The Comenius University Rector Visits Charles University in Prague
On 24 and 25 October 2018 (Wednesday and Thursday), on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Czechoslovak Republic, an international conference of rectors took place at Charles University in Prague. It was called “University and the Republic: The 100th Anniversary of Czechoslovakia/Czech Republic” and was connected with the ceremonial assembly of the academic community. One of the main speakers at this event was Comenius University Rector, Professor Karol Mičieta.
An international rectors’ conference entitled “University and the Republic: 100 Years of Czechoslovakia/Czech Republic” was held on 24 and 25 October 2018 at the Karolinium ceremonial auditorium of Charles University in Prague in the spirit of democracy, humanism, and responsibility.
In the “Legacy of Democracy” section – which included the participation of the vice-chancellor of the University of Oxford, Professor Louise Richardson; the rector of KU Leuven, Professor Luc Sels; the rector of Utrecht University, Professor Bert van der Zwaan; and the rector of the University of Cologne, Professor Axel Freimuth – Comenius University Rector, Professor Karol Mičieta, gave a presentation on “Universities as a Space for Independent Discussion”. In his speech, he emphasized the need for the free expression of opinions, which he sees as the essence of universities’ existence and as something which goes hand in hand with the Humboldtian idea of the free development of scientific knowledge linked with education.
Professor Mičieta stressed that universities remain places where wisdom has found institutional frameworks for developing programmes for improving individuals and educating them so that they contribute to the advancement of society as a whole. “This mutually arranged rhythm makes the university environment like a college; it is its own sort of collegium musicum.” This musical metaphor only expresses one side of universities’ standing in the world. The other is of their right to autonomy and keeping their own identity.
Professor Mičieta said that at the heart of a university’s efforts should be the celebration of reason and the search for truth resulting from internal motivation and curiosity instead of an emphasis on stimulating external demands, financial benefits, or pressures from the external political or business environment. The university must continue to be a research and educational institution where the current level of knowledge and research is the foundation of teaching.
Professor Mičieta is convinced that we all should, and presumably are allowed to, dream that our imaginations will continue to come to our aid, which is a thought encapsulated in the closing act of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream: “The best in this kind are but shadows; and the worst are no worse, if imagination amend them.”
In his address at this ceremonial occasion, the Comenius University rector also talked about the legacy of the past binding Comenius University to Charles University and the ideal of partnership and friendship: “We are fully aware of the fact that education contributes to the development of humanism, global social change, and solutions to current problems as well as mutual understanding, collegiality, and friendship. Universities contribute to the global wealth of knowledge as the bearers of humanism and deep moral and ethical values,” Professor Mičieta said.