Assoc. Prof. Zdeňka Gregorová, Vice-Rector

Accommodation plays one of the most important roles in creating social support for students. The university puts great stress on this issue, strives to extend the number of beds in the buildings it administers. It also helps its students to find their own accommodation.

In the academic year 1999/2000, the Halls of Residence and Refectories Administration provided accommodation for MU students in the following buildings:

Table 1 - MU Halls of residence

In the framework of an agreement between Rectors of Brno schools of higher education, VUT was able to lend Masaryk University 250 beds, making the total MU accommodation capacity for this academic year 4,231 beds. Of that, 80 beds were provided for participants in the SOCRATES programme, and six beds were offered to visitors of the university. Consequently, there were 4,151 beds available for MU students.

Of the total of 14,191 full-time students, 30% were accommodated; with regard to the total number of applications for accommodation, 71% of requests were met.

For the academic year 1999/2000, unified criteria were used for the allocation of beds in MU halls of residence. The time distance between Brno and the applicant’s place of residence was the main criterion. Social background was an additional aspect to be considered. Regardless of their places of residence, all KR members and physically handicapped students were accommodated.

As in the last year, the average housing fee amounted to CZK 750.

In June 1999, the Halls of Residence and Refectories Administration was lent a central accommodation system. Through this the accommodation procedures will be fundamentally changed: for the academic year 2000/2001, the Halls of Residence and Refectories Administration will be responsible for the whole accommodation system.

Table 2 - Accommodation capacity for MU students

VUT – Technical University

ČKSD – Czech Congregation of Dominican Nuns

Table 3 - Distribution of total accommodation capacity for MU students

Table 4 - Accommodation requests met

x) accommodation capacity was decreased by 80 beds for the SOCRATES programme and 20 beds for visitors to MU

xx) accommodation capacity was decreased by 80 beds for the SOCRATES programme

The Halls of Residence and Refectories Administration provided its catering services in three MU refectories, at two food counters (on Klácelova and Kounicova) and two cafeterias serving hot meals.

In December 1999, a new cafeteria providing hot meals was opened at the Faculty of Informatics. Its students and employees are served throughout the day: they are offered meals a la minute, hot meals, luncheon soups and a wide range of snacks without the need to order in advance. The Halls of Residence and Refectories Administration strives to fully satisfy its customers, and in the near future it will open two new canteens: one in the newly reconstructed centre at Komenského Nám. and one in the building of the Faculty of Arts.

Beside basic catering services, the staff of MU canteens are able to provide catering services for various important university events. The quality of its hot and cold dishes is very high.

.

Table 5 - Numbers and proportions of meals served in MU canteens

The year 1992 = 100% index

The providing of financial sources necessary for the covering of study expenses plays another important role in creating a satisfactory social support for MU students.

In 1999, the grant policy experienced fundamental changes based on Act no. 111/1998 on Schools of Higher Education and accompanying acts. In the course of 1999, MU and its faculties processed new internal regulations concerning grant rules which are in line with the above-mentioned legal stipulations.

The MU Grant Code came into effect at the beginning of the academic year 1999/2000, followed by new grant codes at individual faculties. The impact of this unified legal modification will fully manifest itself in the year 2000. In line with the new regulations, individual MU faculties award students of accredited study programmes with their own grants. Masaryk University does not offer any regular study grants; it can, however, make individual awards to excellent students.

In 1999, grants were partially awarded in accordance with old legal stipulations and new regulations of individual MU faculties.

Considering the general grant issue, it is necessary to point out that financial demands are very high, and are partially covered by state budget funds and finances provided by the university and its faculties. The difficult economic situation afflicting the Czech Republic and subsequently also the university means limited available finance, and the stipulations of Act no. 58 par. 7 on study fees at schools of higher education have not yet been fully implemented.

In 1999, Masaryk University and its faculties provided the following types of grant:

1. grants for post-graduate students
2. grants for international students studying on the basis of intergovernmental agreements
3. achievement grants
4. extra (individual) grants

Grants were awarded to students on all forms of full-time study programme accredited at MU.

Grants described under a) and b) were subsidized from the state budget. The total amount of grants awarded at MU is shown in Table 1.

In 1999, grants were awarded to 1,343 students, who received either single or regular grants.

Table 2 shows the dividing of grants for individual study programmes.

The high amount of grants awarded to post-graduate students is the result of the fact that these grants are considerably higher then regular study grants as they have to cover the greater requirements of post-graduate studies, and have been subsidized by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport of the Czech Republic.

