Dear colleagues, dear students,
Allow me to welcome you at the beginning of the summer semester through the Dean’s Bulletin. I hope that you, our students, successfully completed the planned examinations during the winter examination period; and if not, that you will do so at the next available opportunity and will then be able to devote yourselves fully to your further studies.
In the area of study affairs, we have finally managed to complete, discuss at the faculty level, and approve the application for the extension of accreditation of the Pharmacy study program, together with a substantial change – namely, a change in the organization of state examinations. As I have mentioned previously in the Bulletin, the proposal comprises, among other things, the abolition of the current continuous state examinations, retaining only the final state examination in Pharmacotherapy, Pharmaceutical Care and Social Pharmacy, as well as, of course, the defense of the diploma thesis. Other core subjects would, instead of the current “double” system of course examination and continuous state examination, be completed by a single commission examination, which – like other examinations – could be taken up to three times within one academic year and, in case of failure, re-enrolled in and completed in the following academic year. Credits would also be awarded for the commission examination. I believe that the revised accreditation of the Pharmacy study program will help to optimize the study workload and, above all, will simplify planning and reduce the time demands of fulfilling study obligations for students in the 3rd and 4th years.
Last month, we evaluated the results of student evaluations of teaching for the academic year 2024/2025. I would like to sincerely thank all students who took part in the evaluation. This feedback is extremely important both for teaching staff and for the faculty leadership, and we reflect it in our considerations when adjusting individual courses and, more generally, when setting and organizing teaching in the coming years. Within the Pharmacy study program, the highest-rated compulsory courses last year were: 1. Pharmacology I, 2. Pharmaceutical Technology II, and 3. Cell Biology; I would also mention the “fourth place” position of Pharmacology II. It is evident that even content-wise broad core courses with objectively demanding examinations can be – and in this case are – rated among the best by students. On the other hand, I am aware of repeated criticisms concerning some courses at the bottom of the ranking. In cooperation with the responsible Vice-Deans, we are not only taking note of this but are also addressing them intensively and will continue to do so.
In the bachelor’s program Laboratory Diagnostics in Healthcare, the highest-rated compulsory courses were 1. Transfusiology I, 2. Introduction to Pharmacology and Toxicology, and 3. Good Laboratory Practice. In the follow-up master’s program Bioanalytical Laboratory Diagnostics in Healthcare, these were 1. Clinical Microbiology and Virology, 2. Transfusiology II, and 3. Clinical Hematology. I would like to thank and congratulate all guarantors and teachers not only of these mentioned courses but of all the highest-rated compulsory and elective courses across the study programs; the instructors of these courses will receive a financial reward (a total of 58 out of 142 evaluated courses). On Monday, 9 March, a meeting of the faculty leadership with students who achieved the best academic results in the previous academic year will take place. Teaching evaluation and its overall set-up will certainly be among the topics discussed.
At the beginning of February, the 16th Postgraduate Conference of our faculty took place, this year supported by the strategic faculty project NETPHARM. I would like to thank all organizers and chairs of the individual sections. Above all, however, I am delighted by the high level of the presentations delivered by our doctoral students and by the results achieved. I often and gladly repeat that it is also thanks to them that the faculty is very highly rated in scientific activity – most recently receiving the second-highest grade of A- in the international evaluation of scientific activity at Charles University.
Before Christmas, I informed you of the seriousness of the situation regarding the financing of the construction of the Mephared2 campus due to the significant delay in the construction of the second Charles University campus included in the National Recovery Plan (NRP), the Albertov Biocentre. The full gravity of the situation became apparent only with the arrival of the new university leadership, which provided complete information on the actual state of construction and the realistically guaranteed resources to cover it. I am pleased that on 27 February the university leadership submitted a complete Application for a Change to the Decision on the Subsidy Award, which, following the expected acceptance by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, will terminate the proceedings concerning the withdrawal of the subsidy and bring reassurance for the final months of construction of our campus. At present, the announcement of a public tender for the relocation of our faculties from the existing buildings to the new campus is being prepared; the move is planned for the summer and September. I believe that we will begin the new academic year 2026/2027 in the modern premises of our new campus.
The planned relocation is also accompanied by several significant organizational changes, some of which have already been approved. I would particularly mention the establishment of two new departments – the Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and the Department of Analytical Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Analysis – which will combine and thus replace three existing departments: the Department of Organic and Bioorganic Chemistry (formerly the Department of Inorganic and Organic Chemistry), the Department of Analytical Chemistry, and the Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Analysis (formerly the Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Drug Control).
In conclusion, allow me to remind you of the approaching deadline for applications to the Student Scientific Conference. For students, there is probably no better opportunity to gain experience in presenting their scientific results and discussing them with a jury and other participants. Sooner or later, they will present their results at the defense of their diploma (or bachelor’s) theses, and there it will already be “for real”.
As early as Thursday, 4 March, we will have the third round of the faculty Pub Quiz, once again competing for the Dean’s trophy. On 31 March, the traditional Zentiva Day will take place, this time featuring a lecture on the very topical subject of the opportunities and threats of Artificial Intelligence, delivered by one of the most qualified experts, Prof. Jiří Matas. On 22 April, the faculty premises will be filled with exhibitors as part of the Bioanalytics and Pharmacy Fair. You are all warmly invited to all of these events.
Finally, I must of course mention our Pharmaceutical Ball. I hope you have managed to secure tickets in time, and that on 20 March we will be able to meet together in the beautiful premises of the Petrof Gallery.
I wish you a successful summer semester!
Assoc. Prof. Jaroslav Roh
Dean of the Faculty