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COMENIUS UNIVERSITY OPENS THE 107TH ACADEMIC YEAR

pr@uniba.sk — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 10:02:00 +0200

At the ceremonial opening held in the CU Auditorium, the Rector awarded the J. A. Comenius Memorial Plaque to three individuals whose work represents an extraordinary contribution not only to Comenius University, but also to Slovak society. Professor Daniela Ostatníková was honoured for her outstanding professional, scientific, pedagogical, and publication contributions to the aetiology and research of autism. Professor Dušan Meško received the award for his long-standing, rich, and highly beneficial scientific and pedagogical activity in the field of sports medicine. Professor Anton Gáplovský was recognised for his years of dedicated work, innovative and creative engagement in the development of intelligent technologies and competence centres, and for fostering scientific progress. In his speech, the Rector drew attention to the current societal challenges which the university addresses directly, stressing its crucial role of both an administrative institution and as a centre of intellectual integrity, the search for truth, and the development of a culture of values. “There is no need to demolish the proverbial cathedral. We must tirelessly, humbly, yet convincingly proclaim the idea that today’s academic institutions are meant to embody and, in the words of the classics, I WANT TO BELIEVE that our university embodies it to the greatest possible degree. The idea is that there are things worth fighting for, and that there are means that enable such an honourable fight. That the only idea upon which today’s university must be built is the sincere effort to seek truth, and that questioning today’s knowledge is permissible and desirable only to make room for new knowledge,” said CU Rector Števček. He added that the university is a place where an important struggle is waged over the form of institutions and values, and where a tolerant, empathetic, and intellectually honest community is being shaped. He highlighted the importance of patience, talent, and moral certainty in the process of acquiring knowledge and in the struggle against scepticism and nihilism, which often threaten the fundamental principles of social discourse in today’s society. The festive atmosphere of the assembly was further enhanced by a musical performance by the vocal–instrumental ensemble Vocalatté. So far, nearly 22,500 students have enrolled at CU for the 2025/2026 academic year, 3,860 of whom are from abroad. During the winter semester, CU will also host 448 students of the Erasmus+ programme and other international students from 27 countries worldwide. The largest groups will come from Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, and Germany. Comenius University Bratislava, the only Slovak university consistently ranked in most prestigious international rankings of higher education institutions. It offers study at all levels (bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and PhD programmes), in 806 study programmes with the right to confer the respective academic degree across its thirteen faculties in three cities (Bratislava, Martin, and Nitra).

Report from the Bratislava Legal Forum 2025 conference

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 14:09:00 +0200

On September 18 and 19, 2025, the Faculty of Law of Comenius University in Bratislava (hereinafter referred to as "FLAW") hosted the expert sections of the important international professional conference Bratislava Legal Forum 2025, which was marked by stimulating discussions and interdisciplinary dialogue on current challenges of law in the digital era. Bratislava Legal Forum 2025 was held with the support of the Visegrad Fund, thanks to which it was possible to organize an event of such scope and international importance. The professional program consisted of parallel sections focused on the theory and philosophy of law, constitutional and international law, environmental and climate law, Roman and ecclesiastical law, administrative, financial, commercial, labor and criminal law. Particular attention was paid to the issue of liability in the era of cyber threats, the possibilities of using artificial intelligence in public administration and the private sector, as well as issues of protecting fundamental rights in the digital environment. The extensive section of criminal law, divided into two parts (substantive and procedural law), focused on new dimensions of criminal law in the era of digitalization, including the issue of evidence, the regulation of crypto-assets, and also the impact of artificial intelligence in the decision-making process in criminal proceedings. The conference had a distinctly international character. In addition to established experts from the domestic legal environment, guests from several foreign countries also spoke, including the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Ukraine, Germany, Austria, Spain, Italy, Romania, Lithuania, and the United Kingdom. The representation of various countries from Europe and the world underlined the importance of the event as a space for open professional dialogue and exchange of experiences between different legal environments and cultures. Both foreign and domestic experts presented contributions reflecting global trends as well as specific challenges in the legal order of the Slovak Republic and partner countries. The discussions demonstrated the need for intensive cooperation between academia, state authorities and the private sector, with repeated emphasis on the necessity of ethical and legal regulation of modern technologies. The Bratislava Legal Forum annually creates a space for professional discussion in the field of law, and this year was also held with the support of significant partners. The event is funded by the European Union under the NextGenerationEU initiative, while the main professional partner of the conference is the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic. The media partner of the Bratislava Legal Forum 2025 conference is TA3 television, which conveyed the atmosphere of the conference to a wide public. General partners of the conference include the National Security Authority of the Slovak Republic, FLAW Alumni Club, Slovenská sporiteľňa, Bratislava Law Review, Wolters Kluwer, European Law Students ' Association (ELSA) and the company St. Nicolaus. The social program after the end of the professional sections of the conference continued the professional part of the event with an evening cruise on the Harmónia boat towards Devín and back, combined with a ceremonial reception. The social program of the conference created a suitable framework for the continuation of professional discussions in an informal environment and at the same time provided the participants with the opportunity to get acquainted with the significant historical landmarks of Bratislava. The successful course of the conference confirmed that an interdisciplinary approach to solving legal issues of the digital society is essential. The discussions created a solid foundation for the final syntheses and recommendations, which were presented during the last part of the conference on September 19, 2025, as part of the presentation of the conclusions of the plenary session and the discussions of the individual sections. These outputs will also provide an important basis for further academic research and professional discussion in the future.

