Teaching activity  

Doc. RNDr. Josef Janás, CSc., vice-rector

Educational activity is an important part of the work of every University teacher and the results considerably affect the evaluation of the teacher, faculty and Masaryk University as a whole. For this reason increased attention has been given to efficiency of education at Masaryk University.

In 1995 the total number of students at the seven faculties of Masaryk University was 15 401. The proportions of Czech and foreign students at the faculties are presented in Tables 1a, 1b, 1c. Main emphasis is placed on study for a master's degree and post-graduate (PhD) studies. Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Science, Faculty of Teacher Training and Faculty of Economics and Administration also run courses for a bachelor's degree. The branches of study for master's and bachelor's degrees were extended and in the academic year 1996/97 new courses for master's degrees at the Faculty of Science were provided, viz. museological biology, biology - geology- chemistry and a course for a bachelor's degree in geology - museology. Masaryk University lays great emphasis on post-graduate studies.

The number of students taking courses for bachelor's and master's degrees over the last five years is given in Table 2 and illustrated by a bar chart.

A marked increase in the number of students in the last two years (without a significant increase in the number of tuition staff) has been caused by further courses gradually provided at the Faculty of Economics and Administration and the Faculty of Informatics and also by the regulations of the Ministry of Education which allocates funds to universities on the basis of student numbers. In spite of that, however, this year saw a higher standard of education and tuition efficiency receive increased attention.

The number of students per teacher is considered to be one of the criteria for assessing tuition activity at universities. A review of the situation at Masaryk University is shown in Table 3.

Important for every university is university entrance and admitting students. With respect to this year's number of applications for study at Masaryk University (greater than ever before, i.e.32 712 applications) the placing of students in 1996 was more difficult than in the past years. This refers predominantly to faculties with a wide range of branches, i. e. Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Science and Faculty of Teacher Training. The number of applications exceeded many times the total which could be placed: Faculty of Medicine (5 times), Faculty of Arts (12 times), Faculty of Law (13 times), Faculty of Science (6 times), Faculty of Informatics (3 times), Faculty of Teacher Training (8 times), Faculty of Economics and Administration (10 times), the average for the whole University was 9 times. A review of admissions and placements is given by Table 4 which does not cover self-paying students and foreign students who received scholarships.

Decisive for faculties is, however, the number of enrolments. Compared with the last year the number of enrolments increased by almost 11%. The difference between the admissions and the enrolments (18%) can be attributed to the fact that a number of students were admitted to more faculties or universities. The number of enrolments (including post-graduates) at faculties of MU is illustrated by charts.

The number of foreign undergraduates is a measure of its prestige. Masaryk University has now 440 full-time foreign students (3.2 % of the total of full-time University students). In 1996/97 the number of foreign students rose by 18 % compared with the last year. This number does not include 157 undergraduates from Slovakia who started their studies before 1 January 1993, these students study under the same conditions as Czech students. Of 401 foreign students studying for bachelor's and master's degrees the highest number is from Slovakia (168), Greece (137), Yemen (18), Israel (8), Poland (6), Mongolia (5). Other students (50) come from another 55 countries. It is an effort of each faculty to increase the number of foreign students.

The increasing numbers of graduates of Masaryk University with bachelor's and master's degrees from the year 1992, both of Czech nationals and foreigners who studied under the same conditions as Czech students, are given in Table 5. The number of graduates - foreigners is shown in Table 6.

Starting from the year 1990/91Masaryk University has been providing lifelong education for adults - The Third Age University. In 1996 there were 203 graduates who completed 3-year elementary or extension courses. More than half of the graduates were of the age of 61-70, a fourth was over 70.

Based on the experience of increasing interest in The Third Age University new two-year courses have been run since the year 1996/97 and will be provided every two years.

The Division of Education of Masaryk University's Rector Office in collaboration with the offices of studies at the faculties prepared and organised two events concerning higher education: GAUDEAMUS '96 in Brno and "The market of Moravian universities and secondary technical schools" in Zlín. During these events a brochure "Information on studies at Masaryk University in the academic year 1997/98" and other materials prepared by faculties were handed round.

Table 1a     The number of students at Masaryk University on 31 October 1996

U3V ... Univerzita 3. věku 3AU ... The Third Age University

Pozn.: Stav bez studentů s přerušeným studiem Notes: The number excludes the students who temporarily stopped their studies

Table 1b     The number of University students - residents of the Czech Republic on 31 October 1996

Table 1c     The number of foreign students at MU on 31 October 1996

Table 2     Students at Masaryk University ¹

^{Numbers of Students at Masaryk University}

Table 3     The number of students per University teacher ¹

Table 4     University entrance 1996/97 ¹⁾

Enrolments for studies