Dear students,

Dean of the Faculty of Science has announced another year of Dean's Excellence Award for the Best Teacher. Students of third and higher years of bachelor and follow-up master studies can participate and vote for their favorite teachers. Each student can nominate up to three teachers, who will be assigned votes with worth 1.0, 0.7 and 0.5, respectively. It is possible to vote electronically on this webside until September 15. The best teacher for each of the five fields (mathematics and computer science, physics, chemistry, biology and ecology, Earth sciences) will be awarded. Detailed information can be found here.

Call for applicants - external evaluators, experts in the field of environment and agriculture
Through the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic, the government supports applied research projects that respond to current challenges and needs of society. Projects linking research organizations with innovation activities in companies are target of the support. We strive to contribute to increasing the quality of life and growth of the competitiveness of the Czech Republic.

We are looking for experts in research and innovation from the academic or application environment, ideally with a university degree and experience in the field. We welcome experience with submitting or evaluating projects in the field of research and innovation. We offer contact with current trends in research and innovation in medicine and a financial reward for each evaluation.

All evaluation is performed online in the information system. Project proposals for evaluation are assigned on the basis of their thematic focus, which corresponds to the areas of interest of individual programs (their full list can be found here).

If you are interested, visit the Information for Evaluators section at our website for more information. Register in the information system ista.tacr.cz (first as a user and then as an evaluator)- contact us with any queries via hodnotitele@tacr.cz.

Scholarship stays in Japan
On behalf of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic, we would like to inform you about the offer of prestigious multi-year scholarships to study in Japan starting in 2021.

Every year, the Japanese Ministry of Education Monbukagakusho announces scholarships for study and research stays for students and university graduates. Graduates of all disciplines with at least a Bachelor´s degree can apply for a scholarship from the Japanese government (MEXT) for 18 to 24 months ("Research Student" internship). Successful candidates will begin a scholarship stay in September or October 2021. The amount of the scholarship is around 145,000 YEN per month. We recommend that you find out more about the conditions for applicants on the website of the Embassy of Japan in the Czech Republic and in the information manual for applicants.

The Japanese government also provides multi-year scholarships for high school graduates, and therefore also first-year university students, to complete university studies in Japan. The total length of study is 5 to 7 years, including compulsory intensive language training. Successful candidates will start a scholarship stay in April or October 2021. The amount of the scholarship is at least 117,000 YEN per month.

Those interested in either type of scholarships submit applications by June 26, 2020. Application with the required attachments must be delivered to the address of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic (Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic, Karmelitská 529/5, 118 12 Prague 1). Successful applicants will be invited by the Japanese Embassy to a take a test in mid-July. You can also find summary information on the DZS/AIA website.

Award for environmental and climate research
New Award for Environmental and Climate Research (Make Our Planet Great Again) is part of the annual competition organized by the French Embassy in seven scientific disciplines. Every year we launch a competition among all Czech universities / academies of sciences and ask them to nominate their best young scientists (Ph.D. level or with dissertation defended the previous year). This award was newly created this year and we are now looking for candidates.

Here you may find the condition of participation and other information about each award. The conditions of participation describe exactly how the competition is organized. Please ignore the deadlines - they are now flexible. Students can apply using this Google form and submit their application to sciences.praque@gmail.com.

Program H2020 Marie Sklodowska-Curie
The Universitat Rovira i Virgili in Spain invites graduates of Master degree programs to apply for doctoral studies at this university. This year, 17 applicants will be selected to receive a three-year employment contract under the European doctoral program H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie. Positions are based on individual projects covering all areas of research. More information here.

The Academic Senate of the Faculty of Science will meet for the first time in a new composition on Wednesday, September 16, 2020 (the mandate of the current Senate ends on September 14, and the new mandate begins on September 15).

Student Scientific Competition - Dean’s Award
We would like to remind you of the upcoming deadline for submitting the applications for the Student Scientific Competition - Dean’s Award. The registration is finishing on 30 June (including)!

Students of bachelor, master and doctoral programmes can apply for the 17^th year, announced by the Dean of the Faculty of Science, Palacky University in Olomouc. You can register your final projects or other scientific work at http://svoc.prf.upol.cz/registrace/.

The defence of the registered projects will take place in the premises of the faculty at 12. listopadu street on 7^th July. The schedule will be published on the websites. The lectures will be divided into the following sections (Mathematics and IT, Physics, Chemistry, Biology and ecology, Earth Sciences, Didactics of Natural Sciences) and these further into individual categories (bachelor, master, doctoral); the poster section will be held for all categories together. In this extraordinary year, participants are offered to participate personally on the day of the competition (under specified hygienic conditions), or to present their work online.

We cordially invite all authors of the projects, their trainers, other students and employees, who want to become acquainted with interesting projects, to the award ceremony, which is scheduled for 4 p.m. at the auditorium of the Faculty of Science. All winners will receive scholarships and prizes provided by the Faculty of Science and the partners of the event.

All information about the event, including the prizes for the winners is continuously updated at http://svoc.prf.upol.cz/. In case of other questions please contact us at the email jan.riha@upol.cz.

