Starting Monday, September 23, classes will begin at all eight Palacký University (UP) faculties, and Olomouc will become a vibrant student city again. Unlike many other schools and institutions, Olomouc’s university was almost unaffected by the dramatic floods that swept through the Czech Republic in recent days, and everything will be business as usual. The faculties are looking forward to the return of their students and first-year students, the dormitories are open, and the canteens are operating without restrictions. Everyone at UP is thus focused on the possibility of volunteering or otherwise helping the flood-affected areas or their students and workers affected by the flooding.
After the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Faculty of Education, and Faculty of Health Sciences, which have already started classes, the remaining five faculties of Palacký University will start full-time classes on Monday. All lecturers consider their students' absences justified by the direct impact of the floods on their households in these difficult days.
If those studying or working at UP have been affected by the events of the previous days more than they can cope with, psychological and psychotherapeutic counselling can be accessed on campus.
From the very first days of the semester, there will also be social and educational events for all, the first of which will be MEET UP on Tuesday, September 24, which has been affected by a single logistical measure due to the floods, namely the move from the originally planned venue on the Morava River embankment to the premises of the Armoury (Zbrojnice). On Friday, September 27, the Long Night of the Scientists will take place at dozens of locations at the University, and is free to all.
Other university and faculty events are published on the web in the UP Calendar, and the critical dates of the winter semester and the whole academic year are on its timetable.
Sts Cyril and Methodius Faculty of Theology (CMFT)
The semester at the Faculty of Theology in Olomouc is starting as planned. The Vice Dean for International Affairs, Dominik Opatrný, even personally welcomed two students from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (link to CMFT Facebook). Some of the Faculty's employees are providing crisis intervention to those in need in cooperation via the UP Volunteer Centre.
The Faculty keeps its students and workers informed on its website, Facebook and Instagram, and it also has an anonymous Comments and Complaints box.
Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry (FMD)
The Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, which started classes last week on Monday, is excusing its students affected by the floods.
The Faculty is keeping its students and workers informed on its website, Facebook and Instagram. It also offers psychological counselling in case of difficulties.
Faculty of Arts (FA)
The Faculty of Arts will start the winter semester as scheduled on Monday, September 23; the Dean of the Faculty made an announcement to its students and staff on Monday, September 16, and updated it on Wednesday, September 18, due to the drop in the water level in the region (link to FA Facebook). Reasonable absences due to flood-related issues will be excused at the Dean’s discretion. Combined studies classes at FA UP on 20 and 21 September 2024 are being transferred to online mode due to complications in many locations outside Olomouc, and some specific courses will be rescheduled. Students affected will be informed about the details.
The Faculty keeps its students and workers informed on its website, Facebook, Facebook group and Instagram.
Faculty of Science (FS)
The Faculty of Science, one of the most water-prone Faculties, survived Tuesday’s high water on the Morava River unscathed and is looking forward to Monday’s start of the semester as per the current schedule. The Faculty had installed flood barriers at critical points ahead of time to protect the building from any possible spillage of the Morava River. There were no complications on the premises of the Olomouc-Holice campus. The Faculty of Science also has technical facilities for the hybrid form of teaching and in case of students’ requirements, teachers can use these possibilities in most theoretical subjects.
The Faculty keeps its students and staff informed on its website, Facebook and Instagram, as well as in the regular Faculty of Science Newsletter.
Faculty of Education (FE)
The Faculty of Education started classes on Monday of this week, with most of its students having already moved into their dormitories. However, the Dean of the Faculty in a statement on Sunday also urged all those affected by the flooding to stay safe and make individual arrangements with their lecturers for safe arrival.
The Faculty keeps its students and staff informed on its website, Facebook, Instagram and social network X or in the regular FE Newsletter. The website also summarises practical information for first-year students, and important for all is the information on the renovation of the building at Žižkovo náměstí 5, which will begin this semester.
Faculty of Physical Culture (FPC)
On Monday, September 23, full-time classes will also begin at the Faculty of Physical Culture according to the current schedule. Students who are in a complicated situation due to the floods are excused from the block classes, which are already taking place this week at the Faculty of Physical Culture, and were informed of this by e-mail on Sunday afternoon. Another change caused by the flooding is the cancellation of the introductory camp at Pastviny; the Faculty will announce its replacement on this page. In previous days, FPC offered those affected by the flooding asylum in the FPC buildings in Neředín (link to FPC Facebook).
The Faculty keeps its students and staff informed on its website, Facebook, and Instagram. A guide to studying at FPC is also available to students on the website.
Faculty of Law (FL)
The Faculty of Law issued an update on the flood situation on Tuesday, September 17, with classes scheduled to start on Monday, September 23, according to the academic year schedule. Students who will not be able to get to Olomouc due to physical reasons can attend hybrid classes online by prior arrangement with the instructor. Over the weekend, the Faculty already published guidelines for the winter state final exams due to the flooding.
Starting Monday, September 30, the Student Legal Aid Office at the UP FL will open. It will also offer free legal assistance to people affected by the flood. Appointments can be made by phone or e-mail from September 23.
The Faculty keeps its students and staff informed on its website, Facebook, and Instagram; it also uses an electronic bulletin board, and next Wednesday its news bulletin will be published.
Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS)
The Faculty of Health Sciences has postponed classes for two days due to the extent of the emergency situation that has affected not only its students but also its academics, with classes running as scheduled from Wednesday September 18.
The Faculty is keeping its learners and staff informed on its website, Facebook, and Instagram, and a study guide is available for first-year students.
Palacký University Accommodation and Dining
Accommodation in any of Palacký University’s halls of residence is not limited by the events of the previous days and is taking place as standard according to the valid schedule of places and dates for key collection. The last day for proper accommodation is Sunday September 22 from 2 pm to 5 pm. In justified cases, which are now more likely to be anticipated, arrangements for later check-in can be made individually with the Registrar or Head of the relevant dormitory; contacts are on the website.
On Monday September 23, the Palacký University canteens and bistros will be open again after the holidays, and will be fully open to students and workers during normal opening hours.
Any news, changes or notifications about the operation of the dormitories and canteens are published on the website of UP Accommodation and Dining, as well as on their Instagram and Facebook.
Help those affected, become a volunteer!
Despite, or perhaps because, Palacký University itself was not significantly affected by the current dramatic floods, it is devoting almost all of its energy these days to getting volunteers to areas that were not so lucky.
The UP Volunteer Centre, in cooperation with the Olomouc Region and the Czech Red Cross, is gathering people interested in helping in the affected areas 24 hours a day and sending buses to the affected areas, with dozens of them departing every day.
The need is for crisis intervention, manual labour, and identifying specific needs household by household.