Ceremonial opening of the academic year for Czech higher education institutions

In cooperation with the Czech Conference of Rectors, the ceremonial opening of the 2024/2025 academic year for higher education institutions in the Czech Republic took place on October 3, 2024, at the Congress Center Prague.

The ceremony began with a formal procession of all speakers and representatives from the academic sphere, accompanied by the national anthem of the Czech Republic and the European anthem. Among the first speakers was Prime Minister Petr Fiala, followed by speeches from the Minister of Education, Youth and Sports, Mikuláš Bek, and the Deputy for the management of the Higher Education, Science, and Research Section, Pavel Doleček.

To open the event, the Chairwoman of the Czech Conference of Rectors, Milena Králíčková, welcomed the guests of the ceremonial opening of the academic year.

During the ceremonial opening, the Chancellor of NEWTON University, Anna Plechatá Krausová, also spoke. Other prominent speakers included the Chairwoman of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Eva Zažímalová; the Chairman of the Learned Society of the Czech Republic, Martin Loebl; the Chairman of the National Accreditation Office for Higher Education, Robert Plaga; the Chairman of the Council of Higher Education, Tomáš Kašparovský; and the Mayor of the Capital City of Prague, Bohuslav Svoboda.

The ceremonial opening of the academic year concluded with the hymn Gaudeamus Igitur, followed by a joint discussion among the attending rectors and other guests.