Charles University, founded on 7 April 1348, is celebrating its 674th birthday. On this occasion, the university awarded five scientists Donatio Universitatis Carolinae prizes. They are worth a financial reward of one million crowns.

Charles University’s Hall of Patriots was the site for an important conference organised by Microsoft on Thursday, featuring the company’s Vice-chair and President Brad Smith. He gave a keynote presentation called Sustaining Trust in the New AI Economy.

Members of the International Advisory Board at CU gathered for their annual meeting in Prague this week to discuss developments at the university over the last year and to discuss plans moving forward. The role of the IAB, as the name suggests, is largely to help.

Charles University recently outlined the scope of a major research project. Beyond security: The role of conflict in building resilience will bring together studies by numerous participants, across disciplines, to examine the impact of crises.

On Tuesday, 10 October, Charles University hosted an international Czech-American conference on the topic of "Value and Quality in Healthcare: Czech and American Perspectives." The event was co-organized by Lahey Hospital & Medical Center (LHMC).

Hundreds of ombuds from around the world, not just Europe, were hosted by Charles University as part of the 18th annual ENOHE conference. Together, participants sought ways to improve the overall safety environment at universities.

It's one of the signature features of the Great Hall at the Carolinum: a 5 x 8 metre tapestry adoring the front wall of the aula. On it? An image of Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV with St. Wenceslas and symbols of the university’s faculties. 

“I consider Charles University to be one of the best in the wider region, it can withstand comparison with the best in the world,” says Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová. The head-of-state met on Wednesday with students at Charles University. 

During ceremonies of Charles University, you can’t miss him: he stands out even among esteemed guests, always the first to walk into the Great Hall in dignified historical dress, sceptre in hand. He is the university’s bedel or beadle. At the Carolinum that role is performed by Josef Šebek.

This week, the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics of Charles University celebrated 70 years since its foundation. “From today's perspective, the faculty seems young. However, the tradition of mathematics, physics and astronomy at Charles University has been going on for almost 700 hundred years,” Rector Milena Králíčková said.

Speakers at a one-day conference at Charles University focusing on the pandemic more than a year on agreed: an outbreak  such as the one we have seen was a ticking time bomb. Despite how prepared we might be in terms of knowledge, virologist Ladislav Machala said globalisation had shown we have never been “more vulnerable.“

Charles University recently hosted a one-day conference at the Patriotic Hall bringing together top members of the legislative branches from the Czech, Estonian, Lithuanian, and Latvian Parliaments, to mark 100 years since the Czechoslovaks gave de jure recognition to the three Baltic states. The event also focussed on lessons for today.

The inauguration of Professor Milena Králíčková, the new Rector of Charles University, took place on 3 March 2022 at the historic Carolinum. She succeeds Professor Tomáš Zima who served for two consecutive terms. The new rector's term of office will last until 31 January 2026.

Charles University, Professor Milena Králíčková, met for the first time in the historic Carolinum’. Králíčková was elected to head Charles University by the Academic Senate in October 2021 and then appointed by the Czech head of state at the end of January. The very first meeting addressed a number of specific points and challenges.

The year 2021 saw no end to the pandemic, which brought numerous complications, including for scientists. Nevertheless, scientific research continued with positive results. We offer a look back at science at Charles University over the course of the year.

Last Thursday, Charles University hosted the long-awaited Women in Science seminar, examining conditions of female experts in the Czech scientific and research environments. Invited speakers discussed both opportunities and barriers and as well as what needs to change.

This month, Charles University became the first stop for a traveling exhibition about the Vienna Circle from the University of Vienna. The show was accompanied by a conference on the lasting influence of the group – which included philosophers and scientists such as Moritz Schlick and Otto Neurath.

Recent graduates may already have been lucky to hear the newly installed pipe organ at the Carolinum; additional invited guests will have the pleasure on Tuesday, 5 October, at a concert including works by Bach and Mozart. The new pipe organ in the Carolinum’s Great Hall has been described as a “resonant jewel”.

Charles University hosted the representatives of key European university networks on Friday, at a special meeting aimed at tackling challenges faced by institutions of higher learning. The meeting took place the Patriotic Hall in the Carolinum, and was opened by Rector Tomáš Zima.