Information on the opening of the academic year in connection with the floods

Brno University of Technology is closely monitoring the weather conditions in connection with the floods. Students and staff are advised to keep monitoring the communication channels of BUT's individual faculties and institutes. The academic year at BUT will start as planned on Monday 16/9/2024, with the exception of the Faculty of Architecture and the Faculty of Fine Arts. Information is updated here regularly.

Update 16/9, 12:00: In connection with the floods in the Czech Republic, the Centre of Sports Activities of BUT cancels some events from the programme of the Week of Sport at BUT (16 Sep - 22 Sep).

Update as of 15/9, 9:00 pm: At Sunday's special meeting of the Rector's College, its members agreed that, based on the assessment of the flood situation in Brno, the dislocation of most of BUT faculties away from the threatened locations, the current weather forecast, and taking into account the measures already issued and communication with students, it is not desirable to cause further uncertainty and chaos by changing and cancelling them. At the same time, however, measures have been taken to ensure that specific events requiring the compulsory attendance of learners in connection with the formalities of the start of the academic year or teaching are appropriately adapted to the situation, either by postponing them to the following week or by allowing online classes.

The decision and the agreement are based on the facts that students have been informed by the faculties about the start of classes in due time and that the students are currently already in Brno or are on their way. After checking the situation at BUT dormitories, the vast majority of students had already been accommodated during the weekend. According to the Director of BUT Halls of Residence and Dining Services, more than 95% of the students have been accommodated, which, with 6,000 beds, represents about one third of all cross-border and foreign students, and they are therefore already in Brno. The possible cancellation or changes to the previously issued instructions for the start of the academic year on the planned date were assessed as confusing and bringing more uncertainty and chaos to an already unclear situation immediately before the start of the academic year.

The Faculty of Architecture, whose building at Poříčí 5 was in immediate danger, proceeded to postpone the opening. In view of the flood protection works in the building and a certain persistent risk, the Dean of the Faculty of Architecture has therefore decided to postpone the full-time commencement of classes for first-year students until Thursday 19/9/2024. The Faculty of Fine Arts has also moved to postpone classes, declaring a Dean's Leave on 16/9 and 17/9.

There was no immediate threat of floods in other faculty buildings and therefore no need for measures to limit the physical presence of students in the University buildings. Therefore, classes will begin as scheduled on Monday, 16/9/2024.

Of course, Brno is not the only city affected by the situation. The management of the university, faculties and institutes of higher education are at the same time aware of and fully respect the obligation to ensure equal conditions for all their students, including the possibility to participate in classes. The management has taken into account the possible limitations arising from the current situation, which may prevent some students from the flood-affected areas from attending due to - ensuring the emergency situation in their homes, or transport or other restrictions related to travel to Brno. Therefore, at a special meeting of the Rector's College on Sunday 15/9/2024, the following measures were agreed:

1. Planned formal and mass events associated with the start of classes (especially administrative tasks, training, etc.) requiring a mandatory physical presence of students will be rescheduled for the following week, starting on 23/9/2024.
2. With due respect for the emergency situation and the limitations of those learners who are unable to attend for objective reasons, their physical absence from classes will be excused and appropriate support or compensation will be provided by the faculties and institutes to compensate for the inability to participate in classes and related activities, including taking into account the limitations and/or unavailability of electronic communication.
3. Following an assessment of the situation regarding attendance at classes on Mondays, the mode and extent of teaching will be adapted by individual faculties to the circumstances and physical attendance and a decision will be taken to adjust the timetable if necessary or to move all or part of the teaching to an online mode if this is feasible by agreement with the learners.
4. The further course of action will be coordinated by the University and individual faculties' management after the assessment of the situation at the meeting of the Rector's College on Tuesday 17/9/2024.
5. Learners and academics will continue to be informed through the communication channels of the University, Faculties and Institutes of Higher Education.

