and the postnatal period...
, head of the Olomouc nursery and orphanage, promoter of innovative approaches in Olomouc healthcare education - Gregor Johann MendelGregor MendelGregor Johann Mendel was an Austrian scientist and Augustinian friar who gained posthumous fame as the founder of the new science of genetics. Mendel demonstrated that the inheritance of certain traits in pea plants follows particular patterns, now referred to as the laws of Mendelian inheritance...
(1802–1884) – "The Father of Genetics" - Peter Ritter von RittingerPeter Ritter von RittingerPeter von Rittinger was an Austrian Montanist and pioneer of mineral processing.- Life :The son of poor parents, Peter von Rittinger attended high school in Leipnik and, in difficult circumstances, studied at the Faculty of Philosophy and the Faculty of Law of University of Olomouc...
(1811–1872) – inventor of the heat pumpHeat pumpA heat pump is a machine or device that effectively "moves" thermal energy from one location called the "source," which is at a lower temperature, to another location called the "sink" or "heat sink", which is at a higher temperature. An air conditioner is a particular type of heat pump, but the... - Beda DudíkBeda DudíkBeda František Dudík was a Benedictine Moravian historian.-Life:...
(1815–1890) – historian - Rudolf Eitelberger von EdelbergRudolf EitelbergerRudolf Eitelberger, full name Rudolf Eitelberger von Edelberg was an art historian and the first Ordinarius for art history at the University of Vienna...
(1817–1885) – art historianArt historyArt history has historically been understood as the academic study of objects of art in their historical development and stylistic contexts, i.e. genre, design, format, and style... - Pavel KřížkovskýPavel KrížkovskýPavel Křížkovský was a Czech choral composer and conductor.Křížkovský was born in Kreuzendorf, Opava District, Austrian Silesia. He was a chorister in a monastery in Opava when young, and studied at the Faculty of Philosophy of University of Olomouc and later in Brno...
(1820–1885) – choralChoirA choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
composerComposerA composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and conductorConductingConducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble... - Eduard Schön (1825–1879) – composerComposerA composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
- Anton GindelyAnton GindelyAnton Gindely was a Bohemian historian, a son of an ethnic-German father from Hungary and a Czech mother, born in Prague.He studied in Prague and in Olomouc, and, after travelling extensively in search of historical material, became professor of history at the German Charles-Ferdinand University...
(1829–1892) – historian - Jan ŠrámekJan ŠrámekJan Šrámek was Prime Minister of the Czechoslovak government-in-exile from July 21, 1940 to April 5, 1945. He was the first chairman of the Czechoslovak People's Party and was a Monsignor....
(1870–1952) – priest, longtime leader of the Czechoslovak People's Party - František Dvorník (1893–1975) – Byzantinist and Slavist, Professor of Byzantinology at Harvard UniversityHarvard UniversityHarvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
- Alois MusilAlois MusilAlois Musil was an Austro-Hungarian and Czech theologist, orientalist, explorer and writer.Musil was the oldest son born into the family of a poor farmer...
(1868–1944) – theologist, orientalistOriental studiesOriental studies is the academic field of study that embraces Near Eastern and Far Eastern societies and cultures, languages, peoples, history and archaeology; in recent years the subject has often been turned into the newer terms of Asian studies and Middle Eastern studies...
, ethnographer, explorer and writer - Saint GorazdGorazd (Pavlik) of PragueBishop Gorazd of Prague, given name Matěj Pavlík , was the hierarch of the revived Orthodox Church in Moravia, the Church of Czechoslovakia, after World War I...
(1879–1942) – hierarch and martyrMartyrA martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
of the Czech and Slovak Orthodox ChurchCzech and Slovak Orthodox ChurchThe Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia is a self-governing body of the Eastern Orthodox Church that territorially covers the countries of the Czech Republic and Slovakia... - František TomášekFrantišek TomášekFrantišek Tomášek was a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church in Bohemia, the 34th Archbishop of Prague, and a Roman Catholic theologian...