With regards to the activities of MU students in the fields of sport and culture, Masaryk University strives to create good conditions for the development of the recreational activities of its students. Together with the modernization of MU halls of residence, areas for students’ recreational activities have been built or reconstructed. Sport activities at halls of residence are closely connected to the work of the MU Department of Physical Education. Masaryk University runs its own Sport Club, which joins together sportspeople from the whole university and other schools of higher education in Brno.

MU students also have many opportunities to participate in cultural activities organized at the university. Masaryk University has founded a number of choirs, which traditionally compete for the ”Masaryk University Choirs” title and perform at various ceremonial events held at Masaryk University.

Masaryk University is the holder of a publishing licence. In the framework of this licence and based on editorial plans of its faculties and decisions of the board of editors, the MU Publishing Centre published 279 non-periodical titles. Of these, lecture notes formed 53.4% (149) and academic publications 46.6% (130). The MU Publishing Centre printed 59% (165) of the titles itself, while 41% (114) were printed by other printing houses.

In 1999, for the publication activities of MU, an amount of CZK 1 mill. was allocated from the funds of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport. This sum was used for the publishing of university-wide titles (1998 Annual Report, University Review, University News), and student magazines issued by MU student clubs. On the approval of the board of editors, the Publishing Centre supported the publishing of some publications written by MU academics (intended for readership not only within the university). As previously, the Publication Centre published those titles stipulated in its editorial plan as part of a joint financing scheme with the Universitatis Masarykiana Foundation. The use of all finance was implemented on the approval of its board of editors.

Approximately 89% of the earnings of the Centre came from its main activities and 11% from its main activities.

In 1999, the organizational structure of the Advisory Centre (AC) did not experience many changes. It offers traditional services in the field of study and professional, legal and psychological counselling. The combining of these three spheres seems to be a well functioning model.

The Post-graduate Trade Fair has become an inseparable part of the Centre’s activities. The annual trade fair offers to final year students employment opportunities and contacts with potential employers. For the first time and in its 5^th year this event was not held at the Faculty of Law; in co-operation with the ELSA and AISEC student organizations, MU prepared a programme titled ”KONTAKT” for 500 students in the new building of the Faculty of Economics and Administration. As the Czech economy is going through a difficult period, thus creating a less favourable situation on the job market, we have to admit that the interest of commercial companies decreases every year.

With regard to the high number of study programmes, specialization is a new trend in the presentation of work opportunities. Business companies are less interested in presenting themselves broadly, and prefer closer contacts with selected groups of work applicants. The Centre would like to adjust its activities to meet this new development.

The Advisory Centre works closely with the Information and Advisory Centre in Prague, the Research Centre University Education, the Academic Information Centre, the Jan Hus Foundation and various student organizations (eg., AISEC, ELSA). The Centre presented its work at a regional conference of IAC employees of employment agencies, the results of which were highly appreciated.

The Centre has established a new relationship with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and provides MU students with an information service.

The Centre carried out its 6^th sociological research project under the title ”Graduation at MU – Past and Future”. The research methodology was updated, and new questions were included mapping the interest of students in post-graduate studies and the prospective sponsoring of MU. The research focused on job activities of MU graduates, the range of which has considerably expanded in the course of the last few years.

In 1999, the activity of the Psychological Counselling Centre was characterized by a decreasing interest in group sessions and increasing interest in individual psychological counselling. MU students looked for courses on the development of special, precisely defined skills.

The Psychological Counselling Centre employs four full time psychologists. The interest of MU students in this type of counselling was so high that the Centre interrupted its work in the summer for a very short period only. Counselling focuses mainly on the solving of study and personal (relations, general communication) problems. MU students have also increased their interest in psychological diagnostics.

In 1999, the Psychological Centre was visited by 92 clients.

The Study and Professional Counselling Centre was visited by 760 clients. Approximately one quarter of whom were interested in personal profile analysis. Other issues included study options at MU and other schools of higher education in the Czech Republic and advice concerning entry into the world of work (self-presentation, curriculum vitae, etc.). In 1999, the Centre experienced a growing interest in its services.

The Advisory Centre strives to help MU students with their future careers, increase their personal and professional skills and improve their chance of success in a highly competitive professional environment. The Centre would like to maintain contacts with MU graduates, and use their experience for the benefit of its current clients. Using this feedback, it puts great effort to improving its services for students, who have to prepare themselves for a professional career.