The inauguration of the new Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy, CU, Assoc. Prof. PharmDr. Jaroslav Roh, Ph.D. took place on Tuesday, 1 March 2022, in the attendance of Her Magnificence, Prof. MUDr. Milena Králíčková, Ph.D., Rector of Charles University. Jaroslav Roh took office on 1 February 2022 and replaced Prof. PharmDr. Tomáš Šimůnek, Ph.D., who served as the leader of the Faculty of Pharmacy for two terms, from 1 February 2014 to 31 January 2022.
The ceremony was attended by the highest representatives of Charles University, members of the Scientific Board of the FoP CU, representatives of allied faculties and other esteemed guests. The invitation was accepted by the Vice-Rector of Charles University, Prof. JUDr. Jan Kuklík, DrSc., as well as by Prof. Ing. Kamil Kuča, Ph.D., Rector of the University of Hradec Králové; Prof. Ing. Libor Čapek, Ph.D., Rector of the University of Pardubice; Prof. MUDr. Roman Chlíbek, Ph.D., Dean of the Faculty of Military Health Sciences at the University of Defence in Brno; Prof. MUDr. Jiří Manďák, Ph.D., Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at CU in Hradec Králové; Prof. PharmDr. Mgr. David Vetchý, Ph.D., Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy at Masaryk University; Prof. PharmDr. Ján Klimas, Ph.D., MPH, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy at Comenius University in Bratislava; Prof. MUDr. Vladimír Palička, CSc., Dr. h. c., the Head of Hradec Králové University Hospital; Mgr. Irena Storová, MHA, the Head of the State Institute for Drug Control, and other honoured guests.
The programme started with music by composers Mozart, Haydn and Monteverdi performed by a string trio from Choceň.
The ceremony was opened with an introduction by the Chairman of the Academic Senate, Assoc. Prof. Pharm.Dr. Mgr. Martin Krátký, Ph.D. After he welcomed all the present guests, he spoke of the origin and meaning of the word ‘inauguration’, whose history goes back to ancient Roman times. Even then, the word meant a symbolic transfer of power to newly elected augurs. He excused the absence of the previous dean, Prof. PharmDr. Tomáš Šimůnek, Ph.D., who could not attend the event due to illness. He then highlighted the importance of the role of a dean for the life and operation of the faculty a standalone entity and as part of the entire university.
The Rector of CU, Professor Milena Králíčková, talked chiefly about the plans for the development of the faculty and university. She stressed the importance of interlinked cooperation. Charles University is a living organism that can work well only if all of its constituents are synchronized. She expressed her support for the new dean and her trust in his ability to always tackle tasks, which are often uneasy, as best as possible.
Then the inauguration itself took place. The new dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy received the insignia of his post from the hands of the Rector of Charles University.
In his speech, Assoc. Prof. Roh presented the direction that his work in the management of the faculty will take. He highlighted his intention to make the Faculty of Pharmacy more visible in the eyes of the public, attract more students to enrol in both Master’s and Bachelor’s programmes, support international cooperation and increase the prestige of the faculty as a top educational and scientific institution on an international scale.
After his official speech, the new dean added his own personal remarks in which he condemned what is happening in Ukraine and expressed the maximum possible support to all Ukrainian students, employees and their families. You can read the full inauguration speech by Assoc. Prof. Jaroslav Roh here.
The programme concluded with a pleasant musical performance.
We would like to thank the new dean and wish him a lot of success!
Written by: Marcela Jeřábková, the Department of External and International Relations
Photo: The Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University