(1899–1992) – theologian, cardinalCardinal (Catholicism)A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
of the Roman Catholic ChurchRoman Catholic ChurchThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, the 34th Archbishop of PragueArchbishop of PragueThe following is a list of bishops and archbishops of Prague. The bishopric of Prague was established in 973, and elevated to an archbishopric on 30 April 1344. The today's Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Prague is the continual successor of the bishoprie established in 973... - Jiří Opelík (born 1930) – literary critic, historian
- Vladimír Palička (b. 1946) – biochemistBiochemistBiochemists are scientists who are trained in biochemistry. Typical biochemists study chemical processes and chemical transformations in living organisms. The prefix of "bio" in "biochemist" can be understood as a fusion of "biological chemist."-Role:...
and endocrinologist, dean of the Charles University Faculty of Medicine in Hradec KrálovéHradec KrálovéHradec Králové is a city of the Czech Republic, in the Hradec Králové Region of Bohemia. The city's economy is based on food-processing technology, photochemical, and electronics manufacture. Traditional industries include musical instrument manufacturing – the best known being PETROF pianos... - Jindřich ŠtreitJindřich ŠtreitJindřich Štreit is a Czech photographer and pedagogue known for his documentary photography. He focuses on documenting the rural life and people of Czech villages...
(b. 1946) – photographer and pedagogue known for his documentary photographyDocumentary photographyDocumentary photography usually refers to a popular form of photography used to chronicle significant and historical events. It is typically covered in professional photojournalism, but it may also be an amateur, artistic, or academic pursuit... - Lumír Ondřej HanušLumír Ondřej HanušLumír Ondřej Hanuš is a Czech analytic chemist and leading authority in the field of cannabis research. In 1992, he and William Anthony Devane isolated and first described the structure of anandamide, an endogenous cannabinoid neurotransmitter.-Biography:...
(b. 1947) – leading cannabis researcher - Emil ViklickýEmil ViklickýEmil Viklický is a Czech jazz pianist and composer. In 1971 he graduated from Palacký University with a degree in mathematics. While a student he devoted much time to playing jazz piano. In 1974, he was awarded the prize for best soloist at the Czechoslovak Amateur Jazz Festival, and that same...
(b. 1948) – jazz pianist and composer - Jan Švec – inventor of VideokymographyVideokymographyVideokymography is a high-speed medical imaging method to visualize the human vocal fold vibration dynamics. It was invented by Jan G. Švec.A digital technique for high-speed visualization of vibration, called videokymography, was developed and applied to the vocal folds...
- Ivan LangerIvan LangerMUDr. Mgr. Ivan Langer is a Czech politician, member of the Civic Democratic Party since 1991. He is a vice-chairman of the CDP. Since 2006 to 2009 he was a Ministr of the Interior and Informatics. In 2000 Langer secretly lobbyied on behalf of developer Luděk Sekyra, who tried to acquire major...
(b. 1957) – politician, member of Student Strike Committee in 1989, Minister of Interior 2006 – 2009 (1987 – 1993 Faculty of Medicine, 1993 – 1996 Faculty of Law) - Jaroslava MaxováJaroslava MaxovaJaroslava Maxová is a Czech mezzo-soprano opera singer and vocal coach.- Biography :...
(b. 1957) – mezzo-soprano opera singer - Jan BalabánJan BalabánJan Balabán was a Czech writer, journalist, and translator. He was considered an existentialist whose works often dealt with the wretched and desperate aspects of the human condition.-Partial biography:...
(1961–2010) – writer, existentialist - Tomáš ZatloukalTomáš ZatloukalTomáš Zatloukal is a Czech politician and Member of the European Parliament with the Union of Independents, part of the European People's Party and sits on the European Parliament's Committee on Culture and Education.He is a substitute for the Committee on Budgets and a member of the Delegation to...
(b. 1969) – politician, Member of European Parliament (2004–2009) - Bohdan PomahačBohdan PomahačBohdan Pomahač is the plastic surgeon who led the team that performed the first full face transplant in the United States.-Biography:Pomahač's parents were a chemical engineer and a school teacher...
(b. 1971) – performed the first full face transplantFace transplantA face transplant is a still-experimental procedure to replace all or part of a person's face. The world's first full face transplant was completed in Spain in 2010.-Beneficiaries of face transplant:...
in the USA in 2011