Challenges for a new chair

New humanities head is enthusiastic about enhancing AAU's reputation

By Johana Elmanová
Co-Editor

The brand new chair of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences is looking forward to the challenge of developing a program that can take its place among other universities in the European Union.

Milada Polisenska, a graduate of the History Faculty at Charles University, believes AAU and its Humanities Faculty have a promising future. "Our university has a potential to be recognized for its high standards," she said.

Asked to compare AAU with other Czech universities, she replied that they have common attributes such as the quality of students, the desire to achieve and teachers who are enthusiastic about their subject areas. "The basic human values do not change," she said. However, the communist tradition has created "a certain distance between the professor and the student, as we were tied down by self-control and afraid," Polisenska says. "The atmosphere is different now."

Polisenska, who has years of experience teaching abroad, thinks the change of the school's name from college to university and the development of a new logo are natural steps. Among the areas that she believes the school should pay attention to in the future are graduation requirements, ways to enhance the institution's reputation, developing a research program appropriate for a university and expanding the school's library.

Polisenska is working on a special graduation information guideline package in print and on the university website. The package should offer details about graduation, including the final exam, diploma work and even the rules for how to complete them. "It's important that students will see it [graduation] coming ahead," she said, adding that requirements include many things students have not been informed about yet. "The entire package should be completed in a month from now after the academy council approves it."

Concerning the school's reputation, Polisenska says she would like the university to have a good reputation from the outside as well as from the inside -- from the perspective of its own students. "I would like our students to feel they have made a right choice," she said.

One of the most important tools in building the university's reputation, Polisenska stressed, is the high-quality research program that one expects from a university. "It's good for students to see their teachers' enthusiasm -- it inspires them," said Polisenska about the professors' research work. However, she is not a fan of a radical change. "First,"she said, "we have to begin with looking at the school's best achievements and to learn from its mistakes in the past."

As a natural outcome of any research program expansion, more resources will be necessary, she said. She identified the further development and expansion of the university library as high on her list of priorities. Polisenska also hopes that AAU students might obtain access to other university libraries and scientific institutes such as The Institute for Contemporary History.

Polisenska believes in young people and that they should be challenged to work hard, just as the professors should be. She anticipates a demanding and stimulating year, "full of university discussions and new ideas to come, as the door is always open for new inspiration."

Her enthusiasm for the task is apparent. "I am looking forward to it," she said. "It is what I like."


--Johana Elmanova can be reached at johanaelmanova@yahoo.com

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