Report on the Plenary Session of the Bratislava Legal Forum 2025

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 13:34:00 +0200

On September 17, 2025, the Plenary Session of the Bratislava Legal Forum 2025 was held at the Faculty of Law of Comenius University in Bratislava (hereinafter referred to as the "FLAW"). The Plenary Session had the central topic "Digitalization of Law and Security in the Digital Environment". The event brought together prominent academics, experts from practice, representatives of public administration and the diplomatic corps. The Plenary Session was held in the historic Aula of Comenius University in Bratislava, with discussions taking place in Slovak, Czech, English, Polish and Hungarian with simultaneous interpretation provided for foreign guests. The event is funded by the European Union under the NextGenerationEU initiative, the main professional partner of the conference is the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic, and the media partner is TA3 television. General partners of the Bratislava Legal Forum 2025 include the National Security Authority of the Slovak Republic, the FLAW Alumni Club, Slovenská sporiteľňa, Bratislava Law Review, Wolters Kluwer, European Law Students' Association (ELSA) and the company St. Nicolaus. The plenary session was held within the project of the Competence Center for the Regulation of Cybersecurity, Privacy and Cybercrime (CUSEC). The opening ceremony of the plenary session belonged to representatives of the academic community. The participants were welcomed by Prof. JUDr. Marek Števček, DrSc., Rector of Comenius University in Bratislava, who emphasized the importance of digitalization for legal science and practice and the need for a systematic approach to cybersecurity issues. His words were followed by Prof. JUDr. Eduard Burda, PhD., Dean of FLAW, who pointed out the need to support professional discussion and education in the field of information technology law and digital regulation. Distinguished guests from the fields of public administration and diplomacy also took the floor – Juraj Blanár, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic, who appreciated the support for events highlighting the need to connect law and digital security in both the European and global context, Matúš Šutaj Eštok, Minister of the Interior of the Slovak Republic, who emphasized the key role of legal regulation in the area of cybersecurity, and Gautam A. Rana, Ambassador of the United States of America, who spoke about the importance of joint efforts by democratic countries in strengthening cybersecurity and creating a fair legal framework for the digital environment. The program then continued with two panel discussions, which created a platform for the exchange of experiences and expertise between representatives of several countries. The first panel discussion, moderated by JUDr. Michal Rampášek from the Institute of Information Technology Law and Intellectual Property Law of FLAW, focused on the transposition of the NIS2 Directive and its implementation in the practice of the Visegrad Four countries. The speakers were Viktor Munkácsi, Head of the Incident Management Department at the Hungarian National Cybersecurity Center, Marcin Domagała, Head of the Department forInternational Cooperation in the Field of Cybersecurity from Poland, Ondřej Polák from the Czech National Office for Cyber and Information Security and Jaroslav Ďurovka, Director of the National Cybersecurity Center of the Slovak Republic, who presented specific experiences and challenges associated with the implementation of this legislation in individual countries. The second panel discussion, moderated by JUDr. Ondrej Hamuľák , PhD. from the Institute of Information Technology Law and Intellectual Property Law of FLAW, was dedicated to the global challenges of digital regulation and provided space for presentations by experts from various countries and academic backgrounds. The panelists were Hong Dae-sik, Professor of Economic Law at Sogang University School of Law, South Korea, Iana Kazeeva, Postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Innovation and Digitalization in Law in Vienna, Lilla Nóra Kiss, PhD., Lead Policy Analyst at the Schumpeter Project on Competition Information Policy Technology and Innovation Foundation, and doc. JUDr. Matúš Mesarčík , PhD., LL.M. from the Institute of Information Technology Law and Intellectual Property Law of FLAW, who addressed issues of digital market regulation, competition protection, and innovative approaches to the regulation of artificial intelligence and digital technologies. An important part of the Plenary Session of the Bratislava Legal Forum 2025 were also expert sections, which created a space for the presentation of academic research results and expert discussion. The section on information technology law and intellectual property law, with the main theme "Regulation, Cybersecurity and Digitalization of Law", covered a wide range of topics such as risks for children in the online environment and the role of European legislation in their protection, the ban on political advertising on social media platforms and its legal implications, the issues of regulating automated vehicles, regulatory sandboxes under the Artificial Intelligence Act, or criminal law overlaps of artificial intelligence. The issues discussed included remote drivers from the perspective of criminal law, cross-border cooperation between EU Member States in securing data in criminal proceedings, and the challenges of implementing the Cyber Resilience Act. The civil law section with the topic "Current Challenges and Limits of Civil Law in Connection with the Advent of Artificial Intelligence" provided space for discussion on the legal status of artificial intelligence, the possibilities of its use in issuing court decisions, and issues of consumer law and family law in the digital era. Among the topics discussed were the child's right to privacy in the context of digital parental supervision, the use of digital technologies in the enforcement of decisions in matters concerning minors, optimal models of regulation of artificial intelligence in consumer trade, and the review of arbitration decisions in the era of algorithms. The social program of the event offered participants the opportunity to get to know the historical landmarks of Bratislava during a sightseeing ride on the Prešporáčik train and also provided space for informal meetings during a ceremonial reception at the Devín Hotel, which took place in the evening after the professional part of the program. The reception washeld in a friendly atmosphere and allowed for the establishment of new professional and personal contacts between participants from Slovakia and abroad. The plenary session of the Bratislava Legal Forum 2025 creates a unique space for the exchange of knowledge, experiences and opinions within the professional community.

