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In her research, she delves into the origins of life on Earth. What keeps her awake at night are the 20 amino acids that have formed the building blocks of proteins in all organisms since the very beginning. What would life look if the identity of these amino acids changed?

The Faculty of Science at Charles University will be headed for the next four years by Vladimír Krylov. The academic senate of the faculty elected the biologist with 15 votes out of a possible 28 at its meeting on October 24. The senate's election was confirmed by the Rector of Charles University, Milena Králíčková, who appointed Vladimír Krylov to the position on Monday, December 16, at the historic Carolinum.

Professor Milena Králíčková has received France’s highest state distinction, the Legion of Honour, from the French Ambassador to the Czech Republic, His Excellency Stéphane Crouzat. The French Embassy in Prague awarded the honour to the Rector of Charles University for her contributions to medicine, her advocacy for gender equality, and her efforts to strengthen Franco-Czech relations.

Charles University researchers have written a new chapter in success, with five of being awarded prestigious ERC Consolidator grants. This is an unprecedented achievement. Five more scientists from other institutions also received backing.

At the conference Microcertificates in the Czech Higher Education Environment, organised by Charles University, experts and education specialists from Czechia and abroad discussed what this year has brought in the field of microcertificates and how their concept is being implemented in the higher education environment.

The Czech Head Awards - the highest national scientific awards - highlight the most talented scientists and the results of their research and innovative ideas. This year, a number of CU scientists received top recognition: Jan Dobeš from the Faculty of Science of Charles University and Petr Pávek from the Faculty of Pharmacy at CU. The winners of this year's awards were announced by Česká hlava organisers together with the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic on Friday 22 November at Kampus Hybernská.

The 17th of November is a day of dual remembrance: the brutal police crackdown on students at Albertov that ignited the Velvet Revolution in 1989, and the tragic events of autumn 1939, when the Nazis shut down Czech universities and deported over 1,200 students from their dormitories to Sachsenhausen concentration camp. Representatives of Czech universities traditionally commemorated the memory of those who fought for freedom and democracy on 17 November, underscoring the importance of academia as a space for the free exchange of ideas and critical thinking.

Eighty-five years have passed since 17 November 1939, a tragic day not only for Czech higher education. Under the Nazi occupation, the day was marked by the violent suppression of student demonstrations in Prague and the closure of Czech universities by the German authorities. If that day in 1939 associated with the arrival of darkness, the student protests that began on 17 November 1989 and were brutally repressed finally let light and hope into Czech society.

They manage to combine demanding studies at Charles University with elite-level sports training and outstanding representation of the Czech Republic in international competitions. They achieve exceptional results in science and research. On Tuesday, 12 November, a group of four students received the Rector's Extraordinary Prize from Milena Králíčková, rector of Charles University.

R. H. Huizinga is a highly-respected Educational Specialist at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands and one of the most anticipated speakers at the 2nd Paedagogium Platform Conference on Thursday 14 November. Read the second of two interviews related to the conference!

Michal Smetana is a highly-respected researcher at CU specialising in international relations, security studies, and geopolitics whose research focuses on issues such as international security, global governance, and the role of public opinion in foreign policy.

Charles University’s rector, Milena Králíčková, has discussed existing academic partnerships and cooperation following her and her team’s recent working visit to the United States as well as other issues including promoting increased equality. The rector spoke to the international service of Czech Radio in an interview published Friday.

This week, Charles University hosted the annual CEDMO conference, highlighting the observatory’s ongoing commitment to fact-checking, media literacy, and responsible AI regulation. The CEDMO consortium—affiliated with the university's Faculty of Social Sciences and comprising international partners—continues to deliver crucial research, evidence, and insights into the challenges of the so-called post-Truth era, where democratic norms and truth itself face frequent threats.

Czechs on Monday marked the anniversary of the founding of Czechoslovakia, with President Petr Pavel awarding state honours. Among the 56 invitees for the ceremonial gathering at Vladislav Hall at Prague Castle was Charles University Vice-Rector for Research Ladislav Krištoufek, who received a Medal of Merit in the Field of Science from the head-of-state.

In November, Charles University will host the 2nd International Paedagogium Platform Conference, providing a valuable opportunity for academics and practitioners in higher education. This year’s conference is focusing on the roles of Teaching and Learning Centres, including those newly-established at Charles University. The event will feature eminent guest speakers such as Sarah Leupen.