Looking Back at 2012 ****************************************************************************************** * Looking Back at 2012 ****************************************************************************************** What where the biggest events in 2012? Students throwing watermelons from the windows of t in protest against the planned changes in higher education was an unusual way to start of happened next? read on to find out... January 60th anniversary of the foundation of the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics The Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, one of the youngest, but scientifically strongest, at Charles University, celebrated the 60th anniversary of its establishment. The faculty w government degree on 1 September 1952. Charles University multimedia project commemorates Jan Palach’s legacy Jan Palach, Ryszard Siwiec and Sándor Bauer are just a few of those who gave their lives f or convictions. Their stories and those of other ‘human torches’ are presented in a Charle multimedia project. The website www.janpalach.eu [ URL "www.janpalach.eu"] was launched on the 43rd anniversary of Jan Palach’s self-immolation. Students and academics criticise the Higher Education Act The proposed Higher Education Act provokes protests by students and teachers from Charles fears that planned changes in legislation will restrict academic freedom and favour busine Charles University academics met in the Grand Hall of the Law Faculty to discuss reforms. Rectorial Awards presented at the Karolinum Seven students from the Faculties of Medicine, Humanities and Social Sciences, Science, Th Pedagogy received the annual Charles University Rectorial Awards. February Students start protests against fees and reform Thousands of students protested during February against reforms proposed by Minister for E Dobeš. The academic senate of Charles University released a statement expressing its disag reforms. Lectures about the reforms were held in the faculties of the university and other Czech Republic. 10,000 students took part in a protest march on 28 February. Charles University celebrates recipients of Bolzano Awards The annual Bolzano Awards ceremony took place on 1 March, during the meeting of the Charle Research Committee in the Lesser Hall of the Karolinum. Three students received awards for theses written during their studies at Charles University. Amongst the criteria for the aw creative approach and the interdisciplinary nature of work carried out. Awards were given categories: Theology (Jindřiška Bláhová – A Tough Job for Donald Duck: Hollywood, Czechoslovakia, and behind the Iron Curtain, 1944–1951) Science (Roman Fiala – Investigation of New Anode Materials for Methanol Polymer Fuel Cell Medicine (Lenka Nosková - Mutations in DNAJC5, Encoding of Cysteine-String Protein Alpha, Autosomal-Dominant Adult-Onset Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis) March Battle on the ice at Charles University The final saw the ice hockey teams of Charles University and the University of Economics f Cup. Everyone at the game expected a tough battle, with the CU team winning through at the the Mayor’s Cup. And so it happened. Discoveries by Czech physicists on Nature Physics website The transmission of angular momentum from a circular-polarised light to an electron spin m to stir a magnet from a state of equilibrium in timescales of less than a picosecond. This makes it possible to manipulate spins within a magnet with the aid of brief laser pulses, scientists from the Joint Laboratory of Optospintronics of the Institute of Physics of the Sciences and the Faculty of Mathematics and physics of Charles University. April Merkel and Nečas discuss the future of Europe with students On Tuesday, 3 April the German Chancellor, Dr. Angela Merkel, paid a brief visit to the Cz Despite her packed schedule, with everything planned precisely to the minute, she found ti long debate with students of Charles University, in which she was joined by Czech Prime Mi Nečas in a discussion on the future of the European Union. Charles University celebrates its 664th anniversary [ URL "http://www.abcprague.com/2008/0 university-660-years-anniversary"] The first university in Central Europe was founded on 7 April 1378 by Charles IV. This maj the history of Czech scholarship was celebrated in advance by the academic community at a on Wednesday, 4 April in the Great Ceremonial Hall of the Karolinum. The celebrations also doctorates awarded to Prof. Dr. Beloslav Riečan and Prof. Kumbakonam R. Rajagopal. The Cha Awards for Creative Performance and Presentation Awards were also presented. Charles University awards two honorary doctorates The leading European specialist in nephrology, Prof. Christoph Wanner, head of the Departm and scientific director of the Department of Clinical Studies of the Würzburg University H the prominent biochemist Prof. Hans-Joachim Gabius, head of the Faculty of Physiological C Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität in Munich received honorary doctora honoris causa degrees i sciences in the Great Ceremonial Hall of the Karolinum of Charles University. June The Faculty of Mathematics and Physics film festival As part of the celebrations of its 60th anniversary, the Faculty of Mathematics and Physic first edition of a competitive film festival for young filmmakers. The winning films were a two-day festival in mid-June 2012 in Prague-Troja. The aim of the festival was to motiva pupils and secondary-school students and encourage interest in mathematics, physics and co (computer animation and graphics). September Inauguration of Dean Aleksi Šedo The inauguration of the Dean Aleksi Šedo took place in the Great Ceremonial Hall in the Ka presence of a number of prominent guests from Charles University, other universities, coll faculties in the Czech Republic and representatives of the Ministry of Health of the Czech well as other educational and health care institutions. Inauguration of new dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics The inauguration of new dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Prof. RNDr. Jan Kr took place on Friday, 14 September 2012 in the refectory on Malostranské náměstí. The form of the Dean in his post formed part of the autumn meeting with employees of the Faculty of Physics and the announcement of the top-rated pedagogues based on student surveys run by t summer semester of the 2011/12 academic year. Charles University awards honorary doctorate to Prof. Braunwald [ URL "http://iforum.cuni. iforum-13503.html"] Prof. Eugene Braunwald, a major personality in world medicine and the most prominent livin accepted an honorary doctora honoris causa degree in the Great Ceremonial Hall of the Karo Eugene Braunwald, M.D., a professor of cardiovascular medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hosp Medical School in Boston, USA, is, thanks to his exceptional publishing activities and the the TIMI Study Group, which he founded, recognised as the most important living cardiologi today. Charles University awards honorary doctorates to Professors Alexy and Badinter [ URL "http iforum.cuni.cz/iforum-13575.html"] Charles University has awarded honorary doctorates to two world-class lawyers. As of Wedne German law philosopher and constitutionalist Prof. Robert Alexy and the highly regarded Fr university professor and politician, Prof. Robert Badinter. CU Rector: Renovation of laboratories is an example of the effective use of European funds iforum.cuni.cz/iforum-13599.html"] November Candidates for the Czech presidency debate at Charles University [ URL "http://iforumeng.c iforumeng-279.html"] Six candidates for the post of Czech president accepted the invitation of the Rector of Ch the Department of International Relations, Institute of Political Studies (IPS), Faculty o and Prague Security Studies Institute and came on 28th November 2012 to the university to the security and international politics. CU now offers Computer Science programs in English [ URL "http://iforumeng.cuni.cz/iforume Starting from the 2013/14 winter semester, Charles University will offer three-year bachel master’s programmes in Computer Science. The annual tuition fee will be 3,000 EUR (around students from the EU and 5,000 EUR (around 6,500 EUR) for students from outside the EU. December Antonín Dvořák’s Mass in D major was performed in Karolinum to celebrate the Student Day [ iforumeng.cuni.cz/iforumeng-33.html"] Charles University organized a festive concert in the Great Aula of Karolinum on 15th Nove occassion of the International Student Day and the Day of Fight for the Freedom and Democr of Charles University Václav Hampl and a postdoctoral student Alla Tymofeyeva spoke prior of Dvořák’s Mass in D Major and other small compositions.