Monitoring the current situation
You can find current information about teaching, exams, etc. on the website: https://www.prf.upol.cz/en/students/.

Contact with Study Department
The study department is reopened in standard office hours with several restrictions: Ing. Jana Camfrlová will be present only on Tuesday and Thursday, Mgr. Marcela Chytilová always in the morning office hours. Mgr. Karásková is still only available via e-mail.

We continue to ask students to process applications preferentially by e-mail with their study assistant. It is also possible to close the study before the statesmen via e-mail.

Closing of the year before Final state examinations
We would like to remind all graduate students to the obligation to close the year before the final examination. The year must be closed no later than three weeks before the final state examination date, by e-mailing your study assistant. After closing the year, the inscription "On..... you have fulfilled your study obligations according to your study department" will appear in STAG.

Deadline for fulfillment of study obligations
The deadline for fulfilling study obligations is extended to the academic year 2019/2020 until September 15. You can also apply for an extension of study until the same date.

Graduation ceremony
The original date of graduation has been cancelled and the graduation will probably take place on November 6-7. If you have already registered for graduation, you have paid the fee and you are no longer interested in graduation, we will refund the fee, just inform your assistant. By prior arrangement, you can pick up your diplomas at the Study Department.

Student evaluation in doctoral studies
We ask students of doctoral study programs to submit an evaluation for the academic year 2019/2020 by June 30. The assessment must be signed by the student and the tutor and must include a written opinion of the tutor as to whether /not recommending progression to the next year. Even after submitting the evaluation, the student can complete the subjects he/ she has registered in STAG until September 15. After September 15, a check will be made on the fulfillment of the conditions for advancement to the next year.

Students of the fourth and higher years, together with the evaluation, submit an application for the extension of studies. The application must also include the statement and signature of the supervisor.

Training of employees in work safety at heights
Training of employees in safety at work at heights above 1.5 m and above free depth is scheduled for July 2, 2020 in the auditorium of the main Faculty building (2.001) from 8:00 to 10:30.

Staff training
Training of employees in health and safety at work with chainsaws, brush-cutters, small garden equipment, in the operation and use of portable power tools, metalworking, forming and woodworking machines and equipment and in work with lifting equipment will take place on July 8 in auditorium of the main Faculty building.

Time schedule of individual trainings:
8:00 - 9:30 Health and safety when working with chainsaws, brush-cutters and small garden equipment
9:45 - 12:00 Health and safety when working on metalworking, forming and woodworking machines, when working with portable power tools, when working with lifting equipment (freight elevators and free-hanging means for gripping loads - jacks, winches)

Driver training
In accordance with the provision of paragraph 2 §103 of Act. No. 262/2006 Coll., Labor Code, as amended, the TRAINING OF DRIVERS OF REFERENCE VEHICLES will take place. It is intended for UP employees who, in the performance of their job duties, drive their motor vehicles or employer's company vehicles weighing less than 3.5 t and are not professional drivers (they do not have a motor vehicle driver agreed in the employment contract).

The training will take place on June 18, from 10:00-12:00 in the Auditorium (2.001) of the main Faculty building. Attendance lists will be prepared for participants in front of the room. Without LEGIBLY written name of the employee, the workplace and signature on the attendance list, the participation will be invalid. There is no need to register for the event in advance. The training is valid for two years. Further training of drivers of reference vehicles is planned for October 2020. Employees will be informed in advance via e-mail about the exact autumn date and time of the event.

Summer day camps
Fort Science also offers summer day camps to experiment, discover, decipher, paint, compete, laugh, run as well as relax with the view of the starry sky. Selection of camps is available here.

Opening of vacation site in Karlov
From May 25, 2020, the Faculty of Science reopens its recreational facility in Karlov pod Pradědem. The building offers 6 rooms with a total capacity of 20 beds. PrF employees and their family members get a discount. If you are interested, you will find detailed information on the accommodation offer at https://karlov.upol.cz/. There is also a booking form available, which shows the current availability.

Summer school of statistical methods
Service for Science invites you to the Summer school of Statistical Methods. The fourteenth year will take place from August 24-28 in Brno. The summer school is intended mainly for: doctoral students, academics and researchers. The program of this traditional summer school is based directly on the experience of lecturers with research and teaching at universities. But it is also inspired by everyday experience with the Six Sigma methodology in improving processes in practice. You can find the application on this webside.

Science and Technology Week
The Faculty of Science will participate in the Week of Science of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (AS CR), which will take place from November 2-8, 2020. Given that the ASCR commemorates 130 years since its founding, this year will be devoted to the greatest achievements in the field of science, taking into account the current research of the coronavirus Covid-19 in laboratories of the ASCR. The program will therefore include events that will introduce visitors to the greatest research successes of the past 130 years and beneficial research that is currently being worked on and projects that bring the cooperation of universities with the ASCR closer. It can be lectures, laboratory tours, workshops, science café, screenings with discussion, etc. Adherence to the topic is crucial for inclusion in the event´s program. If you are interested, contact Mgr. Dagmar Petrželová, e-mail: dagmar.petrzelova@upol.cz.