Eighty current and emeritus rectors of Czech universities opened the academic year in Brno yesterday along with other representatives of educational and scientific institutions.
Education Minister Mikulas Bek (STAN) said at the ceremony in the atrium of the rector’s office of Brno University of Technology (VUT) that even in these times of crises, education and science have managed to remain among the highest priorities. The event preceded the 182nd session of the Plenum of the Czech Rectors’ Conference (CKR), which continues today.
“Universities have always been a place where new knowledge is born, freedom of thought is nurtured and people capable of taking responsibility for the future of the country are educated. Even in times of uncertainty, education remains one of the strongest pillars of society,” Bek said. He said the past few years have been challenging given the global crises. “They have burdened our society and our budget. I appreciate all the more that we have managed to keep education and science among the top priorities and to push through some systemic changes.”
On Tuesday, the government approved a draft budget that envisages CZK 281.7 billion for the Education Ministry. Bek managed to negotiate CZK 5.3 billion more than in the budget’s first version, most of which will go to universities. Compared to the budget approved for this year, however, there is less money for the ministry.
According to CKR chairwoman Milena Kralickova, it cannot be disputed that universities contribute to the development of society. “Yet many of us feel that investments in education are not priorities. We start the academic year with the hope that society will not become more polarized, with the conviction that our work is deeply meaningful, and with the belief that our students will govern this country and the planet in happier times,” she said.
In their speeches, several speakers referred to the geopolitical situation affected by war in Ukraine or the Middle East. In light of these crises, according to some speakers, the role of universities is even more significant, as technologies useful for security and defence are developed there, and educated people contribute to a high value-added economy.
