UP Management Negotiated Student Study Stays in Switzerland and Visited CERN

Ensuring new possibilities of educational stays for UP students in prestigious international institutions in Geneva and establishing collaboration with the University of Fribourg – these were the two main goals of UP management during their April 2016 journey to Switzerland. UP Rector Jaroslav Miller and Vice-Rector Ivana Oborná negotiated with Czech representatives at the UN and WHO, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and also paid a visit to CERN.

Palacký University could launch new collaboration with the University of Fribourg. According to UP Rector Miller, it is a similar type of school as Palacký University. “They are half our size, with some 10,000 students enrolled, but the structure of the university is similar to ours. Our negotiations involved the possibility of joint degree programmes with our Faculty of Theology. Their university has a theological faculty too, and it is also led by the Dominicans. Student exchanges were also discussed. Our goal is to bolster the German environment at our university to some degree. That’s why we are looking for more partners in German-speaking countries,” said the rector on their visit to Fribourg.

In addition to these academic debates, the UP delegation also dealt with representatives of global organisations which are based in Geneva. The goal was identical – to open the doors for UP students to prestigious international organisations and broaden their opportunities for educational stays, studies and sojourns. “We have visited the headquarters of the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME), where one UP student is on a stipend at this moment, and also the headquarters of the World Medical Association (WMA), where a stipend for a student of ours has been negotiated,” said UP Vice-Rector Ivana Oborná. Oborná and Miller also met the representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). “We have established cooperation with ICRC already – one student from the UP Faculty of Law is there on scholarship. However, we want to increase the number of our educational stays, not only at ICRC, but also at the Geneva headquarters of United Nations. Students acquire excellent experience during these study visits as well as great references, which will be handy in their future careers,” added Jaroslav Miller.

The possibilities of internship for UP students at the Permanent Mission of the Czech Republic to the United Nations in Geneva have already been negotiated beforehand. Palacký University deems it relevant to be actively involved in the non-academic sphere as well. “Establishing closer cooperation with organisations located in Geneva will contribute to the positive image of Palacký University abroad. It is also an important step on the path to the internationalisation of the university beyond the academic sphere, which will have a significant impact on our development,” explained Vice-Rector Ivana Oborná.

While some bureaus and organisations will just be starting their first cooperation, there are locations in Switzerland where such cooperation has already been established successfully, with tangible results. One of them is CERN – the European Organisation for Nuclear Research. This international organisation, financed by more than 20 countries including Czechia, already hosts students and scientists from Olomouc. “Internships for UP students at CERN are possible. UP has participated in several CERN projects, mainly via our Joint Laboratory of Optics. CERN is willing to accept several of our students for internships,” said Rector Miller. As he added, however, not everyone’s expenses can be covered by the organisation. “It would be most appropriate if the faculties, particularly the UP Faculty of Science, supported their students with some kind of stipend. Our reputation is very good in CERN, and our opticians are appreciated as excellent experts, so we should maintain this good repute and further develop it,” added UP Rector.

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