"Our faculty has long collaborated with - and I can now say - Dr. Magdaléna Vášáryová. She has given lectures in our courses dedicated to diplomacy and international relations. When we were considering, in the year of Masaryk University's 105th anniversary, whom to honor for their scientific and pedagogical contributions, as well as their service to society, the choice was clear. Magdaléna Vášáryová is, especially in the year marking the 35th anniversary of the events of November 1989, one of the symbols of our transition to democracy. Her service to Czechoslovakia, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic has been invaluable, and I greatly appreciate that she accepted our proposal and became an honorary doctor of Masaryk University," said the Dean of the Faculty of Social Studies, Stanislav Balík.
The day before the ceremonial event, Magda Vášáryová gave a lecture at the Department of Sociology on the topic of "The Change of the National Narrative as the Most Important Step for the Next Generation." The following day, she participated in a roundtable discussion at the conference "Illiberalism in the Czech Republic and Slovakia," organized by the International Institute of Political Science in the auditorium of the Faculty of Social Studies.
"It is impossible to fully capture all the emotions surrounding me today at Masaryk University. It's not every day that one is honored with an honorary doctorate degree. This is a truly special occasion for me. To me, the university is a place that provides an invisible kind of glue. It binds together the pieces of human material and gives them shape and meaning through knowledge. Moreover, the pursuit of education and knowledge should not end with obtaining a degree but must be a lifelong effort. Complacency can cost us dearly—not only individually, but as an entire society as well. We must realize that Central Europe is not a place where we can afford to stand still and simply expect events to pass us by. No, all events will affect us, and we will need to rely on educated people to help us navigate them," said Magdaléna Vášáryová, who is completing her Ph.D. studies at Charles University in Prague, to M magazine.
The Czech Science Foundation (GA ČR) has announced calls for project proposals in the areas of Standard Projects, JUNIOR STAR, POSTDOC INDIVIDUAL FELLOWSHIP, and International Projects, as well as a new scheme, the Restart Grants, designed for researchers resuming their careers after a break.
The Rome Summer Institute, the summer school of the Department of Social Policy and Social Work in Rome, is an excellent opportunity for both students and academics. It offers international collaboration, exchange of experience, and professional development in an inspiring environment. Participants gain new perspectives on social issues and establish valuable contacts.