You are warmly invited to a lecture by Dr. Amina Qutub

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 10:45:00 +0200

The Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University Bratislava, is pleased to invite you to a lecture by the renowned international expert Dr. Amina Qutub, She is affiliated with the University of Texas at San Antonio, USA. The lecture will be held on Monday, September 22, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. in Room M6, Moskovská 6. The lecture, titled “Building and/or use of AI systems for medical professionals in general ”, will cover:

examples of AI systems currently in use as well as those still under development,
training and testing AI-based decision support in clinical practice,
and will address key questions such as: How can we determine whether AI is good enough? Can it accurately predict the decisions and reactions of human clinical experts?

Dr. Amina Qutub is a biomedical engineer, researcher, and entrepreneur. She is a pioneer in developing methods at the intersection of computer science, neurobiology, and engineering to advance human health. Her work focuses on harnessing artificial intelligence in medicine, particularly in brain research and the development of treatments for diseases such as leukemia and Alzheimer’s disease. The lecture is held under the auspices of the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Professor Juraj Payer.

Suspension of classes at Faculty of Pharmacy, Comenius University

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 08:28:00 +0200

The Dean of Faculty of Pharmacy, Comenius university in Bratislava announces suspension of classes...

Comenius University and Bratislava Welcome New Students

pr@uniba.sk — Wed, 17 Sep 2025 19:32:00 +0200

A Two-Day Celebration Over the course of two days, students will have the chance to take part in engaging workshops, informative lectures, and networking activities, all while learning more about both their studies and life in the city. A cultural and entertainment program will also be on offer. The event will kick off on Saturday, September 20, as part of the popular Dobrý trh (Good Market) held on Panenská Street in the heart of Bratislava. Here, the Welcome Center of Comenius University will be available to assist students, while students from the Faculty of Medicine of CU will offer free health diagnostics. In addition, various activities will take place at the YouthHub community center on Štefániková Street and in the reading room Čitáreň u Červeného raka. On Sunday, September 21, students can enjoy a yoga session in the Medical Garden or join the KOLO collection at the dormitories in Mlynská dolina and Mladá garda. A Focus on International Students The event is especially designed to cater to international students, with many activities being offered in English or bilingually in Slovak and English. "With this event, we also want to support the internationalization of our university and ease the integration of our international students," says Petra Cienfuegos, head of the Welcome Center at Comenius University. How to Participate Admission to the event is free, but prior registration is required. For more details, including a full schedule of events and the registration link, visit the official event page. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/student-welcome-weekend-2025-tickets-1630106515469?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshcopyur

