Sport, culture, a parade of student organisations, but above all a pleasant day on campus. Last year, Masaryk University expanded the traditional sports and social events organised by the faculties located on the Bohunice campus by inviting the Rector’s Office, the Faculty of Pharmacy and the Faculty of Economics and Administration to take part. This year, for the first time, all ten MU faculties will take part in the programme, so the event can rightly be called MUNI Day.
“Last year, students and staff enjoyed a morning full of sports activities, an afternoon spiced up with a floorball tournament, and a social evening with good music, food and drinks. But there was one thing missing: representatives from the other MU faculties. That is why this year we are preparing the programme in cooperation with all faculties, which will give the event a unique and truly university-wide spirit,” says Tomáš Kudela, head of the Office of External Relations and Marketing, adding that his team is now preparing the entire concept for this year’s event, as well as an information campaign in cooperation with the Communication Office, which will also target international students and employees.
Registration required to participate in sports activities
MUNI Day is for students and staff. Both groups get an open programme of sports activities in the morning, after which they can come – perhaps with friends and family – to cheer on the faculty teams in the afternoon floorball game. Everyone then moves together to the prize-giving ceremony and a relaxed afternoon of refreshments and cultural activities on campus.
Like last year, the morning sports activities require pre-registration, so the number of participants will be limited. “All the sports venues are usually fully booked, which makes us happy. I encourage those interested in participating in sports activities to book their participation in time when registration opens,” Kudela reminds. Registration for MUNI Day via an online form will open at the beginning of April on the website muniday.muni.cz.
The floorball tournament is the highlight of the event and a unique opportunity to see the representatives of the faculty management and the heads of the Rector’s Office compete against each other. Last year's winner’s trophy, for example, is still on display in a place of honour in the campus office of the Dean of the Faculty of Science, Tomáš Kašparovský. This year the system is changing, and so are the chances of winning. A team of five faculties from the centre of Brno and the Rector’s Office will compete against a team of five faculties from the Bohunice campus and the surrounding area.
Tomáš Kudela wants to play in the floorball tournament, just like last year. “It will be a challenge, the best players from the whole university will definitely meet on the court. But this event is also a challenge for my whole team, all my colleagues,” said Kudela.
He believes that events that bring together people from different parts of the university are important. “Staff and students from different faculties don't have many opportunities to meet each other. In fact, MUNI Day is the only such opportunity – the last big university-wide event was the centenary of Masaryk University,” recalls Kudela, who was part of the team that organised the MUNI 100 celebrations five years ago.
MUNI Day will retain last year’s visual identity and will also tie in with the University’s 105th anniversary celebrations. The organisers are reluctant to reveal any specific activities, but they do want to issue a challenge: they would like people to come to the event wearing the colours of their faculty and identify in any way with their faculty or department.
“A big thank you to the university management, which initiates and supports these events, but especially to all the organisers of last year and previous years, on whose quality work we will try to build this year,” adds Tomáš Kudela.