The measures taken take into account the fact that changing or cancelling the instructions already issued for the start of classes would probably be rather counterproductive in the phase immediately before the start of the academic year, as such a message would probably not reach the majority of students at this stage. For students already in Brno, the issue of any corrective information was not considered to be effective or fair. The university and its management will therefore only take the situation into account on the basis of an assessment of the reality and of the presence of students after the start of the academic year.

The planned events in the coming week, in particular the student festival Hudba z FEKTu and BUT Academic Assembly Ceremony, are not yet affected by the emergency situation and, unless the situation deteriorates, all events will take place as planned.

The rector appreciated the dedication of everyone at the Faculty of Architecture, the students present and the members of the management headed by the Dean of the FA and the Chair of the FA academic senate, for securing the faculty building and relocating the archives, library, equipment and facilities located below and at ground level. These spaces were cleared out and sealed against water intrusion.

"All those involved in securing the faculty deserve a big thank you for this test of responsibility and dedication to their faculty and the university. We can also appreciate the participation and willingness of people from the surroundings and the neighbourhood of the building to offer help to the Faculty and for the solidarity shown," said rector Ladislav Janíček and added that, "appreciation also belongs to the members of the Fire Department for their deployment, professional approach, promptness and care, which they showed both on the spot in the form of support provided in the building of the Faculty at Poříčí 5, but especially during the construction of flood barriers in the immediate vicinity of the river Svratka."

After yesterday's on-site inspection, it seems that the water in the Svratka at Poříčí is already stabilized and the flood barriers, which were built very quickly along the river, will hopefully not have to serve their purpose this time. "It turns out that the water managers who dealt with the regulation of the water level in the Brno dam and managed the outflow of water have managed the situation perfectly. However, let us wait to evaluate the situation until the risks have passed completely," the rector added.

Information as of 15 September 10:00: The academic year at BUT will start as planned on Monday, 16/9/2024, with the exception of the Faculty of Architecture at Poříčí, which is in the immediate danger zone, and the Faculty of Fine Arts, which has declared a Dean's Leave for 16 and 17/9. Students and staff are advised to keep monitoring the communication channels of the various faculties and institutes. Please note that most of these links are in Czech. Contact your faculty or institute if you are unsure about anything or use automatic native translator within the apps.

• Faculty of Architecture – web, Instagram, Facebook, the start of teaching of the first years has been postponed to Thursday 19 Sep 2024, the start of teaching of the 2+ years will start on Monday 19/9/2024 in online mode.

• Faculty of Civil Engineering – information displayed on web, Instagram

• Faculty of Mechanical Engineering – information displayed on web, Instagram, Facebook

• Faculty of Business and Management – information displayed on web, Facebook

• Faculty of Chemistry – information displayed on web, Instagram

• Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Communication – information displayed on web, Instagram, Facebook

• Faculty of Information Technology – information displayed on web, Instagram, Facebook

• Faculty of Fine Arts – information displayed on web, Dean's Leave granted for Monday and Tuesday 16 and 17/9/2024

• Department of Forensic Engineering – no change in classes 

• Center of Sport Activities – no change in classes, Sports Week may change

• CEITEC BUT – classes in doctoral programmes unchanged

The information in the mentioned information channels, i.e. BUT's website and social networks are continuously updated.

Apart from the measures taken for the start of the academic year:

• The Rector, BUT management and the management of all faculties and institutes are monitoring the situation and expressing their support to all those affected by this event.

• Under the care of the Director of the Halls of Residence and Dining Services of BUT, Brno University of Technology has allocated 50 dormitory beds to the South Moravian Region for possible emergency accommodation.

• Experts especially from the Faculty of Civil Engineering on the topic of floods and water structures are involved in informing the public through the media. You can follow e.g. our experts from FAST BUT.

• You can also contribute to humanitarian collections to help people affected by the floods: People in Need, Charity of the Czech Republic or ADRA.