Call from French Institute in Slovakia

Katarina.Matejcikova@fmph.uniba.sk — Wed, 17 Sep 2025 13:37:00 +0200

The French Institute in Slovakia has opened a call for short-term (of 1 -3 months) scientific research stays in France in 2026. Doctoral students and research staff who defended their doctorate no more than five years ago are eligible to apply. The application deadline is November 2, 2025. More detailed information can be found on the website of the French Institute:

Great Success of Our Students at ŠVOČ 2025 in Olomouc!

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 09:01:00 +0200

Our students successfully represented the Faculty at the Czech-Slovak round of ŠVOČ 2025, held in Olomouc, where they achieved excellent results across several sections: Mária Krakovská – 1st place in the section Copyright, Labour Law, Family Law (supervisor JUDr. Ing. Karin Raková, PhD., MBA) Adam Briešťanský – 2nd place in the section Theory of Law, Constitutional Law, Human Rights (supervisor prof. JUDr. Tomáš Ľalík, PhD.) Daniel Richter – 3rd place in the Criminal Law section (supervisor: Prof. JUDr. Eduard Burda, PhD.) The ŠVOČ competition provides students with an excellent opportunity to present their research results, compare knowledge, and establish contacts with colleagues from other universities. We take pride in the fact that our students are among the active young scholars contributing to the development of the legal community beyond Slovakia’s borders.

Štipendium francúzskej vlády na vedecko-výskumné pobyty do Francúzska

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 15:08:00 +0200

Radi by sme dali do Vašej pozornosti otvorenie výzvy na krátke (1-3 mesiace v roku 2026) vedecko-výskumné pobyty do Francúzska s uzávierkou 2. novembra 2025.

O štipendium sa môžu uchádzať doktorandi alebo vedecko-výskumní pracovníci, ktorí obhájili doktorát pred maximálne piatimi rokmi.

Podrobnejšie informácie nájdete na stránke Francúzskeho inštitútu: https://institutfrancais.sk/veda-a-univerzity/stipendia/pre-doktorandov-a-na-post-doc/

A taktiež na našich sociálnych sieťach: https://www.instagram.com/p/DOfvfEojDOC/ https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1094031219512607&set=a.509676234614778 Ambassade de France en Slovaquie
Sedlárska 7
812 83 Bratislava
Tél.: 00 421 2 59 34 77 41
www.institutfrancais.sk

CU welcomed more than 450 international students under the Erasmus+ programme

pr@uniba.sk — Wed, 17 Sep 2025 09:09:00 +0200

“We believe that this exchange of ideas and cultures will enrich your studies, broaden your horizons, and help you build friendships and contacts for life. […] Enjoy every moment – Bratislava is now your home,” said Remiš in his opening speech. This winter semester, more than 450 exchange students will join CU from 27 countries, including EU Member States, the United Kingdom, Uzbekistan, Georgia, Taiwan, Japan, Argentina, and Canada. The largest group this year has come from Spain, with 188 students. The participants took the Erasmus+ pledge and attended presentations about Slovakia, Bratislava, and Comenius University. They also received information on Slovak language courses at Studia Academica Slovaca and an introduction to the Erasmus Student Network (ESN), which organises leisure activities and supports international students in adapting to their new environment.