Your Magnificence, Honorable Rector,
Dear State Secretaries,
Magnificencies, Spectabilities and Honorabilities,
Honored guests,
Dear academic community of J. Selye University,
allow me to express warm greetings on behalf of the rectors of Slovak universities. It is becoming a nice tradition that I have the opportunity to meet the academic community of J. Selye University at the opening of the academic year. Last year we commemorated the 20th anniversary of the founding of the university together, this year's opening is connected with another festive occasion - the inauguration of the new rector. Therefore, allow me to personally greet the rector, Professor János Tóth and wish him successful management of the university in the coming years.
His Magnificence has many years of experience as a leader of an academic institution. He served as rector from 2009 to 2017, then held the position of a vice-rector. Currently, not only the higher education sector, but also our society is "changed". Last year, I highlighted the vision and mission of the J. Selye University - "to be a place of education, culture and value for your region, in the mother tongue of the most numerous national minority, but also for the education of experts for our country, our society." I appreciated that the university is not only an institution where students acquire knowledge, but also a place where ideas, cultures and traditions meet. The fact that the university is built on dialogue between different communities and openness to diversity.
Today, in this place, I again emphasize the idea of the university as a place of education and dialogue. We have been observing for a long time how, unfortunately, the effort for understanding, dialogue and respect is disappearing from our society. Facts, scientific knowledge are questioned. Decisions that affect our health and lives began to be guided by emotions, the mood of people on social networks, and not by facts. Questioning facts like that the Earth is round may have seemed ridiculous to us. Today we already know that we have to be vigilant. Similarly, pseudoscientific facts and hoaxes become part of decision-making about the health of the population - not in third world countries, but in the USA and Slovakia! Well, neither we, the rectors of Slovak universities and colleges, nor the members of the academic community, can remain silent. We feel obliged to comment on the escalating situation and stop the hunt for scientists. The Presidium of the Slovak Rectors' Conference therefore issued a statement of support to the scientists of the Slovak Academy of Sciences. I would like to remind you that according to public surveys, universities and SAS are the most trusted institutions in Slovakia for a long time. We must not gamble not only with our reputation, but also with our future.
Dear members of the academic community,
our common mission is not only to preserve, but especially to develop new knowledge. We do so in accordance with international standards and scientific ethics. We bring to society objective and expertly based knowledge based on facts and professional arguments. Mutual respect is part of our communication. Under all circumstances, academic integrity must be as well. It is only thanks to science that we are able to make economic and social progress. Science, research, innovation, but also other creative activities, including art, are engines of development and competitiveness for our society. Once again, I appeal to the academic milieu to jointly and publicly defend science, research, but also art performed not only at universities, but also at partner institutions. Therefore, let's look to the future and talk about where we want to move, not only our universities, but also our society. Therefore, may the new academic year be successful for all of us, full of inspiration and mutual cooperation and respect, even though we are facing a very challenging economic times.
Honorable Rector,
I am very pleased that I could welcome you again at the Slovak Rectors' Conference, where J. Selye University has a worthy place thanks to the active cooperation of its rectors.
Vivat academia!
Ilustration photo by UJS