Statistical data concerning the number of MU students are stated clearly in the tables and graphs below. Tables 1a, 1b and 1c show that at all eight MU faculties, there were 18,026 students in 1998, i.e. 7.7 % more students than in the previous year. This year the main stress was laid once again on master’s and doctoral (post–graduate) studies at all faculties, with the exception of the Faculty of Informatics, where a bachelor’s study programme was inaugurated.

The number of students of bachelor’s and master’s studies in the last five years is presented in table 2 and Graph 1. The quality of teacher performance is also influenced by the number of students per teacher. Table 3 shows that in the past few years this proportion has increased at the majority of MU faculties. It has been proven, however, that the quality of teaching has not decreased. With regard to the greatest number applications for study at Masaryk University ever known (37,257), demands placed on the organising of entrance proceedings were higher than in previous years. The number of applications was in excess of the number of students who could be accepted: at the Faculty of Medicine – five times greater; at the Faculty of Arts – eleven times greater; at the School of Social Studies – sixteen times greater; at the Faculty of Law – eleven times greater; at the Faculty of Science – eight times greater; at the Faculty of Informatics – four times greater; at the Faculty of Education – nine times greater; at the Faculty of Economics and Administration – six times greater. For the entire university, on average there were eight times more applicants than places available. An overview of entrance and appeal proceedings is given in table 4. This does not involve self–paying students, scholarship holders from abroad, and graduates accepted for post–gradates studies.

For the faculties, it is the number of students enrolled which counts. In comparison with 1997, the number of students enrolled at MU has grown by 8 %. The difference between those accepted (5,877) and those enrolled and studying (4,443) was caused by the fact that many students were accepted at more than one faculty of a school of higher education. An overview of students enrolled (including post–graduate students) at the individual faculties of Masaryk University is given in Graph 2.

Masaryk University responded dynamically to growing study interest in its faculties with the accreditation of new study disciplines. The study programmes of the Faculties of Medicine, Arts, Education, Economics and Administration, Informatics and the School of Social Studies were extended. Masaryk University also supported interdisciplinary studies such as the joint study of medical disciplines both at the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Education, and humanitarian environmental studies at the School of Social Studies and Palacký University in Olomouc.

The number of international students is an important indicator of the school’s prestige at home and abroad. In the full–time study programme, there is a total of 515 students from abroad, i.e. 3 % of the total number of all full–time students at MU. In the academic year 1998/99 there are approximately 80 more foreign students than last year. In this number, students from the Slovak Republic who started their studies before January 1, 1993 are not included, since these students study under the same conditions as Czech students. A majority of foreign students on the bachelor’s and master’s courses come from the Slovak Republic (257), followed by Greece (121), Sweden (8), Israel (7) and Poland (6). Another 116 students come from another 52 countries. The MU faculties continue to strive to increase the number of foreign students. They offer individual courses and whole–study programmes in English (other languages also possible) and are represented at various education fairs and international publicity events.

The number of graduates of master’s, bachelor’s and post–graduate studies at MU has grown since 1994 with regard to both Czech students and those international students who study under the same conditions as Czech citizens as stated in table 5 (the increase was 4 % over last year). The number of international students who graduated is shown in Table 6.

As for the life–long education of adults, the General Course of the University of the Third Age and the Course in Practical Gerontology have continued their programmes with 242 participants. More than half of all participants are people in the 61–70 age group.

As in previous years, the educational section of the Rector’s Office of Masaryk University, together with the study departments of the individual faculties, organised two important events concerning post–secondary education: GAUDEAMUS ’98 in Brno and the Presentation of Moravian Schools of Higher Education and Technical Colleges in Zlín. For these occasions, a brochure Information on Study at MU in the Academic Year 1999/2000 was published together with information materials on all eight MU faculties.

 Table 1a – Number of students at MU on October 31, 1998

Note: Number of students does not include those who have interrupted their studies

¹⁾  Only degree studies at bachelor’s and master’s level - Czech citizens and international students